The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-24

a study In political economy, even II 1t saves
you no money.
DIAMOND SMUGGLING.
Nature has placed a curious Limitation on
tariff laws. Whenever a tariff rate is made
so high that it pays to risk smuggling, gov
eminent receipts from that article begin to
fall off. For that reason under the last ADMIN
istration they seriously considered the advisa-
bility of reducing the rate OF duty on dla-
monds. There is nothing Of equal value 50
easily concealed as a diamond. For that
reason diamond smuggling has always been
rather active But under the Wilson law
1t has risen to enormous proportions. inc
rate of duty is so high that a. man could anoro
to take the risk of seizure for the sake OF tne
saving he will make II he gets his goods
through safely. The same thing Is true OF
other imports and the treasury experts IN
going over the new tariff law must take that
into serious consideration.
Particularly threatening is this danger IN
view of the new tariff proposed In CANADA.
This will discriminate strongly against our
goods and in favor Of goods from England.
As smuggling across the border Is compare
lively easy, 1t Is expected that enormous guam
titles Of some articles will be brought INTO
Canada from England to be smuggled INTO
the United States. There is a pleasant fiction
that English goods be bought in Canada
cheaper than they can be had here. l know
some persons who buy clothing IN Canaoa
States, and these men think they are gettinS
their clothing cheaper than they could buy
1t at home. In fact, they are paying as much
or more for clothing of inferior make as they
would pay for flrst-class clothing made by our
own tailors and we have the best taliors IN
the world
One curious line ofosmuggling is carried on
right under the eyes Of the government at
Washington. Dispatch bags for the foreign
legations here are delivered without exam1n-
alton. All the young attaches OF European
legations are importuned by their FRIENDS 10
have gloves and perfumery sent over to
them in these dispatch bags. Almost all Of
the bags received are laden with purchases
of this kind in which the attaches nave acted
as agents. The amount saved by the young
women who encourage this practice Is 1ncon-
siderable, but they think is is Just too de-
liciously daring to smuggle gloves ana iahs.
OFFICIAL EFFECTS.
The legation people, by the way, seldom
fail to make a profitable speculation on fur
niture and bric-a-brac out Of their term OF
service here. Whenever foreign minister Is
transferred to another station he announces
an auction sale of his magnificent collection
Of ant objects fine furniture and wines. VI
all these he has very large stock, which he
brought into the United States free CT DUTY
as part of his official effects. Society hocks
to the auction. The secondhand MAJ or
speculator in auction goods stays away. There
are no bargains to be had at a legnt!cn arc
ton, and the professional buyer knows H.
Women Of wealth, who would scorn 10 Duy
ANYTHING at secondhand store, 90 TO the
minister's auction. and pay more Than the
retail price for the well worn articles which
are offered. Thread bare carpets actually
sell for the usual price Of new ones. The
minister who has had the use Of these artl-
cles for the season of his stay in Washington,
makes the difference between what lie rad
for them and the American retail price that
is, about the amount Of the duty he would
have paid if he had been any one but
diplomat. Even the president of the United
States is not favored as these diplomats are.
If President Mckinley bought dutiable
article abroad and had it shipped to the
United States. he would have to pay duty en-
it. When Nellie Grant was married, the
would have had to pay duty on her wedding
presents from abroad, but she very sensihly
had them shipped back to England un exam
med, for England was to be her home That
Is the usual practice in the case Of Ameri-
can girls who marry Englishmen.
George Grantham Balm.