The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-18
CUSTOM HOUSE EcCENTRIcITIEs.

.
cur I-ncie samuel is wise. generous
and magnauimous. but through the
persistence al OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Senators and Congressman. and the
foles that are occasionally rent in the
civil service garment. there are desks
ia the Treasury Department ar Wash
ington occupied by fellows that would
b. benefited II they could be- trepan-
ned. and have their brains extracted.
ard q can Of oysters substituted.
TIE tariff act provides that where
liquors are imported in bottles or jugs
there must be at least one dozen in
package. The Hop Hing Company OF
Honolulu Imported recently a lot Of
Chinese wine in large earthen jars
Z holding nine gallons. Each Jar was
b boxed separate and weighed with its
contents about one hundred pounds.
Whom the goods arrived at Honolulu
Collector Stackable was in doubt how
20 classify them. ard. as was his duty.
applied 20 the Washington authorities.
The Treasury clerk whose rule. like
that Of all his fellow clerks is to decide
everything in favor Of the government.
promptly reported that nine-gallOn
earthcn Jars were in the eye of the
law. bottles or jugs. and Collector
Stackable was ordered To- collect duty
FOR los gallons Of liquor on each nine
gallon package. or nearly $4,000 on
about $3.50 worth Of Chinese wine. /
which they had Withdrawn from the /
custom house. and liability To pay
80
bond.
There was wailing and crashing of \
teeth in Chinatown. The services OF /
Messrs. :. De Frees < Co. custom
house brokers. were invoked. and these
gentlemen interviewed Collector Stack
able. He was polite. but claimed that
he had no discretion except to obey
orders. He courteously afforded every
however, for an appeal.
and Messrs. 5. De Frees & Co. employ
ed Col Thos. Fitch. That gentleman
prepared a lengthy argument which.
supported by an object lesson. was for
warded To New York The object les
son was sent by express. 1t consisted
n one of the nine-gallon jars labelled: :
Il am a bottle. Lift me tn your lips $
ard drink hearty"
The Board OF General Appraisers saw
he point and they reversed the rulings
II the Treasury Department, and or
Tered Collector StackabIe to reliquidate
he entry and give the Hop Hing Com
lany back their money.
In support or their decision they
quote from Colonel F'ftchs argument
he following:
An earthen jar or vessel filled with
!. % gallons of liquor will weigh about
% pounds. II twelve such jars were =
placed in one package il would require .
or secure packing about 10 feet OF Y
umber. would weigh over 500 pounds
nd would measure about so cubic feet. l,
iuch packing would be commercially a
bsurd. and a construction of the law
. as To- require such packing ought
ot to be made. When the reason OF =
he rule ceases. the rule ceases.'''
Everybody is satisfied. the Cinnamon
re relieved from threatened insolven-
y; De Frees & Co. receive the bless
.gs Of the mOOn-eyed: Colonel Fitch
cts his Zee. and the Board of General
.prraisers I'm New York have nine gall
ms COR so much thereof as may re- Z
iainD of fine Chinese wine. and a big il
arthen Jar which they may retain as :
waste basket. a cuspidor. or a SOU
ruir