The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-17
CUSTOMS
CONGRESS-.
First Formal Session of the In
ternatiOnaI Body
Opens With an Address by
Mayor Low.
FOLLOWED BY SHAW.
Secretary of the Treasury De-
livers an Address
Devoted to the Objects and Uses
of the Meetings.
FOLLOWED BY SHAW.

lowed by Leslie NJ. Shaw. secretary of
the treasury, who said:
Mr. Chairman, distinguished represen-
tatives of American republics, ana
guests: It is not my province at this
hour to enter uDon an extended discus
sion OF all or any one Of the many III
IereStlng and important questions that
may properly come before this customs
congress. 1t is mine simply to give for
mai expression to what you must have
already discovered, that the people OF
the United States welcome with greatest
cordiality the distinguished representa-
ives OF American republics of which
this congress IS composed The errand
which brings you is well calculated to
strengthen the bonds of friendship
republics have much in common, little
IN competition, and seldom anything In
dispute. l can not well understand how
any unfortunate complications can arise
to interfere with these relations. but /
do appreciate how these relations in the
coming years may and ought to become
more cordial and how each may be
Denehted by the interchange of thought
and literature and commerce Internal
tlonal visits like this~ and the free ex
change of ideas, ought and will rebound
TO the end I have indicated, and which.
doubt not, is universally desired.
LeVying import duties is not a modern
method of raising revenues. nor is it
confined to American republics It is
hitting however, that representatives of
these republics should annually confer
and advise with each other on all sub
jeets relating to customs service.
do not understand it to be the prov
lnce OF this congress to discuss sthe
merits of tariff schedules or the relative
custom of tariff for revenue and tariff
Tor protection. These questions consti-
tute appropriate political issues and ar
ford fruitful subjects for legislative con-
slderatlon. This congress is called in
the interest Of the administration Os
customs laws as they exist in the sew
eFaA republics. That no unnecessary
time may be consumed in preliminaries
q programme. well calculated to facili-
tate your deliberations. has been pre-
pared by committee appointed at an
International conference which con-
Vened fEla11 eXIco- onesXear ago.
The administration of customs laws
is perhaps as complicated as anything
connected with the adrainistra tive
branch of government It covers a
wide range Of subjects. From the time
snip from foreign port enters do
nestle waters until clearance papers
are issued. both the vessel and its cargo
supervision, the inspection and the
mandate of customs officials. What
shall be the requirements of manifest
incident to entry and necessary to
clearance, in what manner and during
what hours cargoes may be discharged
and received, the condition of WhaEves
where cargOes and passengers are dis
charged and received, the treatment of
passengers, the inspection of baggage,
the classification of merchandise, the
appraisement Of goods, Warehousing,
Withdrawals for consumption, with
draWalS for export, the Liquidation of
bonds, the allowance of drawbacks, the
discovery and prosecution of frauds,
are but a few of the many questions
with which customs officers have to
deal, and they constitute therefore ap-
propriate subjects for consideration by
this body I desire to emphasize the
Importance of one or two of these sub
jects It has always been the policy
of the United States-and 1t is also the
law rs again and again announced by
our cOurtS=tO resolve reasonable
doubts in favor of the importer The
same rule prevails in all countries. In
other words, however much individuals
may differ on the question of strict
construction of constitutional provis-
ions and legislative enactments. all
agree that in administering customs
laws, liberal Interpretation is not
only permissible, but well nigh impera-
tive. This rule should apply I think
with special force with reference to
drawbacks. The whole drawback
scheme has been worked out in the in
terest of the exporter Any country
can afford to be liberal. I think. with
those who find foreign market for
the product of domestic labor There
are always these prerequisites to al
lOwance for fund for customs duties.
First the actual payment into the
treasury of the amount sought to be
withdrawn: second, the employment of
domestic labor in bringing the import
ed material to an advanced stage of
perfection; third, the discovery of a
foreign market for the article in its i'm
proved condition. and the actual expOr-
tation of the finished product. People
may differ upon the proposition wheth-
er the tariff is or is not a tax upon
the domestic consumer but all eoncede
that it is a burden upon the exporter
of manufactures from imported ma
terial. When it is once conceded, there
fore, that the government does not de-
sire to profit al the expense of its i'm
port trade, then customs officials are
justified in constituting drawback laws
as literally as their language will per-
NIT, and legislat tors. I think, are justi-
fed in liberalizing these drawback !
laws as far as possible.
Another subject to which 7 desire to
call special attention is that of appraiSe- !
ment. Advalorena duties are ordinarily
levied at the market value Of the artic-
les in the country whence imported In
many instances this market value is
difficult of ascertainment. There are
many articles of merchandise that have
no market value abroad for the reason Z
that they are produced exclusively for
the export trade. These are usually inn I
ported by the manufacturer and are
Sold duty PAID a large percentage OF
the frauds u~on the customs revenues
Of a country are committed on consign- /
ed goods, and it has always seemed to /
me that the fact that goods are pur-
rhasable only in the domestic market
raises a strong presumption that they
are being undervalued This practice !
not only drives the domestic importer /
out of business. but it DreiudiceS the
domestic men who produce the goods.
Another difference in the way of tl-a
appraiser arises from the fact that some
lines of foreign goods can be purchased
for export cheaner than for domestic
Instances of this kind
are of daily occurrence, and they cover
a large range of articles. The fact that
.rrar..ds re znld Tor las-rnrnrf cheara, tlnor,