Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1907-12-06

closed to the persons whose interests
were affected. The use of detectives,
though often necessary, tends toward
abuse and should be carefully guard
ed. Under our practice as found it
to exist in the case the abuse had be-
come gross and discreditable. Under
it instead of seeking information as to
the market value of merchandise from
the we'll known and respected men,
bers of the commercial community in
the country Of its production secret
statements were obtained from inform
ers and discharged employees and bust
ness rivals, and upon this kind Of Sc
cret evidence the values Of imported
goods were frequently raised and heavy
penalties were frequently imposed upon
importers. who were never permitted
to know what the evidence was and
who never had an opportunity to meet
1t. 1t is quite probable that this sys-
tenn tended toward an Increase of the
duties collected upon imported goods,
but l conceive 1t to be a violation Of
law to exact more duties than the law
provides, just as it Is violation to ad-
NIT goods upon the payment Of less
than the legal rate of duty. This prac
dce was repugnant to. the spirit of
American law and to American sense
of justice. In the Judgment Of the
most competent experts of the treas
ury department and the department Of
commerce and labor it was wholly un-
necessary for the due collection of the
customs revenues, and the attempt to
defend it merely illustrates the demon
alization which naturally follows from
long continued course of reliance
upon such methods. accordingly
caused the regulations governing this
branch of the customs service to be
modified so that values are determined
upon hearing in which all the par
ties interested have an opportunity to
be heard and to know the evidence
against them. Moreover, our treasury
agents are accredited to the govern
ment Of the country in which they
seek information and In Germany re-
ceive the assistance Of the quasi Off
cial chambers of commerce in deter
mining the. actual market value of
goods in accordance with what 1 am
advised to be the true construction of
the law.
These changes Of regulations were
adapted to the removal of such mani
fest abuses that I have not felt that
they ought to be confined to our reIa-
tons with Germany, and l have ex-
tended their operation to all other
countries which have expressed de.
sire to enter into similar administrative
relations
ask for authority to reform the
agreement with China under which the
indemnity Of 1900 was fixed by remit
ting and cancelling the obligation Of
China for the payment of all that part
Of the stipulated Indemnity which is
In excess of the sum Of $11, 655, 1872 SO
and interest at per cent After the
rescue Of the foreign legations in Pc
king during the Boxer troubles in 1900
the powers required from China the
payment of equitable indemnities to
the several nations, and the final proto-
col under which the troops were with
drawn, signed at Picking Sept. Z, 1901,
fixed the amount of this indemnity al
lotted to the United States at over $780,
100000, and China paid up to and In
Guiding the LIST day Of June last little
over 100000. It was the first 1nten-
ton OF this government at the proper
time when all claims had been pre-
scented and, all expenses ascertained as
fully as possible to revise the estimates
and account and as proof of sincere
friendship for China voluntarily to re-
lease that country from its legal liza.
bility for all payments in excess Of the
sum which should prove to be neces-
sary for actual indemnity to the Unit
ed States and its citizens.
Chinese Students.
This nation should help In every
practicable way in the education of
the Chinese people, so that the vast
and populous empire Of China may
gradually adapt itself to modern con-
ditions. One way Of doing this Is by
promoting the coming, Of Chinese stu
dents to this country and making It at
tractive to them to take courses at our
universities and higher educational In.
stttutions. Our educators should. 90
far az possible. rake concerted action
soS ard this end ~, ~ *,
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