Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
CUSTOMS OF MANILA
A Missionary Bridal Couples
Valuables.
WITH ANK
EXCLUDED UNDER
CONTRACT LABOR LAW.
Outfit and Wedding Presents of Mis-
sionary Held to Be Dutiable-
Effect on Community.
PY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
MANILA, May Is, 1904.
The Chartered Bank of India, China and
Japan, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank,
and other large financial corporations have
establishments in several cities, all under
the general supervision Of director, who
usually resides at Hong Kong or Shanghai.
Under him there Is a manager for each es-
Establishment, with cashiers, clerks and other
employees who are transferred from one
city to another as their services may be
needed or as promotions may be made to
fill vacancies.
Expert Accountant Excluded.
In the regular course of business the
Chartered Bank of India, China and Japan
transferred an expert accountant named
Allen from It's Hong Kong branch to its
Manila branch, and Collector Shuster re-
fused to allow him to land here because he
construed his coming to be a violation OF
the contract labor law, which prohibltS the
Importation of laborers under contract. lie
took the position that the law was intend
ed to protect the interests of local labor;
that the bank could have found an expert
accountant in Manila, and hence there was
no necessity of importing any person from
the outside.
The manager of the bank contended that
Mr. Allen was already in the employ OF
that institution and had been for many
years, and that he had been simply trans
ferred from one branch to another, as was
continually done with it's employees in the
regular course of business; that he occu-
pied a confidential relation to the nrm'
that his duties could not be performed by
any person outside the bank, and that ms
transfer was not a violation of the contract
In la either in letter spirit.
Collector Sinister still refused to allow
Allen to land.
The bank then appealed to the courts
which granted a mandamuS permitting Al
len to land under bond pending maj
decision of the question. Before the case
came to trial, however, Collector Shuster
left on a six months vacation, ana CORONER
Mccoy, his deputy, discovered way by
which he might review the case. ana 1or-
mally reversed the decision of his superior
officer.
DUTY Demanded on Wedding Presents.
Another celebrated case, which was the
subject of much gossip, concerned mis-
sionary of the Episcopal Church, who was
married in the United States shortly before
he came here. Loving friends and other
persons interested in the missionary cause
presented him and his bride with an elap-
crate outfit. comprising everything that II
was supposed they might need In their new
wedding presents, We're held up in the Ma
Mia custom house. AS the friends mad not
been thoughtful enough to provide means
to pay the duties, the missionary was com
PEELED by his own poverty to send them to
Hong Kong which is a free port, and they
are still in storage there under the pro-
tecting care of the bishop of the Estap-
lished Church Of England.
Other bridal couples have suffered SIM
liar experiences. 1t Is quite the FASHION Tor
army officers, missionaries and persons In
the employ of the civil government TO get
married in the United States before COM
ing out 1t Is sensible thing to do, and
In many cases the families and friends OF
the happy couples have provided them with
outfits, although few have so expensive or
elaborate as that of the missionary re-
ferred to.
Colonel Mccoy explains that the mis-
sionary and his wife had a very valuable
outfit-one that was in no sense necessary
or even appropriate to persons of their pro-
fession and condition of life. This was
demonstrated by the Inability OF the mis-
sionary to raise money enough to pay the
duty The solid silver plate alone In the
outfit was worth 81 900 at a low appraise-
ment. And there We're similar reasons to
justify the collector in assessing duty upon
the wedding presents of other bridal couples
who have come here.
He was clearly within the law, accord
ing to his Interpretation of 1t. The law,
he assumes, was intended to protect local
tradesmen as well as to provide revenue
for the government. and he asserts that
every article complained OF could have been
purchased in the retail stores of Manila.
Church Treasures Held Up.
One of the most celebrated cases con-
nected with the administration of the GUS
toms house here has been appealed to the
government at Washington, and is now
pending before Assistant Secretary Arm
strong of the Treasury Department Know
iyfr tln,r tla hos
tility on the part OF the insurrectos, the
monks of the Augustinian order collected
their valuable gold and silver relics. altar
ornaments and vessels used in the service,
and shipped them over to Hong Kong imme-
diately upon the outbreak of the revolution
of 1896. After the American occupation,
when things had become quiet and there
was no longer any danger from footing, the
padres decided to bring back their treasures
to Manila, and, to their establishment, dis
covered that they would have to pay $14, coo
duty upon them. They expostulated with
out avail; they endeavored to convince the
collector that the articles were for religious
purposes only and not for profit or sale;
that they had been removed temporarily
from the country to escape dangers of rob-
berry; that they were not new, and that no
one would be injured by allowing them to
come in free. Collector Shuster was mex
orable. He would not be convinced; he re-
garded the sacred ornaments SO much
merchandise imported into the country and
hence they We're liable to duty like every
thing else. The friars could not under
stand that kind of a government During
Spanish domination they always had their
own way about everything. 1t would have
been much a mans official head was
worth to assess duties upon any of their
importations. Everything they brought into
the country and everything that was re-
ceived by them like their property was ex-
empt from taxation. They appealed to Gov
ernor Taft in vain, he declined to overrule
the decision of the collector and them
through the apostolic legate, they took the
matter to Washington
The tariff of the Philippine Islands is
made and controlled by the commission,
which has legislative as well as executive
functions. 1t is intended for the purpose
of raising revenue to support the govern
ment and pay for much needed internal
improvements, and to afford incidental pro-
lection for local merchants, manufacturers
and other producers but it Is difficult to
comprehend the reason for assessing duty
upon the church ornaments or upon the
swords and epaulettes of army officers.
Good Effect on the Community.
Nevertheless this policy and the manner
in which 1t has been enforced has had a
notable moral effect upon the business
community, for 1t is a startling contrast to
the methods and practices Of the Spaniards
Before American occupation the custom
houses Of the Philippines. like those of