The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-07
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Dec. q, 1859.

gress. Since the appointment Of the present Com
missioner the administration Of the on1oe has been
constantly improving The increase or receipts for
the first ve months Of the present fiscal year In tho
sum Of S1A 3aa over the amount collected IN the
first nve monts Of the last fiscal year y satiafaCtory
testimony to the ability and integrity Of the sermons
employed IN that branch Of the public service. the
amount paid BY warrants for collecting the revenue
from customs during the fiscal year ending
June 3d. 1858, was $637S,3S and for the year end
ing June 90 1850, IS, 376 73S showing decrease Of
$l,00l CAT. The decrease In the cost Of collecting
the revenue has not been attended BY any loss Of
efficiency In the service. On the other hand It IL
believed that the means for the detection OF SNUG
Cling are better than ever before, and that the
custom house service is also constantly improving.
1t ought to DO understood that the chief means Of
collecting the revenue and enforcing the revenue
laws must be found In the administration Of the
appraisers department. me frauds and losses arising
from actual smuggling are unimp0rtant when COM
pared with the losses sustained through incompetent
or dishonest examiners and appraisers. Assuming
that honest men may be obtained for these imp0r-
tant positions at the present salaries II Is yet true
that an incompetent appraiser or examiner may
daily subject the government to losses far exceeding
the amount Of his salary. Under existing laws Ger
tain revenue officers and other persons appearing
as nformers are entitled to shares in nes penalties
Treasury Department distributed the Of $2soo7S
to such ofncers and to inlormers In the various
cases arising under the Gus toms and revenue laws
A large additional sum was also paid through the
internal revenue O1ice. The reason on which the
laws granting such allowances are based is,
that officers Of the government are stimu-
lated 10 greater activity In the discovery
Of frauds ana In bringing Offenders to punishment
There be DOUBT that such is the effect Of this
policy; but the experience have had In tho Treasury
Department has convinced me that the evils attend
ing the system greater than the benefits derived
from 1t. 1t often occurs that revenue onlcers are
led to assert claims In behalf Of the government
which nave no just foundation in law or in the
facts OF the respective cases. and when
real claims exist 1t IL often the object
OF the informer and Officers who share IN
the penalties TO misrepresent tho case to the
government so a. the greater advantage 70
practice quite general OF allowing persons iraudu-
lent course until result s reached which VIII inure
Of CHECKING criminal practices at the outset Il il
impossible TO set forth In exact language the charac
ter Of the evils that grow out Of the present system
proper performance o of their duties Without stimu
elsewhere recommended an increase OF salaries OF
Custom House officers; and the abolition Of the sys
iorfetures win be an additional reason for the
crease OF salaries In this department Of the public
| TREASURY CLERKS AZ CLAIM AGENTS AND ATTORNEYS.
1t has become practice for clerks and other per-
ment to accept employment as agents or attorneys
for parties having claims against che department;
the Information obtained while in the public service
mas been used In aid OF the claimants without de-
tang all me g to this PrsctCe respect
from practising before the Treasury Department Is
agents or attorneys in behalf Of claims that were
dtrUv orrb mar no 0fNno or tho
- cLERlcAI FORCE OF THE DEPARTMENT
Departments ct washington 2.S4S clerks, messenger
and laborers at monthly cost Of s2S592l. Al pre-
and tneir monthly pay amounts 70 sass $50, showing
decrease Of expenses at the rate Of SSH, 680 per
sna was iS1nd neeesssry however during
internal revenue once and in the ONCE Of the first
Comptroller THIS increase. In the aggregate, IL at
not relate TO the force employed In the Bureau OF
Engraving and Printing.
SPECIAL AGENTS IN THE SERVICE OF THE DEPART-
In March last there were sixty-two special agents
aggregate for their services the Of s3 per day.
Each Of these agents made hts reports to the depart
AZ az ana eH
pay amounts TO sS6S. The pay OF the agents has
Usen increased generally. IN the hope that more
and frontiers OF the country have been divided into
sixteen special agency districts and superintend-
appointed and detailed to act under the
several district agents. The orders OF the depart.
the district and the reports Of assistants are made
to him. The agent IL required to mako monthly
supordnates. The results thus far Obtained an near
to justify the organization introduced.
THE MANurAcruRE OF .,GovE ..s NJ, PArER.n
Of the United States and for the printing OF
the government against unlawful issues from
the genuine plates. Under the eleventh section
Of an act approved June 50, 1884 entitled IAN to
provide ways ana means for the support OF the gov
eminent and Tor other purposes" peculiar paper
ana By that act t is made felony for a1y person 20
have or retain In his possession any similar paper
adapted 70 the making OF any obligation or security
the Secretary OF the treasury some other proper
oiicer Of the United states. Arrangements have
Messrs. wilcox 4 Co., near Philadelpnia. and the
mills owned by them, which are exclusively.
SUPERVISION Of the ocers Of the Rovernmen and
such precautions have been taken Tor the custody OF
portions Of the machinery as 70 render II Improbable
that the paper manufactured can be obtained by dis
honest means 1t IL received by an agent Of the gov
eminent stationed at the mills, and upon the requ.
Bank Note Company, the American Bank Note Com
pany to the Printing Bureau or the Treasury De-
have also been made with each OF the two companies
mentioned for preparing one SET OF plates ior every
ssSe M f snd Printing Bureau az washington
PREPARES sbird set, ana each ONCE places an
imprint upon every obligation OF the government.
Notice OF the transfisyivs Ct paper from the agent
at the mills and its receipt by the several onlces OF
tho deliveries therefrom to the sealing bureau In Tho
treasury Department. and also OF deliveries To the
treasurer OF the United States given each day. by
telegram or by letter, and on the following day the
accountants IN the Treasury Department prepare
statement showing the disposition OF every sheet Of
paper manufactured. In the month OF November
the paper nj the mill and In each OF the several
printing establishments was carefully counted and
the results compared with the accounts In the Trea-
sry department In an aggregate Of about 1000 600
OF sheets received by the agent at the mills discrc-
pancles were found to tho extent Of sixty sheets OF
fractional currency paper and for the money value
OF which the companies doing the work are respon-
sble.