New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-04
THE APPRAISAL OF BAGGAGE.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY HOWELL ENrLAiN'
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENTS
RECENT ORDER.

,v.,,,,r,or roh I, was said ~ tho Treasury
DEPARTMENT to-day that there Is misapp'ehens'o"
OF the instructions recently Issued co"Oe'"'"S wv
baggage o. passengers arriving rom "pI'a'
sstant Secretary Howell said: Inc OBJECT VI III,
order referred to was simply to secure proper ana
,o,oroI obsorvance o. the requirements prescribed
,oors ago for the appraisement OF baggage arriving
q, this country and the form ~ declaration ana
entry heretofore used. and which has nor peen
CHANGED provides for the detailed Information r.
nured by the provisions OF Section s''"' h'N''e'
Statutes 10 be furnished by passengers NO ne"
requirement has been made. but the recent instruc
tlons are intended to secure n more faithiul on
eor,.a,ca NJ the regulations heretofore prescribed
under the section OF the statutes referred TO- ana
also IN enforce tho provisions Of Section 1892 RH-
vised Statutes which provide for the forfeiture OF
dutiable articles found I'm baggage and not ncIpued
I'm the entry made by the passenger
For MANY Years passengers have been furnished
~, customs officers who meet incoming vessels with
blank forms Of baggage declaration and entry
which are required to be verified by oath the
declaration is required TO indicate the number OF
pieces OF baggage accompanying tho passenger. and
states that all articles purchased abroad. with the
value paid In each instance. are set form ana
described In the annexed entry Tho blank form
Of the entry contains spaces 10 be filled ny the
appraislng officer and which indicate the value OIL
each article and the proper rate OF duty thereon.
"A practice he's obtained FOR some Tine past
under which inspectors ~ customs have assumed
10 pass upon the value and dutiable character OF
merchandise found I'm baggage, ana as means OF
protecting tho revenue. the Instructions OF whlch
complaint has recently been made. were issued.
No delay to the passenger or hardship OF any klnd
IS involved in these Instructions provided the per-
son making the declaration and entry does what
he swears he does. namely. makes a full list OF nc
articles contained I'm his baggage purchased ABROAD
and states the price paid for each and the enforce
ment Of these instructions will not only prevent
loss TO the revenue, but will place passengers IN
every grade OF life on the same footing. The IN
stuctions will also relcgate inspectors to their
proper sphere and remove them from temptation
10 pass free dutiabe articles or 10 assess such ar
ticlcs with low rate Of duty az a means OF ootalh-
ing the favor of arriving passengers.
The purpose Of tho order referred 10 IS 10 pidDo
upon inspectors the responsibility TO ma ana re-
port articles purchased abroad which passengers
fan to declare and upon appraisers the duty ol ap
praising the value Of such articles In ACCORDANCE
with law Obviously, If customs ofhcerS shou.d
prefer 10 continue lax administration and desire TO
make this rule odious. they can readily 90 So anu
there are indications that attempts IN thls 1lrec
ton have already been made; but the passengers
who I'm good faith make true declarations can nave
no possible cause for complaint and those VINO
make false declarations arc not deserving OF con-
sideratiOn.'