By the President of the United States of America.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas the Government of Germany has taken action, extending, on and after March 1, 1906, and until June 30, 1907, or until further notice, the benefit of the German conventional customs tariff to the products of the soil or industry of the United States, by which action in the judgment of the President reciprocal concessions are established in favor of the said products of the United States:

Now, therefore, be it known that I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority conferred by the third section of the tariff act of the United States, approved July 24, 1897, do hereby suspend, during the continuance in force of the said concessions by the Government of Germany, the imposition and collection of the duties imposed by the first section of said act upon the articles hereinafter specified, being the products of the soil or industry of Germany; and do declare in place thereof [Page 647] the following rates of duty provided in the third section of said act to be in force and effect on and after March 1, 1906, of which the officers and citizens of the United States will take due notice, namely:

Upon argols, or crude tartar, or wine lees, crude, five per centum ad valorem.

Upon brandies, or other spirits manufactured or distilled from grain or other materials, one dollar and seventy-five cents per proof gallon.

Upon still wines, and vermuth, in casks, thirty-five cents per gallon; in bottles or jugs, per case of one dozen bottles or jugs containing each not more than one quart and more than one pint, or twenty-four bottles or jugs containing each not more than one pint, one dollar and twenty-five cents per case, and any excess beyond these quantities found in such bottles or jugs shall be subject to a duty of four cents per pint or fractional part thereof, but no separate or additional duty shall be assessed upon the bottles or jugs.

Upon paintings in oil or water colors, pastels, pen and ink drawings, and statuary, fifteen per centum ad valorem.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Theodore Roosevelt

By the President:
Elihu Root
Secretary of State.

executive order.

Paragraph 678 of the Consular Regulations is hereby stricken out and the following paragraph substituted:

Purchased goods, where certified—

Invoices of merchandise purchased for export to the United States must be produced for certification to the consul of the district at which the merchandise was purchased, or in the district in which it was manufactured, but as a rule a consular officer shall not require the personal attendance at his office of the shipper, purchaser, manufacturer, owner, or his agent, for the purpose of making declarations to invoices, but he shall certify invoices sent to him through the mails or by messenger. To conform to the statute which requires that merchandise shall be invoiced at the market value or wholesale price of such merchandise as bought and sold in usual wholesale quantities at the time of exportation to the United States, in the principal markets of the country whence imported, consuls will certify to invoices, the additional cost of transportation from the place of manufacture to the place of shipment whenever the invoice is presented to be consulated in a country other than the one from which the merchandise is being directly exported to the United States.

Theodore Roosevelt.

[Page 648]

executive order.

Paragraph 680 of the Consular Regulations is hereby stricken out and the following paragraph substituted: Invoice and declaration to be verified—

When the invoice and declaration are received by the consul, it is his duty to examine carefully each item and satisfy himself that it is true and correct. In aid of this examination it shall be the duty of such consular officer to confer with official chambers of commerce and other trade organizations in his district, and he shall report any and all written communications from such commercial bodies and trade organizations that may be submitted to him in writing, together with all schedules of prices furnished him officially for that purpose; and the consul is authorized, in his discretion, to call for the bills of sale of merchandise purchased for export to the United States; to inquire into the cost of production of merchandise not obtained by purchase; to demand samples; and, if the conditions require it, to examine the entire consignment. Whenever an invoice is offered for certification which covers consolidated shipments consisting of the productions of different manufacturers, the consul may demand the submission of the manufacturers’ bills relating thereto. Even when the merchandise has been purchased for export and the invoice sets out truly the price paid, the consul should ascertain whether the price represents the market value of the goods.

Theodore Roosevelt.