The times., 1897-07-30
DUTY ON WEARING APPAREL.
New York Board of Trade Interested
In It's Enforcement.


In It's Enforcement.
Mr.. c. C. Snayne, president, and Mr.. j A,
Hickman. vice president, OF the Merchants
and Manufacturers Board of Trade OF
New York had conference vest erday with
Assistant Secretary Howell, In charge OF
the customs work Of the treasury with
respect to the enforcement Of that clause
OF the new tariff act which limits the
amount OF wearing apparel To be broughtn
free by tourists to $100.
The gentlemen represent the importing
houses of New York city, and are very
an xious to have the new law enforced
To the strict letter OF the statute. They
pointed out To the department the manifest
injustice of the old provision, which per-
mitted the free entry of wearing apparel
to any amount, and showed how it had
Initiated against the trade OF American
dealers and importers, who were forced TO
pay the duty. Both of these gentlemen
were here when the bill was under con-
sideraton in the Senate, and were in
strumentai In having the limitation to $100
inserted In the new law.
They reduced their recommendations to
writing and submitted tlem to tls-S Gre
tary, and many OF their Recommendations
will, DOUBTLESS, appear shortly in the
circular OF instructions issued TO the col
lectors OF the various ports.
subsequently Air. Shayne said to re-
porter for The Times that no one item in
the bill would add more to the revenue
than the insertion OF this little paragraph.
I'm order to bring the matter properly
before the Senate cominittee." said MIR.
Sbayne, ''we had the question practically
tested few months ago, during the month
OF June, to be exact. There was, under
the old law no duty whatever on personal
effects OF this sort, and people coming
back from the other side had no hesitancy
In stating just what they brought in.
We found that in [ his one month wenty-
five passengers inquired of brought into
this country goods under the head Of wear
ing apparel valued at S24 $50, on which.
bear in mind. not a dollar OF duty was
collected Last year there were 115. 900
passengers who entered the ports OF this
country. and this entire passenger list
paid In duties only the Insignificant sum
of $97 200, or what was the equivalent
OF 50 cents each. The estimate OF $500
worth of apparel for each person, which
We consider to be moderate, shows that
there came into the country In this way,
goods valued at S57, 500 600, which SD ould
pay a duty averaging 40 per cent. Under
the new law. properly enforced. with such
an entry of goods, there would be col
leofed a duty aggregating So. 900 900, in
stead OF paltry S9I 900.
"Of course, if the new law is properly
administered there VIII not be that In
duceJnent to buy abroad, for the payment
of the duty cannot be escaped. On the
other hand. however, the money which
is spent abroad by people who go over
simply to buy and escape the duty. VIII
be expended here and the hotels the sum
mer resorts. the business men, the trans
portation companies and all that sort of
thing viii be benefited thereby. This one
little clause will be beneficial to the
country do not hesitate to say at least
To the extent OF S100, 0O0,00
The old law has remained on tn g ST atute
books practically without change ever since
1893, hut it was only in recent years that
Its abuse grew to be such an extensive
evil. The man who could not afford to go
abroad, ir he had the money to buy some
foreigE-made garment had to get it OF
dealer and pay the duty, while the ricn
man could go abroad with his family. Iay
daughters and bring them in as wearing
apparel. thereby escaping the duty and
saving the entire expenses OF his trip.
That was a discrimination In favor OF the
rich that ought not Co have been tolerated.
and one OF the best things In this tariff law
Is this little proviso which puts the rich
and poor on the same plane. 1t will also
enable the business men who deal in i'm
ported goods to do little more business
| and keep the money OF the United States
with us 70 a greater extent than hereto
fore. When people have to pay the same
duty. either In the store or when they
bring tie goods IL themselyss they viii
scarcely go to the trouble to handle the
stuff personally
I'VE propose to see that the law is en-
forced and that the evasion or the pay
| nent OF the duties is stopped We have
called the attention OF the depa rt1aent to
the custom Of tipping and bribing that has
grown up, and have taken steps on our
own account TO see that the men whose
duty 1t is to collect the duties do It.
strictly according to the letter OF tie law"