The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-03

millions 10 collect the import duties
levied by the gov eminent and every
biz OF merchandise must be examined
as carefully as III there were reasons
10 suspect All attempt 10 Dodge inc
payment OF duty Even IA minister OF
the gospel must make his declaration
end have his baggage examined When
he comes inIo a port OF the uhlteu
States.
The present crusade for the com
plete humiliation OF the smuggler be
gan with the exposure OF the sugar
trust. That corporation with its ram
Gus seventeen holes In an iron hook
was able 10 dodge the customs laws
10 such an extent that II has been
forced TO pay the government s5'ioo''
coo as restitution. Its method oil
operation was to have secret hole III
the mechanism OF each Of the seven
teen scales on which the imported
sugar was weighed. Win an iron
hook il was able To make each bag Oh
sugar register much less than It's &C
tual weight An involved conspiracy
was essential To the proper working
of the scheme, and II was only AFTER
many years that government oihciaI
detected the trick.
While the money value of struggled
goods brought into the ports OF the
United States is greater on Soous
which come IN through underNaIuu'
ton and other schemes. the larger per
cent OF smugglers are people VINO
bring in goods as passengers arrlVlls
from foreign ports Formerly le"
people regarded II as dishonest tc
make false declarations as TO theiF
baggage. Not only did they smuggle
by means of false declarations, but
they bribed the officers into COLLISION
with them. Wealth and political i'll
fuence were usually able 10 hush up
any discoveries The less influential
classes felt that II wealth and inhu-
ence could smuggle and go unpublished
there was no reason why they 700
/ should not do likewise.
The government has changed all
| this. Today the port OF New YORK
: is collecting about four times rs much
from incoming passengers as former
". AT Bosom The collections swell
ed in few years from s470,000 70 ST.
SOC. 900 per year Much OF this Is
due 20 a stricter enforcement OF the
law and to breaking up oil the sleeper
trunk frauds. But the major portion
of il arises from the moral enec; oil
the present attitude or the govern
ment Incoming passengers nave
learned that the customs authorities
regard p as criminal TO make fa.se
declaration, and that prosecution rs
bound to follow attempted eVaslona
of the law. When George Il. Coflie'
YOU wah made Secretary of the Treas
ury. one Of the first things he did
vas to place declarations in the hands
Of passengers long before they arrlv'
ed at port. The average tourist pre-
ferred TO pay duty rather than make
a vokage across the ocean with
{ guilty conscience as his cnlei COLI
psnion.
One of the favorite articles OF the
smugglers' trade is the diamond. Al
thoueh uncut stones are permitted 10
come into the country free OF duty
, cut stones are taxed heavily. Inc
mos: accomplished diamond Snug
gler in the history OF the country
was q Belgian, who bought his wares
in Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris and
ondon. He had a brother in New
York and made frequent tript to that
city. Although the customs authofi
ties suspected him for many years
they could not obtain the necessary
J evidence to arrest him. He would in
yariably come over to the United
States Oh a certain ship, returning
on its outgoing trip, always secur
ing the same state room. The only
evidence that could be obtained
against him was the fact that his
brother always had diamonds to sell
after one OF these trips. But inspect
his baggage as often as they would
the customs authorities never could
ind trace of stone. At last. however
the two brothers fell out, and the
one in New York informed the Gus.
toms house OF his brothers method
/ He always was accompanied to the
steamer by his brother when he sail
ed on his return voyage. AZ no one
thinks Of watching an outgoing ship
for violations of the customs law, II
was easy for him TO take the diamonds
from their hiding place in his state
room and hand them to his brother
lust before the vessel departed.
When william McKiniey's coffin was
being lowered into the grave at eau
on. Ohio, every wheel OF the gov
eminent stopped for five minutes, and
! although the customs inspectors we're
/ in the midst OF an examination OF pas
sengers baggage on the piers OF Ne"
York. everything stood still for The
appointed time While this silence
was being observed customs III
spector noticed a Acknowledgement
man whose silk hat appeared TO be
4 little top-heavy. He accidently
knocked IL of with his cane, and a
whole hateful OF fine silverware
dropped out. Upon another occasion
= man came down the plank
clothed in the garb OF clergyman
carving in his hand what appeared
20 be an orthodox edition OF the Bible
All went well until he happened 10
stumble and fall. A secret spring In
mis- pseudo-bible vas Embossed and ou'
rolled large number OF diamonds
Pearls come into the United States
as precious stones. dutiable at 10 pei
cent when unstrung. When STRUNG
they are classed as jewelry. dutiable
M so per cent. Some years ago there
| was a steady lmDn-tetiou OF pearls end