The New York herald., 1867-11-20

INTERNAL REVENUE MATTERS.
The InHsiiity ofihe Metropolitan Board-Csni-
pnrniise stasemenf 81 the Tax Collected In
G6U and In 1862.
Toe failure 70 collect the sax on distilled spirits has
become subject for serious renection and now thas
Congsess u about a convene should be ascerained
whether mot additional legislation bc needed 70 pre-
vent the stupendous frauds pracsissd or whether the
fault lies In tho Improper and imperfect execution OF The
existing Law. An sxaminasoa OF the subject leads 70
the beiss that every ssguard which ingenious csisa-
ton can devise has seemingly been thrown around the
administration Of tho rovsnss statutes aud yet the
ceps from tax on distilled spirits have dimnshsd daily
until ihev are now merely nominal The law makes
ample provision for the employment Of officers and
detectives TO- aid IL ~ execution aud herein gov
eminent has net hssn 4 iaut judging from the army
Of officers who swarm In our cisies and throughout
every town and hamlet In the country
The general subjects or frauds on the revenue and
their prevention havs been exposed and remedies
gestsd IN the HERAIB time and time again Il y mot
difficult 70 point out of shs why the law has
been 50 impsrfsctly sxssassd in New York The ssats
tics appended give co . the opinion that ths Depart
committed error i. taking the administration Of
the law from the ofncais dsssnssd BY Congress and
placing In tbs hands ofs Nssropolilan Board of inter-
nal ksvsnus In the rt plsss the consultation u the
SsAs
made consist OF Deputy COMMISSIONS Of tne United
States, A1sssant Uhitsd Stssss Treasurer snd The
The power was eivss . % tnS board 70 sxssoiss
too sancticns which tsGe ssAissnanship ha.
always endssvossd = k<sp separate and
power. In very Important sense, judge. The
Board, OF s own motion, upon any prs ext tfcr ~
any tot Of distilled sprs a.y aisry or any rsclry-
ing pisce. When the cass cemes before IL tLs Beard
EXERCISES the functions q pr mIhasy court \ may
ton 70 the court Of mhtch shey the prosecuting
oaicsra IT. in acting a. judges in preliminary court
dscsiuns by any personal Consideraions this lscnu,c
msconslrucIion Of tneir body might produce very
least three Of the Of the B0ad the songes
lives exist 70 influence their judgnenL Without calling Ia
question tns integrity OF thsss gentlemen, may be
said that until mankind b rsndercd perfect By the ad
vent Of the mille0ium men clothed wlsh large aud
irresponsible powers will ~ tpehaps unconscouslyl
indosncsd By personal considerations. In this Board
ths tnree District Attorneys have IN ever present
inducements send eyory case, mater how trivial
the charge TO the United States CoUr. for trial. and not
the st passes OF view; turned to
the courts u becomes endless profit IN fees
thefe What cnancs has "a accused party tasreiore,
for speedy settlement OF his Gaze Wnat chance for
predecessors, tbs District Attorneys prefer thsr own
Tss following statement vim show how far these
nnsnces have controlled tne action Of the Board during
the six months II has besn Ia existsnce:-
Number OF seizurss os oas of spsrts dstlleres and
roctltyi ing PLACES IA
Released BY toe board 76
Sent % court under charge Of Mr.. Courtney oS
SAINT - cours under charge Of Mr.. Tracy ~
Il viii be seen tnat moro than 0ne-half u the
0f seizure have been c0urtA when probably
they coud have bssn we'll settled In the Board Il
BY follows that conHscation takes place Whsn
the case reaches the court Il u veil known faes
that very large number OF the cases dismissed
there How many, the Diserot Attosneys INFORM
the pulo In OF dlssihoriss usuai prnc-
lice has been 70 permit them 70 BE- bonded and Esw
days they have been b operation agaan. But few Of
thess been cent Ihs courts q Nh. Reas-
Comparatively Hunted thore bus the motive for ocial
aDti0B still The same. When Is taken Into considsr
the fees aud costs oach u these
IncraloA to average from $500
" e6Uo u may BE- observed how large reward 3 n
store Ter sho isw mstnOers OF the Board
White the c0ntr0i Of the whiskev manufacture and
trade OF NeW York hns been the Of largely
creased revenue TO- majonsy os she msn0srs - The
Metropolitan Board, OfdclA ugures will show how the
admInistsasion or the law "a IT. hands mas been the
Of greatly dimsnlsaed revenue - the Sovsrn.
Thoso nsuraa exhibit the moss slrking PROOF Of
the inefhciency " the Board aud q s failure
accomplish the result for which It 6osgned-she
coslscton q The sevenee tar on spirits
Tho following statement shows the amount Of Ax col
ected distilled spirits In this Metropolitan dstSios
during the existence Of the Board also fss toe
poudng nsonths nuriug the year 1894 Under the Con-
grassonai plan. The agrrsgase Riil snow % What ex
tout the g0vornment has been loser since the Board
was organzsd. me figures for the Eighth dsrtch New
York. Tho Fsfth DISTRICT New jersey, could mot b.
obtained: bat, printed. would show aooul tho
com parave results the other dlgt cts-makine the
deficiency ss greater than appssrs fron the following
~x~ ~csv~<vrvo - rsuvrs m spypr~