Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-13
CUSTOMS FRAUDS ARRAIGNEL
Secretary MaoVeagh Discusses In
quiry at New York Banquet.
RICH TRAVELLERS TO BLAME
Tourists who Are willing TO Bribe
Inspectors Are ScOred-KnOx
aud wIckersham Also
speak.

new YORK, Dec. 2.-Nine hundred and
sixty-four distinguished men heard three
TENDERS Of the cabinet of the United
States address the eleventh annual dinner
OF the Pennsylvania society Of New York
at the waldorf-Astoria last night.
OF these peakers the most emphatic
note was struck by Franklin MacVeagh,
secretary of the treasury, In a bitter ar
ruignment Of customs frauds, particularly
at the port Of New York. The other two,
George w. Wickersham, the attorney gem
eral, and P%hilander c. Knox, secretary Of
state, spoke along more general lines, the
former emphasizing, however, the neces-
sity Of federal power, the increase of
which has been so much criticised. Secre-
tary Knox confined himself largely to
the ever increasing cooperation OF nations.
Mr.. Macvengh'S Address.
Concerning customs house frauds In New
York, Secretary MacVeagh said:
you know what we are trying to do
for this city. We are trying to cut out
a fostering corruption. The undertaking
needs the president back Of It. and 1t would
be impossible for any man in any po-
sition to be more direct and normal in
his outlook upon a question of good gov
eminent, or to be more resolved to back
~ INV AAAAAAN kAs AANINA NtAN aAAAA NARV RAcIbNN
Of Improvement than President Taft In
what the Department Of Justice and the
Treasury department are undertaking to
do at this port and In the less important
but still important things we shall at
tempt to do at the other ports of the
country, we nave President Taft behind
US"
Mr.. MacVeagh here praised William Loeb,
jr, collector Of the port, for the work he
has accomplished and continued:
Il shall dwell upon one obstacle only,
and that is the important influence of
the example of those rich or well to do
Travellers, who, for the sake of what they
can make OF it, are willing to evade lawful
duties and sometimes to bride in the bar
gain. A very serious consideration in this
connection is the lack OF sufficient public
opinion to aid in correcting these prac-
tlces."
Brilliant Affair.
The dinner tonight was a brilliant affair.
Seated under the time-honored portrait OF
William Penn, and the emblazoned coat
Cf arms of the state of Pennsylvania, was
the s~ociety's president, Andrew Carnegie.
Next TO him were Secretary Knox, Sec
retary MacYeagh, Attorney General Wick.
ersham and Governor Edwin S. Stuart OF
pennsylvania and the principal guests.
AT other tables sat Simon Guggenheim
United States senator from Colorado; JohI
Wanamaker, former postmaster general
United States Senator Boles Penrose, Com.
rnander Peary. United States navy, al
honorary member OF the society; United
States Senator George 7. oliver, Samue
w. P~ennypacker, governor of Pennsyl
vania, 1SO3-O7; Lloyd c. Griscom, former
United States ambassador to Italy; JOIN
D.. Archbold, John d.. Rockefeller. Jr., W
h. Corey. president of the United Statei
S-eel corporation, and others,
The toasts. in view OF the speeches b!
three cabinet members, 9 were limited L
four not counting the Introductory re
marks OF Andrew Carnegie.