Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-06
Things You Want to Know

No other branch OF the executive service
comes so close to every citisen as the
Treasury department II supplies us with
our money and every time we buy any
thing, from a stick OF candy to farm
we utilize the machinery OF the treasury.
This department manages the finances OF
the nation, collects it's internal revenue and
It's customs duties pays the expenses OF
maintaining the government and at the
beginning OF each session Of congress ad-
vises 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
" ar and Navy departments are expected to
protect our frontiers and shores from in
vaslon by hostile military and naval forces.
The Treasury department protects them
from the invasion Of tarff-dodginR i'm
ports and the landing Of contagious dis
eases from other countries. Through the
life saving service, II looks after the safety
Of people at sea, and through the public
health and marine hospital service IL 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 man.
Net only is the public credit affected by
fact, but by sentiment as well, and the
existence of even an unwarranted send-
mont will produce facts sufficient TO Justify
that sentiment. In other words, no matter
how excellent the condition OF the treasury,
II q panicky feeling takes possession OF the
people, It will cause the revenues to fall
off to such an extent that the treasury inn
mediately will be embarrassed. The actual
Il a he
treasury would not affect it as seriously as
even the most unwarranted panic.
The major portions of the revenues OF the
government is collected by the customs ana
internal revenue services. Since the
foundation OF the government approx
mately t10,OO0. 100000 have come into the
treasury through the customs houses Of
the country. Two-thlrds of all the customs
business is transacted at the port Of New
York, where II costs 2 cents to collect each
dollar Of revenue. There are q number OF
other customs houses, some located at i'm
portant cities along the coast and along
the frontiers, while others are found at
| smaller towns At Beaufort, N. c., II costs
81, 500 to collect 1855, and at Maryland port
1t 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 laoes
or silks, or sew New York or Chicago tags
on Paris gowns. in order to escape the pay
ment Of duties. Vessel owners try TO land
dutiable goods at places where there are
no customs houses. The Treasury depart
string OF lookouts to Illustrate the attempts
| of the smuSglers. The secret service keeps
card index Of every known smuggler in
the world and closely follows his move
ments. Reports on all big purchases OF
/ Jewels or other valuables are made to the
Treasury department and it's officers watch
for them on every ship that comes into
port The vessel that would land its cargo
! elsewhere than at the ports of entry must
escape the eagle 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
| America, the chances of running the gamut
| 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 Gus
toms house.
When a person comes into port of the
United States tho first official to board
the vessel is the quarantine officer-a rep
resentative 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 IL the vessel
has contagion among It's passengers or
crew, detention at the quarantine station
will follow and much Inconvenience re-
suits. When the vessel Is locked and the
baggage of it's passengers unloaded. there
Is a wait for the customs inspectors to go
| through it. To have ones baggage exam
ined infinitely rufflss many people, especi-
ally women, but as long as 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 1t lie in port One
week he may be stationed on an ocean-go-
ing palace and the next week on filthy
tramp steamer. He must watch everything
that goes on.
| The internal revenue bureau is the second