The custom officers who insult and browbeat you at the port are of this department. Once on arriving at New York, after being very ill all the way from Antwerp, I had declared I had nothing dutiable, yet in spite of that every article in my trunk was laid out on the dirty floor of the custom-house. When I saw the bottom of the trunk, I said: "Well, you have only proved what I told you. I believe you think because I am trembling from weakness that I am frightened?" "Yes, that is about the size of it; there is your trunk, you may put the things back." "No," I said, "my baggage is checked through, and I am not able to pack it." I saw with some satisfaction the custom-house officer do the packing. It had required my best efforts to get the stuff into the trunk, but he did it.
This country has very silly custom-house rules on personal clothing and small articles of art and vertu, and the average artistic standard of dress and home ornamentation of the country is lowered by these ridiculous embargoes.
In 1895 I was abroad with a company of Presbyterians; among them was Professor G., of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of California. He happened to fall in with a little coterie of friends of whom I was one. The most of us bought photos and souvenirs in almost every city. The professor bought nothing. One day he said: "I would so like to have brought my wife with me, but I was not able to do so. I shall be very saving, so I can take her back a nice present." When we were in Italy some fool woman suggested a cameo pin as a suitable and beautiful present for his wife. Cameo pins have been out of fashion for twenty years. He purchased one of great beauty for $30. As we came into port, a friend said: "Professor, you had better let some woman wear that pin for you or you will have trouble." "Thank you, no; I expect to pay the required duty to my country." "Oh, you do not know your country yet; you'll get a dose!" He paid $27 duty, and had not money enough left to get home. I felt that this duty was an outrage. Things of beauty which are not for sale should surely be admitted free.
The Treasury is the heart of the whole machine that we call the "United States Government."
XVI
SECRET SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
OF THE UNITED STATES
Every one is interested in what is called the Secret Service of the government. The name covers many things, altho we usually associate it with the government's protection of the coin and greenback currency of the country.
The detectives of this department are often employed in assisting to find out or run down robbers of banks, railroad trains, express offices, etc. They are also used in detecting frauds at the custom-houses, frauds in the departments of justice, pertaining to naturalization papers, post-office robberies, and attacks on the Mint. In the Pension Bureau they unearth fraudulent attempts to represent dead pensioners, etc. For work outside of their own departments they are paid by their employers.
In the last report of the Secret Service, dated July 1, 1902, the chief enumerates 253 persons convicted of attempt of counterfeiting currency, and 106 yet awaiting action of the Court. The arrests for the current year have numbered 573; of these, 413 were born in the United States; of the 106 remaining, Italy furnished 65 counterfeiters; Germany, 25; Ireland, 15; the others, except 6 Mexicans, are of the different countries of Europe. Of the different States, New York produced 85 counterfeiters (including those who make false representations of any kind in passing currency); Missouri, 47; Pennsylvania, 45; while almost every State has one or more. Altered and counterfeit notes to the value of $46,004.95 have been captured, and counterfeit coins to the value of $19,828.47.
The Chief of the Secret Service says that the year has been fruitful in that class of criminals who alter bills of small denomination to one of higher value. Any change in a bill renders the maker liable to a fine of $5,000, or fifteen years in prison, or both.