Evening star., 1901-12-25
TO ENFORCE CUSTOMS DUTIES.
Increase of Inspection Division at
Port of New York.


Port of New York.
The New York Herald of today says:
Details of the plans for the reorganiza-
ton and extension of the inquisitorial
method Of examining baggage Of incoming
transatlantic voyagers show that while the
customs service may extract a few more
dollars, perhaps, it will add vastly to the
present horrors of arriving.
BY the formation of an entirely new di-
vision Of inspectors, as announced yester-
day, it appears now that even pins will be
appraised and an undeclared toothpick
will be regarded as a rare seizure. Per-
sons whose wardrobes consist of more than
500 worth of clothing will be pursued as
plutocratS, and steerage passengers will be
held to strict account for their blankets
Trunks will be opened and their contents
evenly distributed over the splintered floor
ings Of the steamer piers with even more
zeal than has been displayed. .a-
Divisions formerly known as the third
a new one, called the third, and from the
second division of the custom house has
been taken rib or two, which is now
known as the fifth division. The new name
preserves the integrity of the numbers, and
it will make life miserable for the hordes
Of unSuspecting tourists and citizens. 1t is
the intention to have more deputy collec-
tors, who will ask the questions which tend
to make the newly arrived passengers 1eel
SO small that they are in danger of slipping
off the vessel into the river before they
realize their peril.
Many young women art students, who
have been in Paris for two years, are con-
fronted on their return by the inquisitors,
and many of them have actually been COM
PEELED to pay duties on articles which they
were bringing home as relics of the Quar-
tier Latin or to serve as the basis for crazy
quilts.
Among the measures which the newly or
ganized fifth division will enforce more
strictly are the rules which pertain to the
repairing Of garments. Under the treasury
rulings on a garment remodeled In Europe
duties must be paid upon it as though it
were just fashioned. The made-over gown
is generally not considered as good as new,
but the experts Of the fifth division will
hear no feminine arguments and no pro-
testations that subject.
Among the articles which will be espe-
cially watched by the customs officers un-
der the new division will be the cameras.
Tourists who come here to take snapshots
of Niagara Falls and of the Statue Of Lib
erty find that they must pay a heavy duty
on cameras Of foreign make.
Englishmen and Frenchmen who visit
this country on shooting trips have on
more than one occasion found the customs
source Of annoyance. Not long ago
party of French noblemen reached this port
on their way to the northwest. They had
with them guns from the best makers of
France. The rate Of duty on the weapons
was so high that the hunters asked an ex-
PLANTATION.
Finally, upon the advice Of one who was
familiar with the customs, they got per-
mission to send back the guns. Then they
purchased what firearms they required in
this country, and before their return sold
them to q secondhand dealer. The guns
which they used here cost them about 35
per cent. Of the amount which they would
have paid in duty.
Thesesdnstances are only a few examples
Of the manner in which the inquisition of
the customs will be continued under the
auspices Of the fifth division.