Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03
UnjustifiabIe Practices in
Customs Administration

The adoption of a new tariff by Ger
many, accompanied by conventions for
reciprocal tariff concessions between that
country and most of the other countries
Of continental Europe, led the German
government to give the notice necessary
to terminate the reciprocal commercial
agreement with this country proclaimed
July Is. 1900. The notice was to take
effect on the list of March, LOG, and in
would have left the exports from the
United States to Germany subject to the
general German tariff duties, from 25 to
20 per cent higher than the conventional
duties imposed upon the goods of most of
our competitors for German trade.
Under a special agreement made be-
tween the two governments in February,
1905, the German government postponed
the operation of their notice until the
3Oth of June, 1907. In the meantime,
deemfng 1t to be my duty to make every
possible effort to prevent tariff war be-
tween the United States and Germany
arising from misunderstanding by either
country Of the conditions existing in the
other. and acting upon the invitation of
the German government. I sent to Berlin
a commission composed of competent ex-
perts in the operation and administration
of the customs tariff, from the depart.
ments of the Treasury and Commerce and
Labor. This commission was engaged fol
SEVERAL HOHluS III conference with q SIM
liar commission appointed by the German
government, under instructions, so far as
practicable to reach a common under
standing as to all the facts regarding the
tariffs of the United States and Germany
material and relevant to the trade rela-
lions between the two countries.
The commission reported, and upon the
basis of the report. further temporary
commercial agreement was entered into
by the two countries. pursuant to which.
in the exercise of the authority conferred
upon the President by the third section of
the tariff act of July "a, 1897, I extended
the reduced tariff rates provided for in
that section to champagne and all other
sparkling wines, and pursuant to which
the German conventional or minimum tar
If rates were extended to about 98k per
cent of all the exports from the United
States to Germany. This agreement is to
remain in force until the 30th Of Juns,
1905; and until six months after notice by
either party to terminate it.
The agreement and the report of ths
commission on which it Is based will be
laid before the Congress for its informal
ton. - e - -
Found Many Abuses. (;
This careful examination into the tariff
relations between the Chited States. and
Germany involved an inquiry into certain
of our methods of administration which
had been the cause sof much complaint on
the part of German exporters. In this in
auiry became satisfied that certain
vicious and unjustifiable practices had
grown up in our customs administrat ton;
notably the practice of determining values
Of imports upon defective reports never
disclosed to the parsons whose interests
were affette1 :. :. r - 80 -. !.
The use sof,detectives. though often nee
essary. tends toward abuse, and should E
carefully guarded Under -o1r pracUc, as
/ found 1t to exist in .s1fs CslS, t,es ab,IsS
had become gross and discret7ifable. I'M
der it. instead Of seeking information as
TO the market value Of meIchandis.. from
the well-known and respected menfb ars
of the comm arcial community in. the
country Of Its production, secret state