Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18
SHAW WELCOMES DELEGATES
Secretary Of Treasury Speaks at Customs
Congress in New York.
AMERICAN REPUBLICS ARE REPRESENTED
Speaker Suggests Certain Changes He
Thinks would Prove Beneficial end
Calls Attention to Neglected
Commercial Advantages.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE first formal
session Of the international Customs con
gress was opened here today with an adj
dress by Mayor Low.
He was followed by Leslie NJ. Shaw, sec
rotary of the treasury. who said in part.
The people of the United States welcome
with greatest cordiality the distinguished
representatives of the American republics
OF which this congress is composed. The
GRAND which brings you is well calculated
TO strengthen the bonds Of friendship
which SO naturally unite us.
RMS congress is called in the interest Of
lhe administration of customs laws as they
exist in the several republics. That no
unnecessary time may be consumed in
preiiminaries a program well calculated to
pared ,by a committee appointed at an in
ternational conference which convened in
Mexico one year ago.
l desire to emphasize the importance of
one or two of the subjects that are to
come under consideration by this body. 1t
s~tate5-and it is also the law. as again and
again announced by the courts-to dissolve
favorable doubts in favor of the importers.
tries. III S"i"e RUE app'es IN al 'ouh-
II should apply, I think, with especial
Iorce, VIII reference to drawbacks. TIT
whole drawback scheme has been worked
out in the interest Of the exporter. People
may ulIer upon the proposition whether
nestle. consumer, but ali concede that it is
a burden upon the exporter of manufac-
lures from imported material. When it Is
once conceded, therefore, that the govern
ment does not desire to profit at the ex-
pense of its import trade, then customs
officials are justified i'm constituting draw
back laws as literally as their language
Will permit and legislators. 1 think, are
justified in liberalizing these drawback
laws as far as possible.
Frauds Upon the Customs.
Another subject to which I desire to call
special attention is that of appraisement.
A large percentage OF the frauds upon the
customs revenues Of q country are com
mitted on consigned goods, and It has al
ways .seemed to me that the fact that
goods are purchasable only in the domestic
market raises a strong presumption that
they are being undervalued. This prac-
tce not only drives the domestic importer
cut Of business, but # preiudices the do
nestle manufacturer who produces Compel
Another difficulty in the way of the APP
pralser arises from the fact that nearly
port cheaper than for domestic consump-
ton. The fact that goods are sold for ex-
port cheaper than for the domestic market
frequently works a great hardship upon the
importer. He purchases abroad and, pre-
Stunning that he has paid the ordinary for
elgn market price, invoices at the price he
mas paid, but frequently finds himself sub
jected to an advance of from 10 to 70 per
cent with statutory penalties and no re-
1 do not mention this subject in criticism
or the well nigh European practice of SELL
ing goods abroad cheaper than at home. I
refer to II only as affording one of the
difficulties of the customs laws when II
is sought both to protect the revenue and
producer, and at the same time avoid rn-
July furnishing an importer who has I'm
voiced his goods at the actual price he
Chance to Increase Commerce.
But I must not unduly detain you in
enumerattng difficulties familiar to you all,
and which are inherent. / hope YOU Will
pardon the suggestion, which may not be
WnOIlN RTmnn n a nnTEfnVn n0r
that, in my judgment. the be-
tween the countries here represented might
be very largely increased and to our mu-
The United States imports 100000 a
day OF tropical and semi-tropical products.
This trade constitutes a very valuable prize,
for which our %neighbors may compete. h
countries entitled to representation in this
conference annually import nearly $500, OO0,-
600, largely food products and manufactures.
For this prize the country / represent
should compete with more earnestness than
II at present manifests.
The means of intercommunication are
very unsatisfactory. To what extent they
can predict, but that they can be materially
improved, and with very moderate expense
to any of the countries represented, must
be apparent to every thinking person.
E- n Language.
You will pardon the hope. which I VEN
ture to express. that the time will come,
and perhaps sooner than we m
Is the great leveler as we'll as the
BiNdACI NlNlllLtE anu kItdl tuutdlOT-Wlen
the peoples represented here will be speak
ing a common language, and If so, then
that language will be the most convenient
language of commerce; when these peoples
Will have uniform standards of weights and
measures; but IL these standards shall ever
be unified the choice must be made of those
most convenient to commerce.; when stand.
ards of value and denominations of money
shall be uniform and internationally inter-
changeable, but If this IS to be realized the
adopted standard must be the best and the
denominations the most convenient; when
g uniforml but St II Tn THIS snail ShaiI be- Se e mssT aocom-
plished then that standard must be the
highest.
Delegate Fe%Iicitntes.
General N. Pollet Peraga, delegate for
Honduras, in behalf Of the visiting dele
gates, responded to the address OF well
come. He referred to the first Pan-Ameri-
can congress which met in Washington
thirteen years ago, presided over by James
G.. Blaine.
1t was hat initial assembly OF repre-
sentatives of the sister republics which
laid the foundation for all the good feel
ing, good works and hope that since then
have brought about the several successful
meetings of the American family.
1t was gratifying to find in the words
of Mr.. Shaw the same spirit of fraternity,
the same tone of familiar intimacy which
characterized the words Of Mr.. Blaine at
the opening of the first Pan-American con-
gTess.
The committee on rules having reported.
officers were elected as follows: General
o. l.. Spaulding, assistant secretary Of the
treasury, president; F. G.. Pierra OF Cuba,
first vice president; Kenneth Bernhart of
Chicago, second vice president; p. M. Del
paso of Mexico, first secretary; Z. 7. Cham
berlain, United States commissioner OF
navigation, second secretary, and w. P.
Montgomery, attache OF the American
bureau of republics. assistant secretary.
President spaulding appointed a COM
mittee on organization.
RACES SlDETRACK LEAGUE