The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-06
BOUNDARY NUlSANCES.
"Line Houses" That Make TroG
BILE For Officials.
BOTH AMERICAN AND CANADIAN

BOTH AMERICAN AND CANADIAN.
I RushinR Bu,fasas Done In Snug
Cling Goods and selling Illicit
Whisky-CIever Plan Devised to
Foil Inspectors--suggesti Made
with View 20 Closing Up All the
cline Houses"
The fact that cline houses" on the
boundary between Canada and the
United States have been growing in
number instead Of decreasing, despite
the energetic measures OF Cana 5ian
and United States inspectors, has been
brought TO the attention Of officials in
Washington, and plans to do away
with the nuisance are under consldera-
tion, says the New York Trlbune's
Washington correspondent The cline
houses" In which a rushing business is
done In smuggling goods and selling
Illicit whisky. lie especially ON the
Maine and Vermont borders and are
built directly over the line There are
about fifteen Of them on the Vermont
boundary and twenty on the line be-
tween Maine and Canada. The pro-
prietors have contrived clever plan
by which to foil inspectors. The goods
are stored In cupboards or shelves on
wheels. When a lookout gives the
signal that an officer is approaching
from either side, Canadian or Ameri-
can, the proprietor promptly slides his
cupboard or shelves with liquor and
merchandise over into the territory in
winch the officer cannot make an ar
rest. This system has been so devel-
oped that II is said many Of the houses
are equipped with apparatus by which
the shelves move with the pressing of
a button.
For fifty years the Canadian inspect
ors and United States government and
state officials in Maine and Vermont
have been struggling TO put down the
"line houses" but with little success.
This is due to tire fact that a success
ful raid can be made only by Joint ac-
ton between the Officials OF the two
governments. The officers must appear
at the ''line house" simultaneously, the
Canadians entering from their side and
the American inspectors mailing their
man in case he attempts - shift his
goods into their territory. The opera
ton In this way is apparently simple,
but because OF the limited force OF In.
spectors and the wide stretches which
they are obliged TO patrol II has been
found difficult to secure Joint action,
and the houses still flourish. A statute
which gives American officials the
right TO seize goods contained in a
boundary house upon which duties
have not been paid has not been found
to cover the situation satisfactorily.
When raids have been made and the
goods seized ON the ground that proper
duty was not paid the proprietors have
made contests In the courts. and the
victory has not always been for the in
spectors
There were about fifteen special
agents employed by the United States
in addition to the regular
customs officers, to watch the bound
AIRY line between Canada aud the
United States IN the space extending
from Ogdensburg to Portland. Me.
These men are eaiclent as Il rule. and
their reports made TO headquarters In
Washington show that they make
many seizures in the course Of the
year. Nevertheless, the system OF con
troll has never worked satisfactorily.
Smuggling fourishes In spite or their
vigilance, aud IN the matter OF regulat-
ing the ranging Of cattle from Cana
dian TO American territory on farms
which lie on both sides OF the line Il
has been impossible for the limited
force 10 compel anything Approximate
ing strict observance OF the law.
When the wilderness along the line
becomes more thickly settled. as 4 is
rapidly doing, Il is expected that the
troubles viii multiply and the force
will be utterly Inadequate. II is now
In view OF the many perplex-
ing Questions which are likely TO arise
IN connection with enforcement OF the
boundary rules all along the line from
the Pacific to the Atlantic coast that
the United States and Canada should
agree 10 a joint commission 70 deal
with the subject.
With view TO closing up the 'line
houses" the suggestion Is made that
Canada and the United States should
negotiate treaty which should provide
either that 40 house OF any kind should
be built directly over the boundary
line OF else that a neutral belt few
feet wide should be estas. s,it.A which
would serve as a boundary zone. Ii Is
that Ia this belt no house
should be built and, therefore that a
nan must have his home Wholly In |
Canadian or American territory. Ii Is
lroposed further that the forces OF spe
'ial agents shall be Increased aud that
hey shall confer with a view 10 max.
ng series OF raids upon every cline
louse' now 10 existence.