The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-26
Mass Meeting of Merchants at
Steinway Hall.
Scathing Denunciation of
the Moiety System.
LOCALIZED OPPRESSION
Report Of the Special Committee Of the
Chamber Of Commerce.
Speeches by Joseph II. Choate, Jackson
S. Schultz.

Tne special meeting OF the Chamber OF commerce
which was held last evening in Steinway Hall "to
hear the report OF the Committee on Revenue Re-
form as TO the action recently taken by them IN
Washington" was indeed q special meeting in
more ways than one. Special technically, accord
Ing to the call issued for it. 1t also special in
that 1t one OF the largest meetings OF ''solld
men" that have been held IN this city for years.
The entire body OF the hall was filed, with the ex-
cepti0n Of the last two rows OF chairs with men,
bers or the Chamber not only, but with importer
who are not members, and merchants gene
rally, who have an interest as strong, though
1t may be not so direct, as that which
the importers nave in seeing the infamous moiety
system speedily destroyed. On the platform
were George Opdyke Vice President Chamber
Of Commerce; A. A. Low, J. s. Schultz. S. b.
Cnittenden, Cyrus w. Field, George w. Lane,
William N. Fogg, William M. yermiye, Leopold
Bierwirth. Joseph seligman J. A. Stevens. Jr. !;
James M. Constable, =. b. Kuggles, Ambrose
Snow, ID. G. Robbins, Joseph Stuart Joseph
Choate, Gustave Schwab, Oliver Hoyt, Jonathan
Sturges, L. e. Chiilender, Samuel Sloan, M. X.
Jesup, James S. T. Stranahan, James. M. Brown,
William F. Lee, william G. Stuart, William J.
Peake, Charles Mali, Elliot c. Cowdin. Charles e.
Beebe and ]. N. Phelps.
Alter Mr. Opdyke had formally opened the pro-
ceedings MIR. Joseph A. Choate was introduced.
HIS speech was listened to with rapt attention.
His sarcastic illusions to the percentages enjoyed
by the United States District Attorney, the Naval
Omcer and the Collector, and to the iact that
they were "grear dstOrters OF the legal mind"
and that there had been found man, TO use Lord
Chatham's words, "of sufficient pronigacy" to
argue that the law OF 1868 authorized tile seizure
OF merchants books and papers was constitutional,
created great deal OF meIrment. His telling hits
A. the expense 81 the Custom House Officers VINO,
the pockets OF New York merchants" had the
infamous law approved by the Secretary OF the
Treasury his Remuneration OF the spy system as an
many and his assertion that the only way to
amend the law was TO abolish 1t altogether and
pauded Ills respects to jayne and ''men
worthy OF his name" were paid IN vein OF biting
sarcasm that brought down the mousse When he
first mentioned his name the whole meeting broke
out into hlsses showing quite plainly that Jayne,
"the great imperial lniormer,n as MI. Choate
called him, will by no means hereafter he consid-
cred either as tile general delight or as the par
ticuar 10y forever OF the mercantile community.
The speeches that followed were all brimlul OF
1acts and figures relative to the reign OF terror
which the importers have so long labOred under,
bearers, importers themselves, anything new in
the matter OF the eXtortiOns suffered by the mer-
isss the spesches cerany see served to
wake up the merchants to the TACT that they had
certain rights which even the government had 10
respect
AS an expression OF the general sentiment Of the
merchants OF this city as TO tine iniamy OF the law,
W lch places them virtually at the mercy of spies
and mormers, the meeting was in point or
numbers, influence and enthusiasm decided sue.
cess; and 1t Is highly probable, when the special
committees report ana the proceedings OF the
meeting are read at Washington that the stand
the importers nave openly taken. as evinced at the
meeting, will have no small influence upon Con-
gress In its proposed legislation Tor "Revenue Re-
lOrm.n
the meeting was opened by Mr.. George Opdyke,
VINO SAID that this Is q special meeting OF the
Chamber OF Commerce, with waom were associated
many mercantile friends invited to hear the report
OF the commute e. or the Chamber on revenue re-
form, and TO appoint committee to visit WASH
ingtOn, and, in cooperation with committees from
other Chambers OF Commerce, to urge upon Con-
g-ess the necessity OF adopting some radical
change in the law relating to the COLLECTION OF Gus
toms. He said, in conclusion, that the
REPORT ON REVENUE REFORM e
would be read by Mr. John Austin stevens. The
report is as fOllOWS:- . ..I' 3
The special committee to which the Chamber of Com
ntrsted me to UCngress OF Us reso
obedience to its Instructions and having joined to them
he is s,n ' DAY sG February they were there
from Boston, also assisted na b counsel, JOINT
me saa N % Of s Ssv
appeared before that body The morning q the nh,
Men after short consua'ion during which Mr. Dawes
count Of urgent private business N the
Iangement was quite in conformity with the views Of
Ss Of se @ upHn s n s shS Of
FIXTURES the last four years III. ,.u
that subsequent to this adjournment special agent OF
hs eans an m S Of
upon merchants who had suffered IRON the law and in
i Is not niece sary here to dwell upon
made 70 bring out clearly the reason why application
70 the Committee Of Mays and Means ans, tor change in
y Ssa and his
n h eeSn o
sSg%sni hs %aitsss
PRESERVATION Of the resolutions with which we were
@sphia, Baltimore and rom me national Boara Trade
Of ne oon delegation in an able argument tor the re-
Tendencies and It's unfortunate influence IN aienatng
Inc ct s w t S the
from The Boston Board Of Trade who each in turn al
were UPON and n their turn submitted through
counsel arguments upon the GO, q the
the law, with copous Illustrations rom cases within
A. the and s
their testimony IL the same direction and sustained the
agreed 70 connne themselves. e a demand ior lye
hsy w and Mes
@ tns
,ors others to to
penanes and oreitpres on the part 81 the
Of an invoice IN which there is fraud Fifth to render
the payment Of duties conclusive upon all parties in ap-
The arguments brought forward in support Of the
munily to need any lengthy repetition On. hS,e The EN-
Narrassmcnt created merchants
ten their books, arresng their business, inurng
their credit without. in cases OF innocence either re,
dress is well known. Not so the general
low standard official character into which the Custom
House seems have fallen-a DECENTRALIZATION marked
and widespread enough 70 excite the comment ana con-
tempt even OF the informers who proited by II ..
With regard to the system Of moietes, IL Is certain
that there compcn saton the amount OF revenue
saved TO the for the general ptaton 10
permit fraud of profit 10 oncials and IN 1r
ers For 1t Is certain that the interest OF eac OF these
classes y rather promoted by loose adm'ns!raton OF
inc custom House than by severe and strct super
vision OF the minor officials, which would wholly
prevent, any infringement OF the laws. ~
-. worthy OF remark that very large pr0portOn
Of the cases OF fraud brought TO the notice Of the
Committee by the Special Agent were OF
coluson between the importer and some Custom House
ohical-either measurer, wegher gauger liquidat-
ing clerk such frauds these deserve and should
ceIve severe punishment; but Is there any sufficient
reason why an exceptional law should be made that
punishment which falls within the pen al code Prac.
ticaly admitted by the District Attorney in his tes
mony the fraudulent merchant is fned m large sums
while the guilty official has in instance of late been
brought TO Justice or even threatened with IS
further charged by revenue agents
though complained OF, they still their POSITIONS
surely no stronger proof o. the evil working of the
for penalties and forciures Of two wears is
.s,l. ha la