The Washington herald., 1912-11-17
Prze-fight Films and Lottery Tickets Mongooses and
Malta Goats, Flying Foxes and Eggs of Game
Birds-Likewise Smoking Opium

| Large quantities Of egg albumen are
imported into this country from Russia,
Germany and France, where in sum-
mer. when hens eggs are cheap. mill
Hons OF them are broken. and the whites,
with salt added to make them keep, are
dried In the form of what Is known as
'albumen cake" To make one pound
OF the latter (worth so csnts) requires
$50 eggs-the price being equivalent,
therefore. to 4 cents a dozen. This IL a
figure at which the American hen cannot
compete, and hence It comes about that
no egg albumen worth mentioning Is
manufactured In the United States. But
even IL II were, how could wild duck and
goose eggs be collected in Alaska and
fetched over thousands of miles of rail-
road at a price low enough to enter into
competition with the output Of the do
mestic chicken?
Reference to this matter brings to
mind the question that came up for de-
cision by the Treasury not very long
age as to whether the hen Is a hen or q
bird, considered from a tariff standpoint.
Much advertisement was given to the
problem In the newspapers, but nobody
seems to have taken note Of what the
final judgment was when II was made.
So knotty was the point that 1t had to
be referred to the Secretary of the
Treasury. who declared that the hen
was not a bird. And this Is where she
stands at present
The point is OF more Importance than
might be imagined. II the hen were a
bird. her eggs Cof which many millions
are imported into this country annually
from China and elsewhere) would come
in free OF duty. But, inasmuch as she
Is merely a hen, her eggs are dutiable
at cents a doZen-a matter that makes
a good deal OF difference to the customs
receipts. and which incidentally protects
the American fowl against cheap foreign
competition Ducks likewise are not birds
under the rules of the Treasury Depart
ment, and importers of their eggs must
pay cents a dozen for the privilege Of
bringing them in.
Regulations of this kind are somewhat
complicated. Thus geese are poultry
and dutiable as such. whereas swarns
are free as water fowl" The little
chicks and ducklings. killed when two
weeks old. stuffed with cotton, wired TO
keep them in shape. and imported from
Japan by millions for the Eastern mar
ket, were formerly toys" and paid s.
per cent ad valorem. Now, however,
they are stuffed birds, not for millinery
use." and come in free. Live frogs are
fowls under the customs rules. and
pay 3 cents a pound. Frogs legs are
dressed poultry" and are assessed at 5
cents a pound. This is a case OF what
is called classification by similitude." 4"
Frogs legs are fried like chicken and
taste like chicken; therefore they are
chicken in the eye OF the Treasury.
Importing Birds.
Five birds Tor a less number) are bag
gage" and as such may be brought into
the country without special permit But
1t is necessary to obtain a permit from
the Department OF Agriculture for the
importation of live feathered creatures
in larger numbers. excepting only cana
ries and parrots, which are admitted
without restriction. During the last year
there were brought into the United
States. under permit. 34521O canaries, I3.-
3S pheasants. $500 European partridges
5,s4 miscellaneous game BIRDS and Es.S7
miscellaneous nongame birds In Addi-
ton, there were q, ,31S birds requiring no
permits, these being mainly parrots
OF the pheasants. 1885 were English
''rinmecks," imported for stocking game
preserves. The other pheasants. includ-
ing two OF the rare Argus species from
Java. were for aviaries chiefly. Which
remark applies also to fve greater"
birds OF paradise-the first living indivi-
duals of this species ever brought to
America. Within the last few years It
has become the fashion Of wealthy peo-
pie to maintain aviaries filled with rare
and beautiful birds gathered from vari-
Gus parts of the world; and the estates
OF our multimillionaires are being
stocked with fancy water fowl from
other lands, such as the Mandarin duck,
which lend attractive ornament and life
to small lakes and artificial ponds.
Cigars in quantities less than 1000 are
not allowed TO be imported. Why this
Is so nobody knows. The Treasury IT.
self is unable to explain Il. but such is
the fact in law. It goes back to the
days of the civil war. and the presump-
ton Is that the legal enactment on this
point was obtained by cigar dealers
along the border who were anxious to
exclude retail competition from Canadian
sources.
Absinthe was shut out under the law
which forbids the importation Of foods
and drinks injurious to health. But II is
safe to predict that the demand will he
plentifully supplied by a domestic prod
uct, probably very inferior. crude but
salable absinthe liquor is made from the
essential oil of wormwood. In the proper
Of the stun, however the
leaves and twigs OF the absinthe plant
are STEPPED in water together with hys-
sop. calamus, citronelle, anise, fennel,