The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-14
TIE NEW CUSTOM HOUSE ORDER.
The Steamship Agents Accept the Situation
Except for Cause" Net To Be Binding.
WHAT THE MERCHANTS HAVE TO SAY,

The new Custom House order issued last Monday
by Collector Arthur has been the topic Of general
conversation for the past few days In all circles
connected with the importing business. 1t u hardly
wtrin the bounds OF possibility to satisfy every
body on this question: but In the generality OF cases
the cause OF complaint may easily he traced 70 the
pocket Of the grumbler The agents OF the dinerent
steamship companies VINO signed the letter to COL
lector Arthur, In which they designated the bonded
4 LEFT STOCKING
a. the one they selected for the reception Of the
general order goods which came ON their steamers
were certainly little nonpussed and considerably
taken aback when the new Custom House order
was promulgated last Monday morning and found
that they could not change the warehouse 80 desig.
mated by them except for cause 1t then flashed
across their imagination that they had been the
victims Of some pretty sharp practice and regularly
tied down to- Messrs. Leet b Stocking. They, how
ever, met together and mutually agreed to see Col.
lector Arthur on The subject and should he refuse
to alter the Objectionable phrase which bound
them fast to tneir bonded warehouseman, to
withdraw their signatures to the document
they had signed and make their choice with more
deltberatlon During the course OF yesterday the
lecror Arthur and mad long talk with him on the
subject OF the new customs order During the course
THE OBJECTIONABLE PHRASE
was Drought up, and TO the establishment and
delight OF the agent the Collector put matters III
altogether different light and gave very salts
1actory explanation OF The meaning OF the words
Except ior cause" These words were only IN.
serted 10 prevent the Collector being troubled with
any frivolous complaints and weekly applications
for Change or bonded warehouse the Collector
said he did not wish the agents Of the steamship
companies to think for one moment that 1t was HIS
inienuon 70 bind them down TO one warehouse per.
petuaily as he would always be willing to let them
make a change on any fair and reasonable grounds.
The Collector also said tnat for the present he had
done all he could, as he preferred waiting until the
Investigating Committee had reported to The Senate
COMMITTEE, who would probably move certain legls.
Steamship . Companies appear now 10 be oIorably
well satisfied with the new order but still they are
very anxious to be allowed the privilege OF
RUNNING THE MACHINE
themselves, and claim that they can do better and
with more general satisfaction 10 tle merchants
than anv bonded warehouscman III the city. In
favor or this argument they state that no bonded
warehouseman can give better or more solid
security to the government. as they always have
some steamers In port which could be MADE very
tangible collateral. They also state they could DO
the business much more reasonably than any one
elsefas IL would be to their interest to make the
charges 20 the merchants as small as possible, IN
order to secure the continuation OF their business.
their own bonded warehouse for the reception
o. general order goods for nearly twenty
theirs for ABOUT seven years. During all this time the
steemship companies cieim that there was not the
slightest cause OF complaint from any quarter, and
che importing merchants were perfectly satisfied
with the way they got their goods and the charges
ever 1 tat Collector Arthur mas done good deal in
reducing the tariff nearly forty per cenr, and II
under the present order he can succeed IN prevent:
ing tue ccgging or filling up Of one store with all
Inc business oil i've six lines OF steamers every
thing Will doubtless work very smoothly. 1t ap.
plant when Leet & Stocking nad the
ENTIRE MONOPOLY,
tnat there was SO much confusion IN the manage.
mcnt OF the, business that goods were frequently
0llald aud considerable delay caused III the trans
large importing merchants nave not got very much
~ say about the matter, but they nearly all appear
70 agree that with the exception OF the reduction Of
the tariff things appear 10 be pretty much the same
Us they were before. Certainly so far they say, the
order had not received thorough trial, and 1t re.
manned to be proved whether 1t WORKS benehctally
nearly all the business would eventually nnd its
Sqalres Co., whfch occupy the same building:
and IN that case there would be the OLD objection OF
querf: delays In the transmission OF their goods to
the APPRAISERS office. They all agreed that 1t would
suit iii parties much beiier the steamship COM
warehouses for the reception OF
- GENERAL ORDER GOODS.
Under the present system, II q Cunard steamer
arrives rather late she commences Immediately to
discharge her goods upon the wharf, In some In
s q
the goods 60 to general order storemsay sauires \
chant happens to bond his goods in the Cunard
bonded warehouse so they finally so back over the
mat ney s an sanese wnc
certainly be saved If the steamships were allowed
10 store their own general order goods. They all
appeared 10 be OF the same opinion tnat until some
such arrangement was arrived At they would
experience the Old delays IN obtaining
their goods. The steamship companies are pre-
pairing a petition, which VIII be sent TO the Chambei
OF Commerce, soliciting the influence OF that body
OF merchants, IN the Senate COMMITTEES, with 9
view to obtaining some favorable legislation on the
subject. The agents OF all the different steamship
companies have signed this document, and follow
ing them are the. signatures Of large number O
private citizens. In justice to the firm OF Leet &
Stock ng 1t may be said tnat Mr.. A. 4. Stew art
while III conversation with O HERALD reporter yes
terday denied IN toto the report that he intended tt
Srnaacufe lilo above 1rm Tor QYerCharQeS.