The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-15

From the Baltimore Herald.
 The question of smuggling and of GUS toms duties. a question that no one both CTS about in the winter time, becomes lin- portant and vital in the summer season of foreign travel. It is in the summer that practically all the foreign travelinS or America is done. Then 1t is that the work of the customs officers is redoubied' and then 1t is that the custom house IS stormed with tourists letters-letters ask ing how much can be brought back home duty free: how big the rate is on tobacco; whether the duty is higher on Irish lace than on Paris gowns; whether goods bought abroad-rugs sealskins, necklaces and so forth-come in without duty II they are worn upon the person. The purpose of this article is to de- scribe for the tourists benefit the various methods of smuggling that reckless trav- elers practice. and to tell the honorable and conscientious traveller what he may bring from abroad duty free what the rate is on such dutiable articles as he is likely to return with, and how the custom house examines all travellers luggage in it's search after smuggled goods
 A Few Rules.
 Here, first, is a series of brief rules How to meet the customs officer that tell the tourist just what to do on his re- turn from Europe to a home port: Every returning tourist is furnished by the purser of the steamer. on the voyage home, with blank paper on which he must set down. item by item, a list of everything in his trunks or on his person that he purchased abroad. with the price of each article. It is well for him to have handy also the receipted bills for these articles; then. should dispute arise with the custom house over values, his bills would settle the matter conclusively. Customs officers board the steamer just outside of port. and the tourist must pre- sent his list to these men and at the same time swear that it is an accurate and true statement.
 Everything bought abroad-even if it be the worn shoes on the tourists feet or the frayed collar about his neck-must oe listed and sworn to. and on every article not included in the $100 allowance duty must be paid.
 Should Help the Official.
 On the pier after the touris thas dis
 
 should have his keys ready. so as to be able to open his trunks and bags without delay. and he should have all his dutiable goods packed together, so as 10 facilitate their examination
 Every tourist may bring home with him free of duty goods purchased abroad to the amount of S100.
 On the discovery of any attempt at smuggling, ,muggler's goods are con fiscated and he is liable to two years im- prisonment and fine of 5000.
 These, in brief are the rults that the tourist, to avoid trouble and annoyance. should follow. A customs officer of the port of New York talked the other day about these rules and about a customs officers experience in busy season. He said
 "Our most exciting experiences are with tourist smugglers. These smugglers. us- ually. are respectable and well to do peo- pie A typical one of them. for instance, would be a rich woman who had bought in Paris a $21000 pearl necklace The duty on that necklace would be $12. 900. Might she not hide it in her shoe or sew it in the lining of her skirt. and thus escape the payment Of duty so enormous? She might, and To doubt very often she does. Sometimes she is caught. Then the neck lace is confiscated by the government. Sometimes l suppose. she is not caught.
 We inspectors lear nto go by tourists manner more than anything else. There is there is nervous. frightened manner.