Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-29

first two sections contain the provisions
regarding the entry of baggage. Sec
ton 2,S01 provides:
'tOn compliance with the two preceding
sections, and not otherwise, permit SHAH
be granted for landing such articles. But
WHENEVER THE COLLECTOR AND
THE NAVAL OFFICER, If ANY.
THINK PROPER. THEY MAY DIRECT
the baggage Of any person arriving within
the United States 10 be examined by the
surveyor of the port, or by an inspector
of the customs, who shall make return
of the same. and II any articles are con-
tanned therein which in their opinion
ought not TO be exempted from duty. cue
entry of them shall be made and the
duties thereon paid
This is the only authority for the
examination of baggage. Laws since en-
acted have changed the amount OF
goods purchased abroad which may be
brought in free of duty. Under the
Wilson tariff law the limit was $500
for each passenger, and by the Dingley
law IL was reduced to 800. Secretary
Gage, in issuing a new book Of customs
regulations for the enforcement OF the
Dingley law. inserted the following pro-
vision in article 5S5:
AT the larger ports customs ofheers
will be detailed to furnish passengers the
necessary blanks and instruct them in
regard TO declaring the contents of their
packages. inspectors duly designated
WILL VERIFY SUCH DECLARATIONS
BY AN EXAMINATION OF THE BAG
GAGE AS SOON AS LANDED,
By promulgating this regulation Sec
rotary Gage placed all passengers on
the same footing as persons suspected
of smuggling. and the ruling has ere
ated widespread indignation among
people. who. although they made AFR
nation to the value OF their baggage,
still had to submit to being searched
the treasury department rule presup-
posing them to be liars.
Secretary Gage is unyielding in en-
forcing the rule, however, and he seems
inclined to fight back at his numerous
critics. Indeed, he makes the threat
that if pushed too far he will publish
list that he has up his sleeve of names
of prominent persons who have been
compelled to pay duties, in some cases
to the amount of $4,000, on goods
which they had failed to declare.
a. Tfi al in,
New York, will cause a sensation If it
ever becomes necessary to publish it
in order to justify the policy of the
treasury department. 1t would eX-
hibit to the public some of the best
known people of the country as guilty
of attempted smuggling"
On this point an eastern contempor
airy says:
Secretary Gage never limited at the
possession of such facts in his numerous
statements in defense of the existing sys-
TEN. He has declared that the hands of
the department /were tied by the law.
NoY that they court has held that the law
does not require but merely permits the
opening of travellers trunks and the
spreading out Of mems and women's ap-
parel on steamship piers. 1t is expected
that the Secretary either Will revise his
regulations or publish such evidence as he
has to show that European tourists, as a
rule. are dishonest.
"A small army of men is required to ex-
anime the baggage of passengers. 1t COM
prises twelve examiners from the APP
praisers office. eighteen clerks from the
Collectors office and about one hundred
and fifty inspectors from the Surveyor of
the Port. Their combined salaries amount
TO upward of 100000 a year, SO they have
to discover large amount of undeclared
baggage before they begin to earn any
thing for the Government. There are also
special inspectors. who make most of the
big seizures of jewels from the persons of
travellers.
AN elaborate secret system is employed
to insure that the Government shall not
be cheated. The Treasury Department has
agents in Europe who report the names OF
Americans who make large purchases in
London, Paris or elsewhere. When these
persons arrive here, unless they declare
large amounts of goods, their baggage is
subjected to special scrutiny"