Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-16
EXAMINATION OF BAGGAGE
NEW METHOD TO BE ADOPTED BY
THE TREASURY.
Efforts to Avoid the Causes of COM
plant by Tourists Returning
From Abroad.

Secretary Cortelyou has announced that n
| new method Of baggage examination viii DO
| IN operation in time to greet the home
coming European traveller this season. and
that 1t Will be "A radical change from the
present system. Soon after assuming Of
! flee the Secretary decided that the objec-
tionable and embarrassing features of
the examination should be done away
| with. far as possible within ex-
listing law, and that The comfort and
convenience of the Passenger should have
more attention. Acting under his instruc-
lions Assistant Secretary Reynolds has
worked out the Getails OF tbs new system,
| which will take effect as soon as the nee
essary ARRANGEMENTS can be made. which
1t is expected will be about August -.
Causes for Complaint
There are two features in connection
with the present examination OF passengers
baggage that are especially the subject of
complaint by the travelling public. One Is
| the herding of all the passengers in tho
cabin of the steamship during the last hour
of the trip in order TO have declarations
made out before a customs officer. Such
declarations. made in the rush and confu-
sion that mark the end OF the voyage, are
unsatisfactory to the government officials
and Il certain source of annoyance TO the
that has been required when thu decara-
ton Is made. which involves the PROPOSE
ton of compelling the passenger TO make
oath as to what foreign article his bag
gage contains and Immediately thereafter
searching his baggage 10 see whether or
not he has told the truth under oath. Sec
rotary Cortelyou believes that these two
features can be eliminated with no harm TO
the revenues and no danger 10 government
interests
cf
The new system will change this. Dec
larations will be distributed TO the passen-
gers during the early part of the voyage TO
this country and made out by them at their
leisure. This declaration will BE- simple
and straightforward, containing nothing
complicated or mysterious. and its instlIc-
lions Will tell the passenger to put down
the different articles acquired by him while
abroad, together with their cost or value.
Some time before the last day of the voyage
these declarations viii be collactcd by some
officer of the ship, who VIII be held respon-
sible both by the steamship company and
the department for the work of seeing that
such a written statement is received for
each passenger. When the customs officers
board the ship in the harbor deputy col
lector will get from the steamship officer all
of the declarations made out and deliver
them to the chief representative of the sur
veyor on the dock.
When the declaration Is handed to the
steamship officer coupon Will be handed
to the passenger, which will be his receipt
and which will contain the same official
number as the declaration itself. After the
baggage is landed and properly placed on
the dock ready for customs inspection the
passenger will present this coupon to the
proper representative of the surveyor, Sc
cure the services of an inspector, who will
examine his baggage and verify the declara-
ton previously made by him on board ship.
No oath of any kind or character will be re-
quired.
The steamship companies will cooperate
heartily with the department in carrying
out the new system.