The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-04-18
features
CONFINED from page dYe.J

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value and place higher rats upon The
more expensive article Of the same
character and description. This Is true
in the paragraphs providing for glue,
and gelatins, that providing for pocket
knives, blankets and for jewelry.
Customs Administrative Changes.
The customs administrative situatior
has long been unsatisfactory under ex
isting enactments and Is regarded a
being OF primary Importance, for the
reason that rates of duty In them
selves are not conclusive until they
have been Interpreted and applied t.
actual importations through classifica.
ton and appraisement. The tariff aei
OF 1903 made considerable changes II
the previously existing system Of ad
ministration and abrogated a number
Of useful notifications which had beer
introduced into previous practice as a
result of the commercial agreements
negotiated during the second Roose,
welt administration. II, however, fail.
ed to substitute a more satisfactory
system of classification and appraise-
ment and defective methods have con.
tinued to prevail ever 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 1t
had lost That these frauds extended
almost throughout the whole range OF
trades is startling fact, to which
witness has been borne not only by
the secretary of the treasury, but by
many others whose oficial duties gave
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.
prOvernent, 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
an appraisement commission ito in.
vestigate and report on both the prin-
ciples and practices Of the appraislng
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 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-
ton Of the customs and represent the
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.
agraph A reads as follows:
That for the purpose of readjusting the
present duties on importations into the
United States and at the same time to en-.
courage the export trade OF this countr,
the president Of the United States is au.
thorized and empowered to negotiate trad,
agreements with foreign nations wherein
mutual concessions are made looking to.
ward freer trade relations and further re.
ciprocal expansion Of trade and com.
merce, 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
provisions adopted in the Payne bill
have not been productive of any eff.
fective expansion Of our foreign trade
ana commerce. Inc conventional tar.
III being the minimum rate and the
president being authorized to enforce
the maximum rate against foreign M
tons 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, OF
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 thnt
may prove beneficial to both Of the
contracting parties, free from coercion
Under the proposed substitute the
president Of the United States is au