The Washington times., 1905-11-03
GIFTS ARE GOING
TO WHITE HOUSE
Miss ROOseYelt's Presents
Will Be Appraised There.
TO BE MOVED UNDER BOND
New Program Arrived at for Con-
venience of Recipient of These
Oriental Trophies.

The tWenty-fouT packages. containing
the presents bestowed upon Miss Alice
Roosevelt by the peers Of Oriental coun-
tries, during her recent visit across the
Pacific. VIII. in all probability, be open
cd, inspected, and appraised by the Gus
toms officials at the White House.
It was decided late yesterday that
the 200 pounds Of trinkets, including
excelsior and cratings, would be moved
under bond from the custom house at
Georgetown to the Presidents mansion,
in order 10 do away with anv inconveni-
ence that Miss Alice might be put to in
Witnessing the board OF appraisers es-
tablish a value upon her tokens.
The officials as yet have not received
definite instructions as TO when Miss
Roosevelt VIII enter declaration for
the articles This must be done before
the customs officials can accomplish
much in the way of collecting the az
valoTem Of the ignment. 1t has now
developed that there was no bill Of lad
ing made out for the benefit of the Gus
toms officials. and before they can even
come to an approximate estimate as to
the dutiable value OF these WOrld-re-
nowned Oriental treasures Of the con
siguee il VIII be necessary for her to
enter her declaration.
Must State Purpose.
In this she must. of course, state for
what purpose she brought those goods
( into the country, whether they We're for
sale. to be given away. or to be kept
/ as treasures of her conquerinE tour. It
must be also stated how she acquired
them. whether through purchase or as
gifts.
/ Although it IS the unbroken custom
for the officials to open and appraise all
goods before they leave the custom
/ house in this instance il is thought 20
I be within the code Of law To esta blish
! a precedent 70 accommodate the Presi-
dents daughter.
! From the fact. the customs officials
argue. that ii IS known these goods are
! for presents only. and that they viii
not be offered for sale. and in most
/ instances they We're given to Miss
/ Roosevelt. the law viii allow them 10
! do the work at the White House.
Guarded With Care.
II. 5 Wyman. collector Of the port at
] Georgetown. is guarding the highly
I valued consignment with all possible
/ care and it Is believed he is anxious
/ to get rid of them, He has sent two
! notices TO the White House notifying
/ the cOnSiguee of the arrival OF thf
/ goods ard giving Instructions as 10 en-.
/ tering a declaration for them Miss
( Roosevelt can, however, by making q
formal declaration, sworn TO before q
! notary punilc, claim ner treasures II
/ the event Of her doing this, which IS
! thought to be unlikely. the customs ON.
cials would open and appFaise the goods
Then they would have 20 be repackec
for moving 70 the White House.
Many of the articles are known to bt
very frril and II is not at all nkel,
that, even with the best of care heinz
/ exercised some Of them may be brOkeT
I or otherwise injured This fact give,
I the Inclination of the customs official,
To remove the goods under bond to tn,
/ White House additional strength, and 1
is not more than likely that they viii
be sent to the White House in a day ol
| two
Valuation May Be Lower.
There is but the vaguest idea of wha
the vaIuablas are held at AT the Whit,
House it is said that a statement may
be made in a few days. giving thei
actual foreign value. so as to settle al
doubts. Secretary LOeD intimated tha
the figures would be decidedly lowe
than those that have been mentione,
heretofore.
As was stated IN The Times of yes
( terday, the Treasury officials are in
clined 20 estimate their dutiable vaIua
tiOn near the $4,000 mark, though +
may not reach much over 5000 or ever
less than that
! -