Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21

the legislative and his functions are hnnl.eo
to a reasonable Interpretation ana apso-
lutey impartial enforcement or the iesIsiae
five will The ordinary canons OF
statutory Interpretation should be applled
by a revenue officer, just as they would De
if the question were the SUBJECT OF 1uunciai
decision. The personal opinions or incnna,
lions of executive officers ana tneir peiiel
or convictions as to the propriety or justice
of the statutes involved can properly nave
no part in the enforcement or those laws.
All such influences go; beyond the scope VI
a reasonable discretion3' 10 ADOPT
any other principle of executive procedure
is to invite chaos, injustice and fraud. The
ordinary canons of statutory Interpretation
are comparatively few exact and known.
Any appreciate diversions from them are
easily detected and subject to remedy;
hence the administration Of laws under
such a procedure Is simple, uniform and
necessarily fair ssF
Collector Shuster's View Of Duty.
That Is, Mr. Shuster considers it his duty
to administer the law as he finds 1T on the
statute books, which says that baggage of
travellers shall be examined SO, in obe-
dience to that law, he examines every trunk,
bag and parcel to the very bottom, regard
less of the position. Character or intention
of the owner. He allows no discretion OF.
distinction. His inspectors are instructed
to proceed on the presumption that every
traveller is a sInuggier, and, unfortunately,
there have been some rnther disgraceful
disclosures which go far to establish the
truth Of his contention. Several persons
who ought to know better have been caught
with dutiable merchandise In their trunks,
and have justified Mr.. Shuster's precau-
TONS but they are exceptions. Further
more all the duties collected on passengers
baggage since the custom house at Manila
was opened have not paid half of the sal
aries of the inspectors who have exam
ined it.
For example, a certain major In the quar-
termasters department brought from Japan
a number Of trunks and boxes for which
he asked free admission on the ground that
they contained nothing but the wearing ap-
parel of himself and his family and govern
ment records. He made an affidavit under
oath to that effect But he did not know
Sinister, who greedily seized the opportuni-
ty offered him. opened every package, exam
ined every article and assessed the major
several thousand dollars duties upon uncut
silks, new embroideries, valuable carvings
bronzes and several sets of new table china
and silver plate.
There have been several cases like this.
which, Mr. Sh,lster declares, are the cause
of and justification for his strict regula-
tons.
Until the list Of April the army and navy
were allowed to send without duty little
packages as gifts to their friends In the
United States. but upon Mr.. Shusters rec,
ommendation, that privilege was revoked
because 1t was abused by so many people.
One army officer boosted that he Kept
certain club at home supplied with Mania
cigars by sending few hundred at time
in packages addressed to different members
as soldiers gifts" Similar VIOLATIONS OF
the spirit of the order are notorious. All
privileges are abused everywhere. and IN
this case as In many others. the innocent
have to suffer for the acts of the guilty.