The Washington times., 1902-02-09
RemonStrance by the New
York Board of
Trade.
COMMITTEE Sees THE PRESIDENT
An Audience Was Also Had
With Secretary Shaw.
INVESTIGATION ASSURED
Prominent Society Women of the
Metropolis Have Also Filed Sim
liar Petition.

Secretary Shaw will make an investi-
cation of the manner in which the Gus
toms inspectors at New York handle the
baggage of tourists. In consequence OF
this determination there is great rejoicing
among these who annually cross the pond
and from whose throats rises a wall OF
protest every time their baggage is
searched by the customs officers for du-
table goods.
A petition of remonstrance against 1.-THE
insolence and ungentlemanly conduct OF
the customs inspectors on the piers at
New York was presented to the Presi-
dent yesterday by Mr.. C. C. Shayne, presi-
dent of the Merchants and Manufacturers
Board of Trade. of New York.
Conference With Secretary Shaw.
In company with L. G. Ketchum and
A. R. Smith, who, with him, formed a
committee appointed for the purpose by
the Board of Trade. Mr. Shayne, at 2:30
o'clock yesterday afternoon. had con-
ference with Secretary Shaw. copy of
the petition handed to the President was
presented to him.
Mr. Shaw surprised his visitors with the
detailed grasp he had of the situation at
New York.
The petition stated that it had come to
the attention Of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Board of Trade that ''unreason-
able and obnoxious methods have been
employed by inspectors on the docks in
executing this law. resulting, as it has in
some instances. in the great discomfort
Of tourists The law referred to is the
500 limitation act, which permits of the
admission duty free of sl00 worth of arti-
cles which may have been purchased for
the personal comfort of the traveller
aboard ship.
Do Not Want LAW Repealed.
The committee pointed out to Secretary
Shaw that they did not want the law re-
pealed- They said that they had been in
strumental in securing its enactment. But
they declared that they did want men en-
pioyed customs inspectors who would
administer the law honestly, but with
such discretion as would cause but little
Inconvenience.
Mr.. Shaw promised that the matter
should be looked into. He has already
communicated with MIR. George Z. Bid
well, collector of the port of New York,
in regard to the matter.
On the desk of Assistant Secretary
Spaulding at the Treasury Department
lies a petition in the same effect as the
one presented yesterday. 1t is signed by
number of prominent society women of
New York and Washington. President
Roosevelt has received many letters on
the subject from private individuals.
VIII Fight 1t to the End.
I'VE are going to fight this thing out to
the end declared Mr.. Shayne. The GUS
toms inspectors are too officious. Many
of them are so Iecause they think that
by making the existing law obnoxious
they can influence its repeal and have a
return to the old system, under which
they derived considerable Illicit revenue
from smugglers.
Secretary Shaw has a marvellous grasp
of the situation. We were surprised when
We talked with him today to learn how
much he knew about the affairs Of the
customs house. We feel that he will do
all in his power to secure the most ad-
vantageous and Just administration of the
law, and that the case is perfectly safe
in his hands. We will, as representatives
of the Merchants and Manufacturers
Board OF Trade. make further recommen-
dations looking toward the protection of
tourists from the weather when they land
from ocean liners and are having their
baggage examined