Life — August 11, 1910 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“FRonT!"* The Common Weal Fe expansive benevolence it would be hard to surpass the docu entitled “Circular to Tourists,” w our open-hearted Government dispenses free of cost to all citizens of the United States who venture to cross the seas. s little tract, which may be found in the dining-rooms of out-going steamers, opens with a few well-chosen words of sympathetic regret that travelers should “entertain some anxiety "’ concerning the customs inspection, and expresses a po- lite hope that such anxiety will be “ re- duced to a minimum’? by the counsel tendered in its p: After these fatherly words, calculated to restore confidence to the inexperienced heart, the circular blandly explains that the returning tourist will be called upon to ke a declaration of all that he has purchased in Europe; and that, as no one will believe this declaration when ade, the contents of his trunks and packages will be “carefully examined "* on the docks. He is bidden—regardless of the exigencies of packing—to put all dutiable ticles where they can at once be seen, and he is given a heart-breaking list of the taxes imposed upon everything he may have bought, from a handker chief to a pen-and-ink drawing, with ominous ints as to the character of th retribution which will overtake should he hide the handkerchief or pen-and-ink drawing from the inspec tor’s ey By this time the tourist is perhaps les casy in his mind than before he oper the reassuring circular, but there is bal in Gilead. After being reminded tha it is his happy privilege to bring in os hundred dollars worth of goods free « “unless intended for other per he is told that the kind appraise: will grant bim this privilege, “even without having his attention called thereto."’ Then follows a_ priceless paragraph calculated to fill his heart ar ris of all his counirymen with atitude and patriotic pride “Any personal effects taken with you which are brought back wit you in the same condition as when tal abroad, be admitted free, if identification can be established."’ This scems almost too liberal! T allow the citizens of the United State to bring back their old clothes untaxed is an excess of munificence which yet reduce the nation to bankrupte The more the tourist thinks of it, tl oftencr he contemplates the time-worn arments he has not dared to rey and realizes that he will not be calle! upon to pay sixty per cent. duty on their original cost, the more affecting such nerosity appears. He can mur in the words of Sir Walter 1 should enjoy your kindness better i I felt 1 deserved it more.”* Life is a play. Let us be grate that the drama is sometimes comic When the enterprising women of Ch cago find it necessary to have their jewels photographed before leaving home. so that they may not be held smugglers on the New York docks; Mr, Roosevelt, the great upholder of th tariff, is invited to bring in his ly mnly absolved from paying an old-age tax on his American trousers, the great national Custom House farce becomes a finished and per- fect performance 's Repplier. By a Pessimist IRTUE is its own punishment A bird in the bush is worth two in the hand, Anticipation is the better part of valu O a man a favor once and he may be grateful; do him several favors and he will think you owe them to him comicbooks.com