New-York tribune., 1874-05-05

COLOSSAL PERQUIsITEs OF OFFICIALS.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the present
system is the enormous emouments OF the collectors
naval officers surveyors and special agents. and the
perncious practices by which they obtained Nearly
threefourtbs Of the mportations of the country
entered at port OF NewYork and in treating Of the
practice aud effect there shall best present the abuses
and the wrongs OF the system ITSELF the principle
involved applies alike to all other customs districts The
officers receive certain fixed salary, and in addition
fines and penalties imposed or collected IN
of the Treasury Of February IL and March IT, 1874 show
that amount Of money covered into the treasury
March J. 1862 10 March 1879 out OF seizures nnes
nenalt!es and foreitures the Port OF NewYork,
$ 53 that Of this amount the moetes paid the
Collector Naval Oicer, and Surveyor at that port were
$5OlOs 65 IL will be upon examination that or the
amount received into the Treasury there still remains
undstrbuted TO these officers and lnfOriners the one
half Of soG42 OIL 10 say nothing OF the cases III
process OF compromise &C. which w greatly swell tlls
sum- for 1t is true that these reports 90 NOT give tne
full collections into, and distribution In mootes FROM
tho Treasury during the hye years which they h9r- hn
port 10 embrace The explanation Is TINS: Inc
money received the Treasury this moiey account
from the 1st OF March 1902 which had been paid TO
the collector before that tme but not covered by war
rant until subsequently, has not been accounted Tor Ia
these reports nor have the sums which had been pald 10
the collector prior TO March $50 Tor Wheh Warrahs
had not Drawn SO the statement is short at both
Weld & Co.. Boston, who compromised by agreeing 10
pay 100000 The amount was itosDe PAID ia nsaments
Of 100000 Tue last 100000 assume had not been
paid in when the report was made u as nowhere APP
pears their credit In tins way otner sums great ana
cers agents, nd iniOrmers, but which cannot be accu
ratey known 10 ustfrOm any report yet made.
It Of the pecullaritles Of the system that not
only is the compensation excessively large but 20 eX
ceedingy ind finite that must IN some measure de-
pend upon estimates. So complicated Is this perquisite
with its unsettled pending compromises,
suits &C. that abstract FOR definite period
gives idea OF the real interest of these officers
and az ports where frequent changes have been made
the dficulty OF obtaining actual amounts is increased
But there Is no doubt that the principal officers aud the
special agent at the port Of receive $4,000
annum each Even the exhibited by these reports
Al
plain people o the country with surprise aud alarm.
Why should these persons each withdraw from
the Treasury and the pockets OF merchants,
annually, more than the combined salaries
/ of the Supreme Court benehi Why should
they have more than u pad President, his Cabi-
net and Judges OF the Supreme Court united
osrrous permitted these persons In viola
ton of the plain requirements OF republican simplicity,
economy and honor But scanialous these facts ana
tgnences have been Ia the immediate past tney may
Ia unless arrested at once, exceeded ia the future.
when extending further upward woil las further
Townward all the sources OF patronage become tainted
Tbe avdy for these lucrative positions engendors cor
nnon i'm their pursuit. the vast and incTeas 1g emou
dants attract me uuprncped the enormous power Of
Ills political patronage 10 readily tel@5a upV1 Us the