The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-05-21
MANY NATIONS PROTEST.

! ~
eign governments against some admin
! istrative features Of the new tariff
/ bill, that those governments expected
I that their manufacturing concerns
would have easy access 10 the United
States markets at tho proposed lower
rates OF duty. and also that they would
nc able 20 TX valuations 20 suit them.
selves. The Democrats. 20 be sure.
are pushing through their bill with
high hand. uuduly reducing tariff du'
ties. but they are not altogether blind
10 the fact that nd valorem duties of
fer great opportunities for fraud, and
so they propose 20 incorporate in their
tariff bill a proposition for officially
declaring the value Of the goods i'm
ported. This declaration is 20 be made
by the Secretary OF the Treasury upon
the current quotations Of the dsy when
the imports are made or are taken
ont OF the bonded warehouse. This
would not only shut OF litigation which
always springs up like Jonah s gourd
when custom duties arc placed on the
ad vslorem basis, (for there is con
slant effort to swindle by putting the
values in the invoices as far below
the actual value as hope OF passing the
same would ndmit.) but would insure
full collection of the duties. But with
the Secretary of tho Treasury openly
declaring the values. these values would
have 20 be accepted by the importer,
and there would be no opportunity for
litigation or evasion. The protests OF
the foreign governments, so far as
this part of the bill is concerned, are
simply pleas for getting opportunity to
cheat
Another objection made BY the for
eign governments is of essentially the
same character The bin, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining true import val
ues. would give the Secretary of the
Treasury authority to exclude the goods
OF merchants from any country or Of
manufacturers who refuse TO submit
for inspection by United States agents
their accounts pertaining to valuations
or classi6cations of merchandise when
ever disputes arise The intent or
this provision is the same as in the
first named: 10 prevent fraud. The
is that the Senate Fl
nance Committee and the admiuistra-
tion will adhere to this provision. since
il would be a powerful guard against
fraud. And those merchants or manu-
facturers who are unwilling to aid
the Government of the United States
to protect itself against fraud have
no just claim TO consideration or TO
the trade OF this country.
These bars against fraud will shut
off the foreign merchant or manufac-
turer who prepares goods for the Unit
ed States upon undervaluations, and
will compel the paying OF the duty
according TO the current quotations,
which is no moro than right. when
we consider the extent of the cuts
which the bill makes in the duties.
II appears that the foreign tradesmen
were cIulting in the idea that they
could not only get a far larger market
than heretofore in the United States
by reason Of the decrease in duties,
but that they would get further ad-
vantage in the same direction by un-
and the payment OF less
duties on an ad valorem basis than
even the largely reduced schedules
called for
il is pleasing TO see that In this
the foreign planners OF fraud have
come TO grief; but it is not pleasing
TO see that their governments back
np the wouldbe cheats BY making of
fetal protest against these guards
against undervaluations and against
swindling the custom house Surely
the bill offers advantages enough to
the foreign manufacturer and mer-
chant, without allowing him the oppor-
tunity that he evidently expected, 70
cheat by undervaluatious: and il is
unpleasant to find that such
4 determined effort is made, backed by
European governments, TO hold open the
door for undervaluations and the swim.
ding of our Government out Of its
proper customs revenues under the
law