The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-02
THEY FEEL 1T PINCH.

THEY FEEL 1T PINCH.
There is just one section of the new
tariff bill, pretty nearly the only one,
by the way, which commands the I'M
qualified and enthusiastic approval of
the G e. This is that which the
aristocratic and privilege-loving senate
failed to have struck out, and which
limits to 500 the amount of dutiable
commodities purchased abroad that
may be brought in free from taxation
by incoming tourists If the poor have
to pay in increased prices the new tar
if rates, let the rich pay them also.
OF all the people in this country, those
who are. least, entitled to- special priv
1leges at our custom houses are those
who have made "the European tour.
Those who have money enough to tak3
the trip abroad have money enough
to pay the tribute that congress levies
upon industry, The amount of the
revenue that has been lost to the treas
ury in years past by the slack arrange
which could be brought in as personal
baggage free Of duty is very much in
excess of any estimate.
OF the tens of thousands of persons
who go abroad every year, every one
brings back large amount of dutiable
property. 1t consists of wearing an
of nI--1o
luxury purchased at low prices in Eu-
rope and for the particular purpose of
eVadlng the duty. Transatlantic trav-
Ell has become an acknowledged meth
cd of general smuggling, and the very
rich are the worst offenders. The mil
lionaires come in with a draw load of
trunks, all supposed to contain the
wardrobe necessary for a scion of
wealth. but really crammed with for
eign-made commodities brought un-
taxed through the port of entry. 1t is
well-known fact that a large number
of people have made a practice Of
crossing the ocean at least once a wear
for no other purpose than to make a
seasons purchases. They have saved
by this means, more than the whole
expense of the journey. If this seems
improbable, one has only to note tha
fact that, when the steamer Ma iestic
came into port few days ago and the
new. law was applied to the passengers
on this one ship for a single trip. So. 600
of revenue was collected from the pas
sengers on their baggage, not one dol
lar Of which would have been paid
under the old system If any are +,
be taxed, let all be taxed equally. r
has stirred the wrath of an honest man
to see, among the most arrogant adj
vocates of protection in the past, men
who were known to brazenly pass
through the custom house every year
thousands Of dollars worth Of goods
that ought, under their theory, to nav
duty.
The economic effect Of the new regu-
lation will be equal to it's revenue
effect. The Eurouean tourist is usually
a man of some education and able TO
see the relation of cause and effect
Protection may have applied to him
in the past as a theory without touch
ing him practically. Now, he mus.
stand and deliver with the rest of them:
and the angry host, who have to open
their purses and pay duties, bringing
the cost of what they have bought
up to the amount that they would
have to pay for it here, will have
different ideas in the future about the
relative beauties of protection and free
trade. The collection of taxes upon
the baggage of passengers in excess
of a modest limit of 500 will make free
traders of a good many people, and
will. accomplish that beneficent end by
the perfectly just and proper way of
refusing exemption to few from the
burdens laid upon all. This section
is the best thing, perhaps we should
say the only good thing, about the
Dingley bill, and we hope it will be
enforced unsparingly,