The Dickinson press., 1913-04-19

value and place 4 higher rate upon mo
expensive article of the same
character and description. This Ia true
in the paragraphs providing for Clues
and gelatins. that providing for pocket
knives. blankets and for jewelry.
Customs Administrative Changes.
The customs administrative situation
has long been unsatisfactory under ex-
isting enactments and is regarded az
being Of primary Importance, for the
eason that rates Of duty in them
selves are not conclusive until they
have been interpreted and applied to
actual importations through classinca-
ton and appraisement. The tariff act
Of 1909 made considerable changes in
the previously existing system of ad.
ministration and abrogated a number
Of useful notifications which had been
introduced into previous practice as a
result Of the commercial agreements
negotiated during the second Roose.
welt administration. 1t, however, fail
ed to substitute a more satisfactory
system Of classification and appraise-
ment, and defective methods have con-
dnued to prevail eve since. How bad
the situation has been is indicated by
the recognition Of enormous customs
frauds in the federal service, these be-
ing corrected only after a lengthy de-
lay, in which tardy reparation was
made to the government for what It
had lost. That these frauds extended
almost throughout the whole range of
trades is a startling fact, to which
witness has been borne not only by
the secretary of the treasury, but by
many others whose official duties rave
them knowledge Of the situation. Two
commissions appointed under the last
administration to examine into GUS
toms administration conditions have
detected great evils and have made
extensive recommendations for i'm
provement, none Of which, however,
has been carried out, except the re-
moval Of two members Of the board
of appraisers at New York city.
That it is necessary to take steps to
strengthen the administrative features
of the customs laws has been recog-
nized by the treasury department, and
two commissions have already been
appointed and have made reports in
this connection. The president of the
United States appointed a committee
to inquire into the practice of pro-
cedure and. the administrative methods
of boards Of general appraisers. The
secretary Of the treasury appointed
appraisement commission "to in
vestigate and report on both the prin-
cfples and practices of the appraising
work Of the government"
The reports Of both of these com
mittees were before the ways and
means committee and were given care
full study: The provisions recon-.
mended follow in a large measure the
changes suggested in one or the other
Of the reports referred to. These re-
ports were made by officials Of the
government charged with the collec-
tfon Of the customs and represent tho
views Of persons of experience. To
their conclusions we have given much
weight.
Maximum and Minimum.
Paragraph A Of this section takes
the place Of section 2 Of the Payne
bill, which provides for a minimum
and maximum tariff for the United
States. Section 2 is repealed. and Par
A reads as follows:
That for the purpose Of r%eadjusting the
duties on fmportations n the
States and at the same time to en-
courage the export trade of this country
the president Of the United States is au-
thorized and empowered to negotiate trade
agreements with foreign nations wherein
concessions are made looking to-
freer trade relations and further re-
ciprocal expansion Of trade and com
mercs, provided. however. that said trade
agreements before becoming operative
shall be submitted to the congress of the
United States for ratification or rejection.
The minimum and maximum. tariff
adopted in the Payne bill
have not been productive Of any ef-
expansion of u foreign trade
and commerce. The conventional tar
III being the minimum rate and the
president being authorized to enforce
the maximum rate against foreign IA
lions resulted in an attempt to ex-
pand our commerce by force. We went
to the nations of the world with the
demand that they stand and deliver, or
we would punish them. Many years
ago this system Of expanding trade
and commerce was abandoned by the
enlightened nations. The only true
course that can be pursued to expand
our foreign trade along rational lines
Is through mutual concessions that
may prove. beneficial to both Of the
contracting parties, free from coercion.
Under the proposed substitute the
president Of the United States ts au-
thorized to, enter into these trade agree
ments without limitation on his au.
thority to do so, except that such
agreements as he enters into must be
ratified by the congress before they
shall become effective.
This legislation is new and somewhat
along the same line as the reciprocity
treaties that were authorized under the