New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-09
people, has also nov the support the President of the


OF the special agency system, which has now be
come an extensive and expensive branch Of the Customs
service In NewYork, and under its present manage
ment, abuse OF authority and power As originally
ury Department was useful officer, attached directly
% the Department at Washington. It was his duty to
proceed to distant points and examine into specified
matters, as the required, and report 70 the
secretary. But within few years these agents includ
day, have organized In New-YOrk Bureau Of PROBES
sonal Iniormers," and upon scale hitherto unprece-
denied Their Ostensbe occupation IL Ia detect frauds
upon the revenue, aud violations OF law ana regulations
by Customs officers The service based upon the theory
that the principal officers OF the Customs are alb
sorbed in the uourishment Of their perquiste ac-
counts az to neglect their ofnclAi duties But II
gious and their interests soon become identical with
>teb illustrated in the present management at the
por "a rendered comfortable can vote most their
time 70 NOnage upon the merchants The great power
which the az " March, 1867, permits these men 10 in
by which 9s or & RS s 1e sSs sS sna
tnitelv detained renders them source OF dread. AM
commercial house is at their mercy The least than
these agencies and that the officers II retained shall be
remanded TO their original and proper duties.
am free 20 say that persons not in the Government
employ who may be Instrumental IN the discovery OF
violations Of FeItnGe law, and who shall assist in
fled 10 some reward az provided in this bill like plea
may instituted In behalf or 0incas connected win
Tho arrest Of criminals The salaries fixed by this bill
are fair II cannot urged that by the increase OF ac
enhanced: the abolition Of the wide system OF mOietcs
will at once dOubly cover the amount Of increase
UNBORN ASSESSMENTS AND CLASSIFICATION OF hSR-
CHANDGsE.
The next feature Of the bill TO which invite your at
tcnfon relates to uniform system OF apprasements and
classification OF merchandise all the principal ports OF
entry need not enlarge upon this point Uniformity
Of practice in any department Of the public service must
admitted essential to sound ana suceesslul az
minstratiOn of its affairs In 1850, congress
the old system Of apprasement at the port OF
and provided for the appointment OF one cmet appraiser
with assistants, examiners ana Other snDOrdlnates
Under the regulations since enforced Dy the secretary OF
the Treasury this plan found to be greatly superior 10
the practice under the 0d bOafu IN Inc otner PoIIs
named in the BILL the old form OF organization 10 some
extent still pre- ais and great disparity in the modes OF
doing bushes, the result The secretary OF the treas
urv in his report OF 1863, SAYS
IL ought TO The chief Of collecting the rev
and the Revenue Laws must be found toe adna'''a'
OF the ApPra:,r' department. $500. ,,,.,, ,, % 70
be paid there the laws construed IN reference 10
the different rates Of duty in word, there the tounda
t HSI5 !, y7 TT f fHS IN s sasa lie ca:
toms service The salaries 6ed in the bi 1t il believed,
sufficient Y ldgee competent men H. TO Gngage tba
they are not be removed for given term except Tor
ncOmpetency or malfeasance III once: .. -, 49,
Another change proposed IN the D TOT me lof ol new
York IL the establishment Of separate department LOT
weighing. gauging, aud measuring the khds ana
classes Of goods the rates OF duty upon when are deter
mined by these standards. am very sure TINS proposed
modification in the direction OF reform Al present
there eighteen or nineteen Welghcrs' eh'h nay
charge Of district assigned % him 10y the surveyor ana
each exercising the same powers and performing IKE
whose duty it II to attend 10 the di-chargng Of
vessels the landing and examination Of passengers pag
cage vc This OF itself is sufficient 10 engrOss the tune
and attention OF the surveyor ne IL sucn an officer as
will attend 10 these important duties IN person
ABUSES N THE WEIGHING DEPARTMENT.
The business OF weighing caugng, and measuring ha'
reached vast proportions the port Of New York and
seems to best that there should be one responsible
head As in the Appraisers department. II Is generally
believed that great frauds have been committed by Tho
weighers and il j. said upon good authority tha mer
chants are compelled pay these officers IN order 70 G
their done promptly This being 90 Will be
seen how 10 that the salary OF a NtlEhoi t1fo"' 70
aunum-does not embrace the whole income on the once
Neither is there any doubt that the cost 10 the Govern
ment OF performing this service Is largely III eAScah
what IL ought be, and what II WOuld De uhueI e -
tam here nroDosed IL will appear by reference 20 page
100 of the report Of the Rerenchment Committee OF the
sd March last, where an account OF Welgnns Dy us
tricts is given from NAV l, 1862 70 Dec 81 ls5O Una
great discrepancies exist between the cost OF
this service by different Welghers III tne sa anu uli
ent districts. The percentage OF tees received ny t'
Coveruu ent, which IL perform this duty, range
according the abstract from 40 to 1870 per cent There
can be no such variation upon any ~
who experience that the entire labor and ex
pense OF every kind may De em9aeeG IN s PeT cent
ing Such economy ought not to be dlsregarded espe
formty and efficiency in practice, andlcss e1ortlon an
annoyance to the merchant
THE WAREHOUSE AND GENERAL ORDER BUSINESS
But II is stil possible that reformation IN the Ware
house and General order business the port OF New
York is more urgently demanded; as not only has !
grown 10 enormous proportions, hut is the subject o
enormous abuses and well grounded and far-reachin
complaint. The Joint Committee, TO whose report
have mad frequent occasion 70 refer gave careful ate
ton 70 the nVetlcatOu OF this subject Tor the mlte
opportunity they had and finally earnestly advised M
relief which the merchants Of NewNork almost unani
This vast interest involving alike the convenience
the rights Of merchants has been regarded since tn
administration Of Collector Smythc, sort OF perquls
ite 10 be sold or bargained away, and placed ~ IN
hands Of personal friends or political fayores Prev
used. aud the business was divided among merchant
and warehOusemen OF known character and reSponsl
blity. But there has been marked change III TN
whole matter, following the pcrnciouS conception Una
It was the personal property OF the Collector, or IN
around the Administration. In word, the General or
der business, now conducted, IL one ot the grta
OF eXtOrtOn and oppression upon Newly Orh neF
chants II IS not enough to say the goods are not Drop
are compelled to pay for enhance the price Of al
imported commodities. Inc secretary OF inc treasury
after careful investigation admits the superiority Of the
old practice hut under existing laws thinks ne has
control power in the premises Inc law then leave
this vast interest al the caprice pleasure OF the Col
ector the port and for complete calculation Of h
effect and practice beg To direct attention again to TN
Retrenchment Committees report and especially 10 th
testimony OF Charles G.. Francklyn, page lG Gustav
schwab, page Is; +. NJ. Bixby' page q; A. stewart
page 81 Luther Horton, PAGE 5G william T. Dodge, IT,
mage 49, William l.. Dodge, page A., and A. Is. Miller
page A..
A COLLECTOR INTERESTED IN \ BONDED WAREHOUSE.
The bill under consideration makes II Incumbent on h
Secretary Treasury locate the General Orde
stores that they shall be accessible aud convenient TO the
nlaces where goods are unaden from the vessels oi
steamers and not as situated In distant and danger
ous portions the city, where favOre warehouseneI
can hr cheap stores and favored secure large
huness nj double expense 20 importers and consumers
The merchant. have appealed in vain for relief To me
II has been matter Of surprise that the Collector wa
hrared mn with such marvellous Indifference against the
remon strances of a community deeply wrOnged Al
can only he accounted for upon the theory that hse
or other. i'm whose welfare advantage he Is closely con
nrcted finds sufficient nducemcn for its continuance IN
the amount OF profits derived from II -
in regard the last clause Of this section No
will dispute that the collector OF the Port ana other
Government officials who have influence IN obtaining
patronage bonded warehouses, by reason or their
official positions should excluded from all partcipa
tOn in the business or profits arising from IT, There IL
law the.e Oilcers from engag