The Washington herald., 1907-06-29
AID FOR TRAVELLERS
COrtelyOu to Improve Gus
toms Service Methods.
CONSIDERS PUBLIC COMFORT
Secretary Working to Secure En-
forcemcnt of Laws with Less Fric-
tion-Cheese-parin Policy to be
Abolished-ReguInti Being Re-
vIsed with These Ends In View.

In the four months since George B.
Cortelyou became Secretary Of the Treas
ury ne has learned a good deal about the
complicated machinery for the collection
Of customs duties, and he thinks he sees
opportunities for improvement in several
directions
Within a few weeks a new set Of Gus
toms regulations will be issued by tho
Secretary. the revised rules being intended
20 bring the service thoroughly up to
date
/ The new regulations will be Of the
/ greatest interest to importers. and they
will be Of no small concern to all Ameri-
cans who travel in foreign countries and
return home with personal baggage
Make the Customs Service less unpopu-
/ lar is one Of the policies Of Secretary
C0rtelyou. and this consideration is given
10 little weight in the revision Of the
regulations now going on. and especially
/ On the revision Of the rules relating 10
/ passengers baggage. AS one OF the means
{ 90 be used for accomplishing this END,
Secretary Cortelyou is trying 20 make the
/ force OF customs employees at New York
so thoroughly disciplined a body Of men
/ as 90 be semi-m.iitary in character.
Petty Methods Condemned.
Cheese pairing methods IN administering
I the customs are not to be tolerated under
/ Mr.. Cortelyou, and while the Secretary
/ will insist that the government shall col
/ lect from importers every honest dollar
/ which is it's due. he does not believe In
/ the enforcement Of every technicality OF
/ law or regulation in the case Of we'll
/ intentioned citizen returning from travels
abroad who may have a few articles OF
/ foreign manufacture IN HIS trunk intended
/ for his own use The comprehensive new
rules about 90 be promulgated have been
| i0 preparation practically since Mr.. Cor
teiyous induction into Office last March,
some OF the ablest experts in the Customs
/ Service being engaged in the work.
The regulations governing the character
. of merchandise which an American tray
/ eler may bring into the United States as
/ baggage without payment Of duty have
already been broadened so that little re-
mains 10 be done In that direction.
The law allows the free entry Of 800
worth % personal effects, and, according
I 90 The latest treasury regulation, the
/ customs officers are not particular as 60
what sort OF articles are included IN such
effects. Il IS inconceivable that a man
might bring IN 800 worth OF gloves or
any other single article. If he were a
reputable citizen, and there was no sus-
+ p.aioD that they were FOR sale.
. Although Secretary Cortely0u does not
see much room for radical Improvement
F in the personal baggage regulations. be
viii see O. % that these rules are en-
forced with the least possible friction
and with the greatest possible couside-a-
+ ton for the travelling public. So far ms
possible matters will be so systematized
az the Custom-house and on the docks
/ that the yeXatious delays which have
heretofore been an evaporation TO re-
turning Americans. viii be done away
with
I Every officer Of the Customs Service
who comes In contact with passengers
+ landing from steamships at New York
win be required 70 wear "A uniform, and
+ IL IS likely that there will IN the near
future. De some changes in the uniform
prescribed for customs inspectors and
others