390 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



under the terms of the minimum tariff, and that whenever he shall be 

 satisfied that the conditions which led to the issuance of the proclama- 

 tion no longer exist, he shall issue a proclamation to this effect and 

 ninety days thereafter the provisions of the maximum tariff shall be 

 applicable to all productions of such country whether imported directly 

 or otherwise into the United States. 



These duties thus cast upon the president require him to keep in 

 constant touch with the situation, not only of the treatment which our 

 products receive when exported to foreign countries, but also as to the 

 action of such foreign country in respect to export bounties, duties and 

 prohibitions upon the export of any article to the United States, and 

 its effect upon the United States and its products. There are many 

 ways by which a country can indirectly discriminate against another 

 country or its products. One way is to raise the valuation as appears 

 on the invoice or bill of lading. This may result in the payment of a 

 larger ad valorem duty or a higher specific one on account of a different 

 classification. If such treatment is unfair, and is persisted in against 

 the products of a particular country, and not pursued against those of 

 other countries, the treatment is discriminatory. The value of the 

 article exported then becomes of prime importance, for if the value 

 stated on the invoice or bill of lading is less than it ought to be, per- 

 haps so made with the intention of saving duty, then the foreign cus- 

 toms officers have an equitable right to raise the valuation to a proper 

 and reasonable amount, and such action on their part, provided they 

 do the same with the products of all other countries, is fair and just. 

 In order for the president to know in regard to this, he must have 

 accurate knowledge of the cost of production of all articles exported 

 from this country, and as any article made in the United States is likely 

 at any time to be exported, he should also have knowledge of its cost, 

 etc., so as to be ready to act, when the occasion arises, as provided by 

 the act of congress. Some articles are now exported from this country 

 at valuations less than they are sold here. Such practise is not contrary 

 to the law of the United States, but it is contrary to the law of foreign 

 countries to value articles for the purpose of customs lower than they 

 are worth. What they are worth depends to some extent upon their 

 cost in the country where they are made. 



The second branch of the tariff board's duties is to secure informa- 

 tion to assist the officers of the government in the administration of 

 the customs laws. 



What has been said of importations into foreign countries applies 

 to importations into our own. The proper administration of our cus- 

 toms laws requires on the part of the various officers of our government 

 a clear insight into the value and cost of all articles imported. The 

 acts of congress require the general appraiser and the boards of general 



