Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-07-05
SHARP FIGHT TO BE MADE
ON PROPOSED CUSTOMS COURT

Washington, July Agreement to
stand by the action of the tariff blil
providing for the establishment of a
customs court as originally reported,
was reported today by the senate
committee on finance The provision
has been singled out for attack in
the senate.
1t has been charged by opponents
of the new court that its personnel
has been agreed upon already. This
was denied by Senator Adrich, who
added that he knew President TAFT
will select the best men who can be
found
The charge that the creation of the
court would be a reflection upon the
Judiciary, which has heard customs
cases in the past, was also denied by
Mr.. Aldrich. Mr. Aldrich said GUS
toms cases inevitably raise questions
of technical character and that they
should be tried before men who pos
sess q fun knowledge of the tarl't
laws and methods resorted to for
evasion of these laws.
President Taft is in sympathy with
the effort to establish a court COM
petent to deal with all phases of Gus
toms litigation according to Mr.. Aid
rich The latter said also that the
chief objection to the establishment
of the court comes from attorneys
who receive about $1000,o00 year
in New York City alone, because OF
court rulings inconsistent with the
intent of the tariff law.
As originally reported, provision
was made for fixing values on the
basis of the recognized market prices
in the United states. Two classes OF
importations were taken into consid-
eration-goods sent to this country
on consignment, and goods sold out
right to the American importer. in
the past complaint has been made
that foreign goods were brought lntu
unfair competition with American
manufacturers theaugh the process u
Secticn IL Of th'
tariff bin is designed to prevent uu-
dcrValuation.
In fixing the valuation of such lm-
ports the senate amendment provides
that the wholesale price of similar
goods in markets of the United States
should be assumed to he the value oi
the foreign goods, after allowances
had been made for the cost. of trans
portation and Insurance and in the
case of consigned goods, a commission
not to exceed six per cent for hand
ling
Importers who buy their goods out
right protested that the commission
gave an advantage to concerns which
handle consigned goods The COM
plaint of the importers was weighed
nv the committee today and their con-
tention admitted. The amendments
agreed upon will give to the purchas-
ing importer q deduction equal to the
allowed to the consignee
10 cover the actual expenses connect
Cd with making the purchase.
The committee also will recon-
mend that the drawback feature OF
the Dingley law bc re-enacted, When
the tariff bill was reported, the com
mittee had struck out the new draw
back provision adopted by the house
lint nothing was offered in its place.
Tho house provision eliminated tho
clause of the drawback.
While the senate committee feallIes
that the drawback provision of the
Dinglev law has not worked satlsfac-
torilv. il has not been able to work
out anything on which all membeas
could agree.
If the senate accepts the DingleN
an effort Will be made IN
conference to harmonize 1t with th"
feature adopted by the house.