Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-03

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 I found 1t 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 well known and respected mem bers of the commercial community In the country of its production secret statements were obtained from inform CTS and discharged employees and busi- ness rivals, and upon this kind of se- 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. It is quite probable that this sys- tenn tended toward an increase of the duties collected upon imported goods, but I conceive 1t to be violation of law to exact more duties than the law provides, just as 1t is violation to ad- init goods upon the payment of less than the lega. rate If duty. This prac- tice 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 demor- alization which naturally follows from a long continued course of reliance upon such methods. I accordingly caused the regulations governing this branch of the customs service to be modified so that values are determined upon a 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- ceiye the assistance of the quasi off, cial chambers of commerce in deter mining the actual market value of goods in accordance with what am advised to be the true construction of the law. ... 3 These changes of regulations were adapted to the removal of such mani fest abuses that have not felt that they ought to be confined to our rela- tions with Germany, and I have ex- tended their operation to all other countries which have expressed a de- sire to enter into similar administrative relations.
 China.
 I 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, ,492. .69 and interest at 4 per cent. After the rescue of the foreign legations in Pe- king during the Boxer troubles in 1900 the powers required from China the payment of equitable indemnities, to " the s yeral nations, and the final proto- col under which the troops were with drawn, signed at Peking Sert. :, 1901, fixed the amount of this indemnity all lotted to the United States at over $20.- 100000, and China paid up to and in- cluding the 1st day of June last little over $6,000,000. It was the first inten- ton of this government at the proper time when all claims had been pre- sented 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 lia- 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- Aitions. One way of doing this is by promoting the coming of Chinese stu tents to this country and making 1t at ractive to them to take courses at our universities and higher educational in-
 titutions. Our educators should, so hr as possible, take concerted action
 ward roIis end.
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