Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-06
THE GOVERNMENT AT WORK,
1H-The Treasury Department.
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
No other branch Of the executive serv-

No other branch of the executive serv-
ice comes so close to every citizen as the
Treasury Department. 1t supplies us
with our money and every time we buy
anything. from a stick of candy to a
farm. we utilize the machinery of the
Treasury. This department manages the
finances of the nation. collects its in
ternal revenue and it's customs duties,
pays the expenses of maintaining the gov
eminent, and at the beginning Of each
session of Congress advises that body
what money will be needed for operating
the governmental machine during the
year.
This by no means explains the full
scope of the activities of the department.
The War and Navy departments are ex-
pected to protect our frontiers and shores
from invasion by hostile military and
naval forces. The Treasury Department
protects them from the invasion Of tariff
lodging imports and the landing of con-
tagious diseases from other countries.
Through the life-saving service 1t looks
after the safety of people at sea, and
through the public health and marine
hospital service it looks after the health
of the nation.
In dealing with the public credit the
Treasury Department has to do with one
of the most sensitive things known to
men. Not only is the public credit af-
fected by fact, but by sentiment as well,
and the existence Of even an unwarranted
sentiment will produce facts sufficient to
Justify that sentiment. In other words.
no matter how excellent the condition of
the Treasury, IL a panfcky feeling takes
possession of the people it will cause the
revenues to fall off to such an extent
that the Treasury Immediately will be
embarrassed. The actual immediate loss
of a hundred million dollars from the
Treasury would not affect it as seriously
as even the most unwarranted panic.
The major portion Of the revenues OF
the government is collected by the Gus
toms and in
Collection of Customs ternal revenue
Sometimes Costly. The foundation
of the government approximately ten bill
lion dollars have come into the Treas
ury through the customs houses of the
country. Two-thirds of all the customs
business is transacted at the port of
New York. where it costs 2 cents to
collect each dollar OF revenue. There
are a number of other customs houses,
the coast and along the frontiers. while
others are found in smaller towns. At
Beaufort, n. c., it costs $500 to collect
$1.55. and at Maryland port it costs
$1,000 to collect 81 cents Efforts have
been made to abolish these small ports,
but political influence has thwarted them.
Elaborate precautions are taken to pre-
vent smuggling. Men conceal diamonds
in secret holes in their shoes. women
convert their bodies into huge spOols
for rare laces or silks, or sew New York
or Chicago tags on Paris gowns. in
order to escape the payment OF duties
Vessel owners try and land duttable goods
houses. The Treasury Department there
fore must maintain a long string OF
lookouts to Illustrate the attempts OF
the smugglers. The secret service keeps
a card index of every known smuggler
in the world and closely follows his
movements. Reports of all big purchases
of Jewels or other valuables are made
to the Treasury Department, and Its Off
GERS watch for them on every ship that
comes into port. The vessel that would
land it's cargo elsewhere than at the
ports of entry must escape the eaSle
eye of the revenue cutter Service, which
patrols the coasts Of the country for
the purpose of detecting such violatOrs
of the law. AS the government receives
advices of the clearance of all cargo
boats from foreign ports bound for Amer
successfully are SO small that there are
comparatively few violations of the law
forbidding vessels to discharge their car
goes at other places than through the
customs houses
When a person comes into port OF
the United States the first Official to
board the yes
Quarantine Officer sci is the quar-
antine officer
First to Board Ship. representa-
tive of the Treasury Department. If all
on board have been in good. health and
there are no complications the visit Is
not an unpleasant one. But II the vessel
has contagion among its passengers or
crew, detention at the quarantine station
will follow and much inconvenience re- |
suit. When the vessel is locked and the
baggage of it's passengers unloaded, there |
is a wait for the customs inspectors to |
20 through it. To have ones baggage |
examined infinitely ruff1es many people, |
especially women. but as long as a large |
portion of the travelling public regard 1t
as no sin to smuggle such inspection Will |
have to be endured by everybody. An
INSPECTOR stays on the vessel as long as |
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