New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-23
OUR WAREHoUsING SYSTEM.

REPORT THEREON BY CONGRESSMAN MORRELL.
WAsHINGTON, June 21-The Hon. ID. j. Morre of
PENNSYLVANIA presented to the House to-day re-
markedly able report from the Committee on Manu-
features upon the evils of the warehOusng system.
The document embOdies the entire argument III be-
half of protection against British free trade 1t is
exhaustive and unanswerable, and will add greatly
to the reputation which Mr.. Morre enjoys in Penn
svlvania rs a clear thinker and powerful writer
questions of political econ)my. On the subject Of
the warehOusing system this report says:
The present warehousing system In this country
founded upon two leading ideas and 10 effect two lead
ing objects, quite closely related to each other both be
ing based upon tho superior claims O. foreign commerce
Tie first object whose advantages most prominently
urged by the visionary author OF the system was TO make
tribution Of the Of the world. For this pur
pose provision was made that imported goods de,
P %areS6us9s might be feexpOed Without the
payment Of any duties thereon The effect OF this law,
and It's supplements and amendments s that at present
the importer instead Of paying duties, or giving BOND
for the same upon The entry OF me goods, may eject 70
where they may remain three years without
payment Of the duties or o upon pop ihe e
duties being payable only upon the Withdrawal OF the
ports and more than per OF imported dry goods
comes TO the port Of New-Iork The latter branch of
business is well known TO be largely in the hands of
foreigners or OF thOse who connected with foreign
houses. member Of the recent Revenue Commission
makes the following fearless statement in an Official
report: ..,.. 49,.
ent sni control here The many has been
ee' G ' intended for me WsTeioas are invcd at the
factory cost and entered that price the
duties largely Diminished aud the evil Of competition with cheap
This mischief OF thus harboring class Of whose
business debauch misead officers TO rob
of revenue, and igjure our domestic industry Is 80
apparent that they should long since have found
remedy These foreign agents cooperate constantly for
the evasion Of revenue laws They pay inadequate
taxes; they render military service they pay very
little their ympathe are all the other side and
their business is 70 nuly laws pertaining To our com
merce and our industry There s no redeeming benefit
70 reconcile US TO their presence ana opGra a,
ing increase capital or aid enterprise here Is carried
TO Europe swell the volume Of capital there which Is
employed in overwhelming our rising industry. No
country in the world is afflicted with such multitude OF
commercial parasites The conviction successfully forced
upon the committee that we owe manly 10 the ware
housing system that the American importers who made
the word merchant honorable have been 10 great extent
driven from the field and that the business OF importing
foreign manufactured goods has mainly become mere
here OF the class above described who sell the goods
for commission and send the proceeds to the foreign
operations OF these agents. The goods are stored
in warehouses furnished by the Government at
are paid by holders Of American goods The
duties are not payable until the goods are with
drawn and ample time Is given for selling them by sam
ME the mode usually employed Thus little capital Is
feGuired for this business, the greater par as will be
eminent The genuine importer cannot compete with
one who is really only eonsignee, and who has facilities
values in the invoices of The goods nvoiced. which
are shown TO be frequently fictitious and fraudulent
y the weknOwn fact that the goods can rarely be pur
chased abroad by outside parties at the values stated
nalpabe evil OF this diversion OF import trade through
foreign channels Is such systematic evasion OF our cy
enue laws as would be scOrned by own regular uer
chants Another evil IS that freighs are diverted from
American shipping the decline OF our navigation inter
esfs being largely this influences; and still greater
evil is that the concentration OF the agents OF ioeign
drms and companies in New-YOgk gives the foreign
interest the control OF prices there. and OF course
in large degree or the whole country ana places our
|
10 PROSTATE altogether. Under the warehOhslR system
reservoir goods Is accumulated 10 be poured upon te
the first sign of improved prices IN our comes
produce They held by their foreign keepers IKE
greyhounds in the LEASH stralnng upon the START 10 pe
loose upon home manufacturers, whose Iae ~ - 10
be hunted like hares In their thckets III there u
rise In prices In NewY the first advantage taken
| by the foreign agent who lies In wait IN the
ambush which the confdng Government has punt iof
his sally point If tho opinions Of practical men are 70