New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-15
THE MOIETY BILL. .

| If the bill for the reform of CustOm-hOuse
abuses should now fall to the ground in the
press of the last week of the session, the
| merchants may lay the whole blame Of their
| failure upon the politicians of the Senate who
postpone all considerations of justice, honor,
and sound policy to the interests of clique
| of party managers in New-YOrk AS it came
from the House, the Moiety bill was an ex-
preston of the indignation which every re-
spectacle Congressman must have felt at the
wrongs and shames exposed by the investiga-
ton. The House of Representatives had done
its part to sweep away the whole out
rageOus system by one comprehensive meas
ure, and done it with an emphasis and prompt
itude which there was no installing. In one
slight particular, perhaps, it had gone little
too far but that mistake might easily have
been corrected, and even if it had stood till
another session no serious harm would have
come to anybody. We warned the friends of
the bill, however, that the generous and zeal
GUS spirit of the House was not shared by the
Senate, and the proceedings of last week have
amply justified our worst apprehensiOns.
Look at the changes made in the bill by the
Senate, and see how carefully they have all
been devised for the protection of mOiety
hunters and the benefit of the political fund
created by the plumber of importers. The
House abolished mOieties in every branch of
the Government service; the Senate restricted
the reform to the CustOm-hOuse. The House
abolished the infamous law for the seizure of
books and papers; the Senate restored it with
notifications which we have shown to be
delusive. The House confined the forfeiture
for differentiation to the particular item
undervalued; the Senate extended it to the
whole case or package in which the article
was cOntaned-and this is the only instance
in which we think the House was wrong and
the Senate was right. The House authorized
the owner of merchandise under seizure to take
possession of his goods on payment of all
duties and the furnishing of satisfactory bonds
for the payment of whatever fines might be
imposed; the Senate struck out this provision,
and also struck out the section forbiddine
compromises by United States officers. It
is evident how these two changes were
meant to work together. 1t the Custom house
can keep possession of goods on falling mar
ket, it may be cheaper for the importer to nav
large sum under the name of q compromise
than to wait for judicial decision, even if he
knows that the decision must be in his favor.
The House called for special verdict in Gus
Toulouse trials on the question Of fraudulent
intent; the Senate struck out this clause the
only object of which was to protect the inno-
cent. The House left the reimbursement of sala-
ries to be made by subsequent legislation:
the Senate insisted upon numbering and
delaying this bill with series of pro-
visions for the benefit of collectors and other
officials, and of the political fund to which
they are the chief contributors. Finally the
series of petty outrages was crowned by Senator
Conkling, who caused section to be added
continuing the mOiety system in force in all
cases where suit had been commenced, or
whers tho alleged fraud or irregularitv had been
committed prior to May 1. 1874 The time
within which suits can be brought Is fixed by
the Scna,e q. three years, ain the absence of