Blessed is the sanctity and mightiness of "red tape," for it is revered by generation after generation. Even in the up-to-date American Bureau of Customs in Manila has it fastened its tentacles and we have recently been indulge ing in a few smiles at the Customs' expense owing to the discovery that some of its officials have not yet broken loose from its grip. It all started from some exhibits for the Manila carnival that have been brought over from Borneo by Mr. B. F. Mackay. They included a collection of wild animals, plants, giant mummy, and other weird things. The first obstacle that tripped the zealous officials was the mummy. It was manifested as a mummy—pure and simple—age"unknown, but believed to be of great antiquity.
The question of "duty" at once arose and the customs regulations were searched to find the stipulation for the importation of mummies into the Philippines. There were no regulations. In fact, nummies were not mentioned at all. Evidently the authorities had never anticipated the entry into the Island of such strange goods. It is true that there were regulations for dead bodies, but they demanded medical certificates setting forth the cause of death, age of deceased, cetern. What is more, they came under the Quarantine laws, and the Into gentleman had been smuggled past Quarantine station and landed without authority. This was a gross dereliction of duty on somebody's part, therefore the secret service ought to be notified at once. The situation was complicated, so the matter was referred to the heads of the appraisers department who at once went into special session. After much discussion, it was decided that the mummy should classified heading sion should not be considered as a precedent, the opinion being that "curiosities" did not contribute enough to the government treasury in the shape of duties and that as this was evidently the opening of a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.