The sun., 1919-06-30
EXPERT POINTS WAY OUT
OF TRADE ANNOYANCES
Consular Regulations and Local Customs Must Be Oh
served by Exporters-How Latin America
Is Affected

port OF entry, the hrst collecting smhh
fee for certifying bills Of lading.
Two (Brazil and Haiti) charge n small |
fee for certifying consular invoices and
another small fee for certifying bills OF
lading.
Five (venezuela, Cuba. Honduras.
Panama and salvadorl charge less than
1 per cent for certifcation Of consular
| invoices.
The first named not charging for GER
tifying bills of lading. the other four
charge fee OF 81.
One (Chiie) charges rs cents for GER
tifying each copy of the bill of lading
and a sliding fee Of less than per cent.
| for certincation OF consular invoices,
Three countries charge 2 per cent. for
| certifying consular invoices Guatemala,
Peru and Bolivia. Guatemala only
chargin n fee Of 81 for certification Of
bills Of lading.
Three COLOMBIA, Mexico and Ecuador)
charge 3 per cent. for certifcauon of
consular invoices and nothing for bills OF
lading.
Fee for Certihcation.
The charge Of a small fee for certi-
fcation of consular invoices IL perfectly
reasonable. The United States also
makes that charge. But when a regu-
lar percentage IL charged, as high as 3
per cent--it Is nothing less than an
import duty collectible at the port OF
shipment, and which, as a rulo, adds
to the amount that has to be advanced
by shippers usually on credit. Buyers
pay all these charges In the end. whether
as. specific expense charged on the
invoice or as an increase in the price.
but that does not destroy the fact that
the American exporter IL advancing
other than the cost OF goods and natural
expenses
However, this would not matter, IL
only such charges were all alike. But.
as mentioned above, there are nine Elf-
ferent forms Of collecting them.
A few other countries require decla-
ration OF shippers regarding the value
OF goods. as do Canada, Australia and
New Zealand. But such declaration
calls for no formslities and no rees
and does not call for an advanced
knowledge of customs tariffs or regu-
lations on the part Of the shipper. II
Is as a warning against the dumping
! of goods at lower than market prices
! which those countries wish to avoid.
We cannot very well ask for the
abolition of all these foramlities. as we
the United States must bring a con-
sular invoice signed before the Anieri-
can consular officer at place OF ship
ment, and we also have some incoa-
Il ceivable red tape in the matter Of regu-
lations on imports.
We can, however, ask for certain uni
. formity in such regulations, as they al
! tend to the same purpose.
Consular officials are supposed &c
! know thoroughly these customs icgula
tons. and should advise shippers, warn
: ing them of all possible liabilities fall
u ing on them because OF unwilling viola
!. ton Of such regulations. wrong decla
q rations, &C. But. as a rule, consular
u documents are made after the good
y are practically on board, and ceruh
i cation 10 requested by all shippers a
e the same time, giving the consul and hi
= staff barely time for affixing seals ant
signatures. 1t u enough to see n con
e sulaue on mail days to verify thi
= statement
y To I'LL the need Of governments TO
y some basis of checking imports and as
sisting in the compilation Of statistics, l
should be sufficient for the shipper q
:, sign a consular invoice. sending copy
:. certified by the consul TO the consignet
together with the bill OF lading. the car
riers furnishing the consul with a cop.
Of the bill OF lading.
s. Descriptions Must BE Simple.
ls Whatever these documents say, tn
As consul cannot verify the truth nor wha
1
y the collection of import duties at desti
II nation in Latin America. All goods ar
v examined at the time OF their clearing
" and discrepancies can be penaliZed a
D. the expense OF whoever commits tn
10 fault. excepting. of course, honest mis-
II takes which can be proved.
T. Another matter worth mentioning
the diversity OF taxes and regulations re
gardlng travelling agents or statesmen.
In txrn vi thRaa
lv and regulations alike. Some countrie
m have established a tax for the entir
~ country, others for each province an
Nd others for each Cor some only OF tn
Ia municipal districts. The tax, In som
,g cases. is SO high that It makes 1t pro
20 hibitive for all except the few privilege
no large concerns who enjoy this advantag
M against the smaller ones
n The principle of taxation seems to b
that the travellers do business" an
that were they not taxed they woul
, have an advantage over the domesti
- concerns who pay income tax and othe
IN dues. Should this reason be accepte
"a the same should apply to all concern
20 doing business" by mall they are nc
~ taxed and still they do business
1t is confusing the travelling salesma
" with the pedler. The distinction. how
e, ever, is evident. The travelling ager
takes orders, stimulates the trade, thee
10 retically, and is no more than what ca
be called n Giving letter"
20 They do not sell merchandise excer
~ ~ to importers Cor would-be importers
IL but never to the public directly. So Ion
=" as they do not carry merchandise the
nc are not merchants; they are only agent
for a foreign merchant who might avoi
OF the tax could he be convincing enoug
W TO sell by mail only.
Every country has a right to impos
DC its taxes, and the right OF so doing
Ut this case is not questioned.
IL But again we have the annoyin
a. diversity of them and their unreasoT
o. ableness in some cases. also the divei
30 sity OF regulations TO which they ar
'e subject.
Oh Duties on samples.
" Finally the question of duties an
OF regulations on samples and other NEAR
on of publicity Is another annoyance TIM
NJ stands in the way Of smooth an
en- rapid expansion OF trade. Regulation
IN Of samples and advertising matter. wit
10 or without value, are not alike
"a scarcely two countries out OF the twent
ne Some countries allow the importatio
10 of travellers samples in bond; othel
To- collect duty and refund a part OF It
reported within a certain time; othei
treat them in a different way.
al There is no question as to the rigl
N. of each and every country of establisl
ng ing all kinds OF regulations to su
Iy, themselves with or without reaso
n, But they are all naturally intereste
tn In advancing their trade at large an