The morning news., 1897-07-27
TIME LIMIT OF THE TARIFF.
GOVERNMENT CLAIMS 1T COVERS
ALL ENTRIES ON JULY "a.

Courts Almost Sure to lie Appealed
to For Final Determination OF the
MHtter-The Amount of Duties In
vOIVed Between 100000 and s2OO.-
OOO-Thc Internal Revenue Depart
mcnt Expects TO Gain Not Less
Than S1S3,OOO Under the Ruling.
Washington, July 26.-The Secretary of
the Treasury holds that the new tariff
act was in effect at the beginning OF the
day, on which It received the approval OF
the President, and therefore become ope-
rative after midnight of Friday, July o.
Assistant Secretary Howell sent the fol-
lowing telegram to collectors Of customs
to-day: Department holds that new tar
iff law covers and includes all customs
business July a."
Later in the day a formal circular of
instructions covering more fully the de-
partment's views on the subject was
printed and mailed to all customs officials
The opinion of the attorney general has
not been requested on the latter the de-
partment holding that the question is Of
such Importance to justify them In look
ing to the courts for final determination,
Independent of what the views of the
law officers of the government might be
as to the merits Of the case.
Senator Allison was at the treasury de-
partment to-day, and in the course of a
conversation on the subject said that in
his opinion there was no reasonable doubt
that the act covered all of the day on
which it became law This also is the
view of all the prominent officials of the
Treasury Department, including the col
lectors Of customs at New York and sew
eral leading ports of the country.
Sufficient data on which to base a close
estimate of the amount of duties involved
has not been received, but Il is stated
roughly that 1t probably will be between
100000 and 100000
The internal revenue department will
probably save even a greater amount by
the new ruling than the customs branch
Of the service. During the five days from
tuesday, July %, to and including Satur-
day. July "a, the internal revenue stamp
agencies sold approximately 5,1s1, 800 In
beer stamps alone, and of this amount Il
Is estimated that not more than one-third
or N,727 266 reached their destination be-
fore the act went into effect
The saving to the government on these
sales Is expected to aggregate not less
than s1S3,00O. Commissioner Forman to-
day telegraphed all stamp agents to settle
on the basis only on the increased rate
of 7Isc per barrel 1t Is expected that
these instructions Will apply to all cases
where the stamps were NOT actually af-
fixed 10 the packages before the new rate
became operative.
No figures as to the amount Of cigarettes
stamps disposed of have yet been recelv-
ed, but It Is believed that the sales have
been abnormally large, as the rate OF tax
on cigarettes, speaking generally, was in
creased 100 per cent. or from 80 cents per
1000 to 81. The inducements TO tobacco
manufacturers to lay In a large supply
were even greater than in the case of the
brewers.
New York, July 26.-When Collector OF
Customs Bidwel made formal announce
ment to-day that duties at Dingley law
rates would be collected on goods entered
on Saturday. many protests were at once
filed by importers of goods entering on
that day These goods arrived by the
Normania from Hamburg; the Paris. from
Southampton, and the Umbria, from Iiv-
erpool The duties under the new tariff
on goods on these three ves-
sells amount TO about $4,000,
and under the Wilson tariff the
duties would have amounted to about
100000, and accordingly the loss to the
importers appeared to be about 100000
La Touraine from Havre with many
pictures and other works OF art arrived
on Saturday, but the captain reached the
customs house too late to make entry for
his vessel. The protests win first be pass
ed upon by the board OF general apprais-
ers, and then appeals may be taken by
either the importers or the government
of the United States circuit court then
to the United States circuit court OF ap-
peals, and finally 20 the United States
supreme court.