New-York tribune., 1874-03-12
CIVIL SERVICE CRITICISM,
TIE GENERAL APPRAISER.
, WORD oF WARNING To THE MERCHANT

4 WORD oF WARNING To TIE MERCHANTS
TO ne Editor OF rhe TrioHne.
SIR: The removal Of John T. Hogeboom iro" quo
post of General Appraiser of this port ana tho no'n'
nation of Gen. w. = IIillyer in his place arc avs
attended with more danger TO the mercantile inter-
80 Of this c;tv than ANYTHING that has yet been
done The merchant, and public Journals are s'ien'
under the impending stroke for heither know 'he
power welded by the General Appraiser nor com
nrebend the importance Of his position
The appraisers Of the United States aredi'Ideh
into two classes +" Local Appraisers and "enerai
Appr,isersv The merchandise and goods oi tho
;nector mass into tho hands first Of the Local Ap-
n,,sor who examines them. and if found 10 be cor
rect they are delivered without further trouble If
he makes an advance. and If the merchant is
aggfieyed there is hat remedy and that IS to ap-
peal to the General Appraiser. There are only hye
officers of this class in The United States namely, at
the ports of Boston. New-York, Philadelphia, New
Orleans and San Francisco, and by the 18th section
Of the Tariff act of 1872 tho decision OF the General
Appraiser on appeal rs to the du:iable value Of
goods shall be final and conclusive. and deemed
and taken 20 be the true value of said goods.
ana the duties shall be levied thereon accordingly.
any act Of Congress 30 the contrary notwithStand-
ing By this act Of $40. two merchant appraisers
were associated with the General Appraiser on each
case but the act of Sl Sec g. Vol 9, |. y Statutes
NJ Large. page $50. permits only one instead OF two
merchant appraisers to act with the General Ap-
paser on each appeal but preserves the declaration
that the decision shall be final and conclusive, any
act OF Congress tOfthe tcOntrary notwithstanding
THIS merchant appraiser iO practice Is mere hgure
head and the General Appraiser, from his oihciai
position, knowledge of the law, and experience, Ia
as much alone IN the determination of the appeal rs
though no one but himself sat upon the bench.
IL. =. Il, MIA oa.l in he
hands of a single man. This General Appraiser con
stitutes the only Federal court from whose will
there is no appeal, except the Supreme Court al
Washington snd the latter Court is not so autocratc
as the former because the one is composed Of
single judge aud the other of nine judges. In
word, the General Appraiser is absolute, in saying
what 0d rdorcN duties merchants shall pay upon all
goods brought into this port. No power can question
his decision when given.
How has Judge Hogeboom exercised tins vast
powerf He has held the Office for 10 years and not
a word has been raised against him. BE bellies the
adage that every man has his price Judge
Hogeboom has no price. The salary of the Office IL
5000 per annum. To a corrupt man 1t is worth
S3oOOOO per annum. To Judge Hogeboom it rs
worth Just the amount Of the salary, and no more
1t is because Judge HOgeboOm is Of those old
fashioned men who cannot be made 10 learn the
modern method OF getting wealth. tnaJ he Is thTuSt
aside for some one in harmony with the times,
with "moiety hunters" and special agents
Place a corrupt man in Hogeboom's place. and
can drive any rival in trade out of the market How
easy for me TO make the General Appraiser on an
appeal understand that my rival goods superior
80 mine and induce him consequently 10 lay rate
of duty that drives him out of the market and leaves
st free to me. Ring of Special Agents may fix
their ayariciOus gaze upon certain class OF goods
and arrange an increased valuation with the Local
Appraisers. An appeal is taken to the General Ap
praiser and if he sympathizes with the Ring, what
becomes of the merchautf His goods not only must
pay duty at the advanced rate beyond any power to
prevent it. but if advanced than 10 per cent.
seizure follows, and he must into court to pre-
vent forfeiture or settle Because Judge Hoge
boom cannot be interested in such Rings he is TO he
removed, if the Senate confirms his successor. The
merchants of New-YOrk can better afford to have
their books and papers seized every Saturday night
than to have dishonest man step INTO Judge lloge-
bOoms place. JUSTICE
Ae1c- York, March II. 1874.