The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-17
THE CUSTOMS CONGRESS-
Secretary Shaw Makes an Interest
ing Address Before It Thiss
Afternoon.

New York, Jan. 1.-THE first formal
session of the internationa customs con-
gress was opened here to-day with an
address by Mayor Low. He was followed
by Leslie M. Shaw, secretary OF the treas
ury, who said:
1.-THE people of the United States well
come with greatest cordiality the dis
tinguished representatives Of American
republics of which this congress Is COM
posed. The errand which brings you Is
well calculated to strengthen the bonds OF
friendship which SO naturally unite US.
This congress is called in the interest
Of the administration of custom laws as
they exist in the several republics. That
no time may be lost in prelim1narles,
program we'll calculated to facilitate your
deliberations, has been prepared by a
committee appointed at an international
conference which convened in Mexico one
year ago. ....r
Of one or two of the subjects that are to
be considered by this body. It has always
been the policy of the United States-and
it is also the law as again and again an
nounced by our courts-to resolve reason
able doubts In favor Of the importer. I
assume that the same rule prevails In all
countries. It should apply, I think, with
especial force with reference to draw
backs. The whole drawback scheme has
been worked out in the interest Of the ex-
porter People may differ upon the pro-
position whether the tariff is or is not
a tax upon the domestic consumer, but
all concede that it is a burden upon the
exporter of manufactures from imported
material: When It Is once conceded there
fore that the government does not desire
to profit at the: expense Of it's import trade
then customs officials are justified in con-
STRUNG drawbacks laws as literally as
their language will permit and legis-
lators, I think, are justified in liberalizing
these drawback laws as far as possible.
Another subject to which !. desire to
call especial attention is that Of ap-
praisement. A large percentage of the
frauds upon the customs revenues of a
country are committed, on consigned
goods and it has always seemed to me
that the fact that goods are purchas eable
only in the domestic market raises a
strong presumption that they are being
undervalued. This practice not only
drives the domestic importer out Of bust
manufacturer who produces competing
goods. :: - - - = - -,
'Another difficulty in the way OF. the
appraiser arises from the fact that near
ly all foreign goods can be purchased for
export cheaper than for domestic con-
sumption. The fact that goods are sold
for export cheaper than for the domestic
market frequently WOIhS d great 11diuSilAp
upon the importer He purchases abroad
and presuming that he has paid the ordi-
nary foreign market price, invoices at the
price he has paid, but frequently finds
himself subjected to an advance of from
10 to Is per cent with statutory penal
ties.
''In my Judgment, the commerce be-
tween the countries here represented
might be very largely. Increased and to
our mutual advantage. The means OF
intercommunication are very unsatsfac-
tory. That they can be materially i'm
proved, and with very moderate expense
to any of the countries represented, must
be apparent to every thinking person.
venture to express. the hope that the
time will come and perhaps sooner thar
we. dream-for commerce is the great
leveler, the great civilizer and great edu-
cator-when the peoples represented here
will be speaking a common language and
If SO it will be. the most convenient Ian
guage of commerce; when these peoples
will have uniform standards of weights
and measures, but if these standards shall
ever be unified the choice must be made
of those most convenient to commerce
when standards Of value and denomina-
| lions of money shall be uniform and In
ternationally interchangeable. but If thi.
must be the best and the denominations
the most convenient; when standards OF
wages shall be measureably uniform but
! if this shall ever be accomplished, Their
that standard must. be the highest"