Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-17
IN IMPORTERS FAVOR
Secretary Shaw in Favor Of
Liberal Interpretation a
Customs Laws
BROAD CONSTRUCTION GIVEN
BROAD CONSTRUCTION GIVEN
Believes in Giving the Importer the
Benefit of the Doubt in All Cases
Makes Speech at the Meeting of In
ternational Customs Congress in New
/ York.

New York, Jan. 1.-THE first formal
session Of the International Customs
Congress opened here today with an
address by Mayor Lowe. He was fol-
lowed by Leslie NJ. Shaw, secretary of
the treasury
The secretary said in part: 'TThe
people OF the United States welcome.
with the greatest cordiality, the dis
t:nguished representatives of the Amer
ican republics, OF which this congress
is composed. The errand which brings
you is well calculated to strengthen the
bonds of friendship which so naturally
unite us. The American. republics have
much in common, little in competition,
seldom Of anything in dispute I can
not we'll understand how any unfortun-
ate complications can arise to interfere
with these relations. This congress is
called In the interests of the ad1ninis-
tration customs laws as they exist in
several republics. That no unnecessary
time may be consumed in preliminaries,
q program, we'll calculated to facilitate
your deliberations. has been prepared
by the committee appointed at the in
ternational conference which convened
in Mexico one year ago. The admins
tration OF the customs laws is per-
haps as complicated as anything con-
nected with the administrative branch
OF the government. It covers q wide
range Of subjects.
II desire to emphasize the Importance
OF one or two OF these subjects. 1t has
always besn the policy of the United
States and it is also the law, as, again
and again announced by our courts, to
resolve reasonable doubts in favor OF
the importer. assume the same rule
prevails in all countries. In other
& words. however much individuals may
differ on the question of strict con
struction OF Constitutional provisions ana
legislative enactments, all agree ina.
in administering customs laws hperai
interpretation is not only permissible,
but well nigh Imperative. TINS RUE
should apply. I think, with especiai
force with reference to draWpacks. : ne
whole drawback scheme has peen
worked out in the interest OF the eA-
porter. Any country can AFFORD 70 De
liberal, think with those who nnd
foreign market for the produce OF DO
mestic labor. People may diner upon
the proposition whether the tarin IS
or is not tax upon the domestic con
sumner. but all concede, that IS IS
burden upon the exporter OF manuiac :
lures from imported material. When II
8s once concede, therefore, that tne
!, government does not desire to pront
=, the expense of its import trade, theh
the customs officials are justhed IN
constituting the drawback laws as iiper-
ally al their language will permit ana
Legislators. think, are justified In liber-
aIizing these drawback laws as Tar as
nossible. I hope you will pardon the
r,,rrestion. which may not be wholly
germane to a customs congress, that ~
NV Judgment commerce between the
countries here represented might pe
very largely Increased and to our mu-
t,,aI advantage. The means or inter-
communication are very unsallslacotry.
To what extent they will be tmproveo
IN the near future no one can preuic1,
Int that they can be materially iih-
nroyed and with very moderate eA-
nense to any of the countries repre-
sented. must be apparent to every
thinking person. You will pardon the
hone which / venture to express, that
,he time will come and perhaps sooner
than we dream. for commerce ,,, Is { srea, :, a.
Ieyeler as we'll as great civilizer ana
educator, when the peoples represented
here will be speaking common IAN
ruae,e. and IL so. then that language VIII
be the most convenient language OF
c5nmerce; when these peoples VIII
have uniform standards, weights and
measures most convenient to com
,nerce: when standards of value anu
denominations of mercy shall be uni
farm and internationally Interchange
1 able. but the adopted standard must
he the best and the denominations the
most convenient; wnen standards OF
wages shall be measurably uniform
which must be the highest. There is
no greater blessing. to any people than
LII. Xr,cad lahpr )"