Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-07
SHAW SEEKS REMEDY
Will Attempt TO Improve Method
OF Inspection at New York
Port.
~
Replies to shaw's Questions
Show Conditions Have Been
Greatly Exaggerated.
Lack Of Definite CHARGES Makes
a Thorough Investigation
Difficult.

the Treasury SHAW mas Sent ieS.Si ~
each of the ladies who recently signed
n naper addressed to him complaining
OF the i'll treatment, etc., at the hahus
of baggage inspectors at the port OF
New York The letter states that no
receipt of the petition circular iettef
was sent to each signer, asking a more
specific statement and the facts upon
which the conclusions reeited IN the
petition were based. This circular was
sent to 1920 ladies whose addresses
were piver in the petition. A little over
900 were returned for want of suftlcient
address. OF the remaining 700 the de-
partment has received 1S5 answers on
the following grievances: That re-
oeipted bills are not accepted as PROOF
Of value; that duties are often imposed
upon old clothing; that trunks are
emptied OH the wharf; that imperdnent
questions are asked and remarks mace
which are, humiliating. The answers,
the secretary says, may be summarized
as follows: Number who report illegal
cemand by officer, o.; number who claim
to have paid on nom dutiable articles,
6 number who report having had re-
ceipted bills as proof of value, 49, num-
her who say receipted bills were not
accepted as proof, j /; number who say
receipted bills were accepted as PROOF,
l6: number who claim to have been
personally Inundated by impertinent
questions, s; number who complain OF
GiscourtesyT; number who complain OF
insolence of officers, 3; number who
complain of discrimination by officers,
5; number who report having been
courteously treated, Sc; number who
complain of delay, 6; number who have
other specific grievances, 16: number
who object to method of inspection, 46;
punlber who say they have had no per-
sonal experience, IL: number who have
not been abroad in three years, s.;
number who have never been abroad.
a; number who report having signed
on representation of others. AZ; num-
Der who signed on general principles"
Il; number who object to making any
declaration, Al; number who object to
the 500 limit, go; number who report
having bribed inspectors, 2; number
who know of bribery. 8; number who
rciterate the declaration contained in
the original petition, fayoring the en-
forcement of the law, 1; number who
object to the departments letter of in
curry, 2.
The want of definite charges, the sec
retary's letter continues, renders 1t well
nigh impossible to conduct a specific
investigation. The department, he says,
will do all in it's power to reduce legiti-
mate cause of complaint to minimum
mate cause of complaint to minimum.
The secretary says he is surprised
that the ladies who signed the petition
report SO little personal Inconvenience.
Continuing, he says: IF the piers We're
the property of the United States, very
important changes might be made. l
have requested that the several steam
ship companies provide special room.
or that they allow the government to
construct presentable, and, If need be.
portable counters with screens about
them so ais to permit seclusion. To this
end suggest that the ladies who have
so courteously called my attention to
this evil join in soliciting the steam
ship companies to cooperate in REM
eiying the same. 1t is gratifying to re-
call that the original petition directs
attention to the fact that the signers are
DESTROYS ,,f the enforcement of the law.
Quite a number of responses to the de-
partment's circular recommend strict
enforcement Of the statute against such
persons as attempt to smuggle."
The secretary then quotes the law re-
garding at declaration and an eXamina-
ton and says that in the face of this
statute he does not see how either the
declaration or the examination can be
omitted. In conclusion he says: And
now with regard to remedies: 1t is the
intention of the department to prepare
a circular containing suggestions to
travellers, the same to be given them as
they are leaving our ports. and 1t is
hoped this will b. of assistance in pre-
pairing correct schedule for examina-
ton of their return. In addition, dep
uty will always be in attendance, to
whom any incivility can be reported.
Other notifications will be made from
time to time as they are found practi-
ca h1e