Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-20

that they will not be considered intrusive
or presumptuous in submitting for your
consideration few suggestions which,
In their opinion, if favorably acted on,
viii obviste to considerable extent
many of the difficulties under which
they are now laboring. Should 1t be
urged that as an Executive officer, you
have no authority to make such mOdifi-
cations iR the existing laws as will afford
the asked for relief, we respectfully
solicit that, ~ convinced Of their propTie-
/ ty, you will make the proper representa-
! tions TO Congress at the earliest practi-
cable period after the meeting OF that
/ body for the required alterations.
Il is not believed that frauds against
! the revenue have been or can be success
] fully practiced, If officers Of the Govern
ment strictly perform their duty, and
] cancel the permits for expectation when
! the cotton reaches certain designated
| limit, say by sea on the south, and a
| specific line on the north, beyond the
| cotton growing region. II such limits
were adopted, and the entire cotton
raising section made one collection
district, and certain ports or places des-
I ippated where the tax must be paid,
! recurring the owners of all cotton passing
\ through those points to pay the tax
u
| had been paid at some other authorized
point, much relief would be experienced.
| The effect would be to allow the free
/ transmission Of cotton from any points
within the cotton growing region until it
reaches a designated outlet, where
| the tax must be paid. This would
simplify the process of collection, reduce
the number Of officers, eeonomise the
| expenses of the Government, and greatly
diminish the vexRtions, delays and
losses to which the producers are now
Subjected. At present there seems to be
no system by which permits are taken
up when Gotten arrives at its destination
In the North, and thus facilities for
using them again are afforded. This
would be prevented II they were can
celled at the place of shipment, Hence /
the prOpriety of limiting the places for
the payment of the tax to ports Of
entry, and a few principal places on the
railroads running North.
Under present regulations 1t is i'm
practicable fer the growers OF cotton at
remote places TO forward it TO
market with that prOmptness which
their interest and necessities de-
mand Many OF them raise but small
quantities. say from one to five bales. As
each bale is ready for market, the owner,
to relieve his pressing necessities, Is com
peIIed TO sell, but he resides, perhaps, ten
or twenty miles, by roads frequently
almost impracticsble, from the Office of
the Assessor, and on account Of the
smallness of the quantity, he can hold
out no sufficient inducement to the As
sessOr to go himself, or send an agent to'l
assess it, and, perhaps, at the same time,
the officer is actively engaged IN endeav-
.-.Nw aaNn Of
twenty, thirty, or fifty other small plan
ters, who are equally urgent 10 have
their one or two bales assessed, and
equally Decessitsted to dispose Of them.
At the end Of two weeks another bale is
ready, and the same difficulties are to be
contended with, and this is repeated
upon every instslment of his small and
hardly-raised crop. The delays thus
! oecasioned are not only a source OF
ANNOYANCE, but consume much valuable
time. and entail unnecessary expense,
where neither can well be afforded.
To the objection that frauds may be
perpetrated by using the permits ofteuer
than once, it may be replied that this
will be easily prevented by requiring the
proper off Ger to cancel the permit after
the cotton is in possession of the steam
boat or railroad If declared for export
!
interior point to seaport, let the permit
accompany it, and require that it be
cancelled at the place where reshipPed
for expectation. In caneelling the per-
NIT IL should be stated that the cotton
has been declared for export beyond
certain limits. III cotton is shipped from
Memphis by steamer to Northern States,
to be reshipped at Cairo, st. Louis, or
elsewhere, the permits should be required
TO be exhibited to the Collector or other
officer at the place where the boat dis
charges, and it should be bis duty to see
that all permits are cancelled, and to
require responsible officer Of the boat
to make oath that the number Of bales Is
represented by an equal number In the
permit
The loss of money and credit incurred
by the merchant on account OF the delay
and uncertainty Ia getting the cotton of
their customers, oceasiOned by the regu-
lations to which we have adverted, is Of
the most Injurious character, and must
result in refusals for the future to firnish
planters with the necessary facilities to
raise their crops, thus eurtailing largely
the growth Of cotton, and diminishing
the resources Of the country.
A very serious annoyance and cause OF
delay 10 shipments is the present system
Of requiring each bale OF cotton upon
which the tax has been paid, to have |
attached q metallic tag, bearing a spe- !
cific letter and number. This, |
in eur opinion, gives much |
unnecessary trouble, and believing |
that il is the intention as well as the pol |
icy Of the Department to simplify and |
facilitate the operations Of commerce
as far as is consistent with the faithful !
/ .f h.
we will take the liberty Of presenting
some facts bearing upon this branch OF
the subject. Our merchants receive cot
ton from various points Of different col
lection districts, and at no period since |
the inception Of the tagging system have
they all been simultaneously supplied
with tags. Hence il not unfrequently
happens that the permits do not specify |
- firm, letter and members but, instead |
thereof, is inscribed emo tags.n 1t fre- |
quently occurs that in handling the |
bales Of cotton on railroads, by steam |
boats and wagons, that the tags
become detached, not only by acci.
dent or carelessness, but often,
there il too much reason 10
believe from wsntonness. and mischief, |
thus demonstrating that the system is |
not q reliable one for the detection of
DEPARTMENT enforce the order for the |
seizure Of the cotton ON account Of their |
absence, it may be the means of inflict- |
ing great wrong and bardships upon in |
nocent parties. In case Of sale by factors
Of lot of cotton, and the rejection of 8
portion thereof on account Of damage or
failure to comply with samples, the col \
lector is unable to detach any part Of
such lot from the permit, unless il be
issued at the office where sold. The sale !
must therefore be pronounced void, or
the vender may be subjected to unrea-
sonable rebates or reclamations.
As we have before mentioned, all
cotton detected in transit without
tags is liable to seizure; and even
when tagged, II the tags do not
bear the form, letter and num-
bers " designated in the accompanying
permit, it Is also liable to seizure. As
| business men OF some considerable expe-
rienee, we aver that 1t Is not practiea.
| BILE, during the transit Of cotton, to attain
such identity OF form, letter and num-
| ber," unless the cotton be subjected 10 Sc
| rious and Tuinous detention, and the en-.
| tire cargo Of 3 steamer or railroad train
pArcelled out to correspond with the va
Fious bills OF lading, and multiplicity Of
| permits, attending each. This could not
be done at any ordinary railroad depot, /
or steamboat landing, and we respect.
fully suggest that IT Is not only impracti.
cable, but that such Investigation and
comparison never really Is made by the
| Agents Of the Department, aff0rding an.
other evidence that tags do not furnish a
reliable means for the prevention or de-
/ lection Of fraud. L .s.Fof
In consideration, therefore, Of the ma
I a ~ q
/ an easy, expeditions and equitable com
meFeial interchange, and their utter lack
q reliability as 3 means Of detection, we
/ most respectfully urge the abandonment
/ Of the system. In the simple permit.
which accompanies each lot of cotton,
! the Department has 9 much more Ell
i rianf Rnarantaa and prnteotiOn and The