Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-23
CONGRESS-.


present session of congress began, and
most of the important measures under
taken have not been completed. The
country is awaiting anxiously for the fl
nal disposition of the subject of finance,
SO that business may settle itself, and
men may be able to make their calcula-
lions for the year to come. Many who
were thrown out of employment last fall
have not found work, and many enter
prises are not undertaken on account OF
the uncertainty of the course Of Congress.
If imitation of the currency is to be the
result, then up goes the price of gold,
and the reign of speculation, stock gam
bling and Generalization continues If
the volume of currency Is not increased,
then business men can make their calcu-
lations, prepare for the labors Of the
year, and engage in what has heretofore
been profitable. The immediate settle
ment of the financial question is para
mount to anything else-as the season
of the year has come when everybody is
ready for the work and enterprises of
the year. No measures looking to any
thing but an immediate return to specie
payment will be acceptable to MAORI
tv of the States in the Union, but the
South and the West ask for more of the
RAG currency, and hence the talk and de-
lay.
Among the congressional diversions
may be mentioned the overlooking and
.overhauling of some of the revenue laws
that direct how the revenues shall be
assessed and collected, and also the &C
ton of certain revenue officers. 1t is
found that the laws are not plain and
simple enough, and that honest import
ers sometimes violate the law and make
themselves liable to punishment anC
great loss. The revenue fraud detective
officers have taken up parties for limo
cent violations, Gas they claim) and the.
have had to pay large sums to hush tn
matter up. or go before the public a
smugglers. 1t has been law for man
years that the officers who detected
purity dcfreuding the government. shout
have moiety, part Of the value Of tn
goods or merchandise seized. Many {
these officers have been on the kee
scent after the violator, and have grow
rich off the plumber they have gathert
up Great complaint is made again
this class of officers, and it is urged TIL
a salary only should be paid them f
their services then they will not SCI
for an opportunity to ravage an impol
er, when he has only slightly or inn
Gently violated the law. We do not |
lieve honesty has become so nearly OBJ
lete. that officers cannot be found W
will do their duty without moiety, a
then there will be no extra induceme
on their part to entrap the honest
porter. Let the laws against rever
frauds be stringent, and let the viola
suffer but let the service receive
fines. and not the officer who is alrea
we'll paid, receive one half of them
To assist the collectors of inter
revenue, one Sanborn has been empl
ed, who was to receive for his scry
one half of all that he could COLI
when for any reason these revenues co
not or had not been collected by
proper officials He entered into his
job with great zeal, and many an uni
tunate party was suddenly and roug
handled Sanborn received several hu
red thousand dollars for his half,
government losing the same. 1t
urged that this job of collecting was
out to the Z. S. constable in order
he might punish delinquents and col
that which otherwise would have
lost to government. Congress is lool
up these matters, and will doubtless
rect the mistakes which have been L
heretofore. 1t is no small matter to
lect revenue of three or four hun
millions of dollars annually, and
not strange that some of the officers
deficient or dishonest. Perhaps they
as honest as class, as those they
to deal with.
SENATOR SUMMERS SUCCESS
The contest in Massachusetts, en-