The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-26
sHlNcToN.
The Financial Fog in
the Senate.
CROPPING CRAFTSMANSHIP.
Dangers OF the Precipice
of Imitation.
OPPOSITION TO FRANKING.

WASHINGTON, Feb. %, 1874
The Insermfnable Finance Dcbate-Much
Ado and Nothing Done, as Usual.
The usually accepted axiom 'There is an end
70 everything" does not seem to apply to the
financial debate in the Senate What Is the ul-
terror object to be accomplished by protraction
does not appear to the closest observer, nor even
''oldest Inhabitants" yet that there is some ul-
terror object at bottom Is beyond doubt, but so
wen Ia 1t covered that 1t has not yet been made
manifest Such persistence In debate after the
issue or result had been made inevitably clear
has not often been exhibited in the discussion OF
question, and should not in this case, since the
majority vote, though only by slight advantage In
numbers, has been declared No one seems to
know how much superiu0us debate there will yet
be on the finance question, and how long 1t will
last. Senator Carpenter is ready to open up the
Louisiana question, to secure the advantages OF a
republican form OF government to sovereign
State; but 1t Is said that this financial debate Is
prolonged thus al ndusedna to keep out the Louis
lana case. Then, again, as, In the language OF o
distinguished Southern Senator, "capital is ham,
Merng at the doors OF the Senate" 1t Is suspected
that the behests Of the great capitalists are being
needed and regarded as the voice OF the people,
and that the safe as well as experienced members
OF the Senate are Influenced by this in the direc-
fion which their views have taken IN Ia
vor OfNcontraction, or, at farthest, stand
stl policy. Hence they are making this an inch
by-inch fight, as shown by the determined and
repeated rcfutatons made by the antiinnationists
of the policy Of expansion. The debate to-day was
opened by the innatlonists Senator Merrim0n
was followed by Senators Logan, Ferry tof Michi-
gAnl and Morton. Then came Senator Sherman,
who aimed to be especially effective with some or
Senator Morton's Old field pieces, which were
turned against him in using his speech made
In 1872; but in turn, pursuing the same
tactics, Senator Morton brought out some
OF the old financial guns OF Senator Sherman.
which he had abandoned and had supposed were
spiked. 1t Is needless to say that after the 1rpg
was over no positive victory was declared for
either side. The AFFAIR was Roland for an Oliver.
Senator Allison avowed himself firmly in favor OF
the $46, 000 900 expansion, and Senator Schurz re-
Piled to the structures Of senator Morton to his
want Of knowledge Of the country, and retorted
with his customary acerbity. To this Senator
Morton replied with force, ana after the
bloodletting o good-natured smile prevailed,
though before it came like o sunset upon the
hosthties the President OF the Senate had to rap
both gentlemen to order for being unparllament-
lry. Mutual disavowals Of intention to offend
were made and the spicy contretepaps was de-
clared at an end.
End Of the Debate ON the Franlxing
Notwithstanding Accom- p]ished.
The debate in the House on the bill to restore
the ranking privilege ended to-day, and the main
question was ordered by o small majority. mo-
ton was made to reconsider this vote, and mo-
ton followed to lay that motion on the table, The
better portion OF tomorrow Will be occupied in
nlibustering, and the remainder OF the week will
be devoted TO the consideration Of private bills
thc 0F< 4ro<
third Congress will have passed without having
accomplished any good thing for the people.
The Special Agents Of the Treasury De-
partment and Their High-Handed Pro-
cedures-H0vv They Are Enriched by
laundering Merchants with Govern
ment Sanction and support.
The recent exposures Of the manner OF spying
put and settlement Of suits, judgments or claims
In behalf Of the United States for violation OF the
revenue laws has opened an investigation into
the whole detective and secret and special agent
system Of the Treasury Department.. The curious
circumstances connected with some OF the trans-
actions in mOeties have suggested the necessity OF
Z more defined and responsible method OF en-
forcing the revenue laws, and one which
would open less opportunity for COLLISION between
0n1cials. The Treasury agencies grew out OF the
Bub-Treasury law OF 1s48, their duty being to
their duties were enlarged. though without war
rant OF law till they were assigned to all sorts OF
work, and their operations extended beyond the
limits of the United States. The ONCE OF Treasury
Agent Afforded an excellent opportunity for re-
wardiug favorttes. and shortly became source
OF great extravaganza In sending parties
abroad on pleasure excursions and on
various errands OF no service whatever
to the government. This abuse became so noto-
nous that the act OF 1870 passed limiting the
number OF special agents to nfty-three and
dividing them into three classes, with CON-
pensation varying from S. to $40 day and
the payment Of expenses. The duties Of these
officers were to examine the accounts and busi-
ness OF Collectors ana officers of customs and Ito
be employed generally tor the prevention and
detection Of frauds under the direction OF the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury" This latitude allowed the
Secretary, 1t has been found, has not been OF much
benefit to The service, though it has succeeded in
enabling q few men to realize large sums
out Of importers. Now that the subject
has been brought to the attention OF
the whole country numerous complaints are
sent to members OF Congress exposing the high.
handed proceedings Of these sharks under the
auspices Of the Treasury Department let loose
upon business communities. 1t is claimed by lead
ing members from New York and other importing
cities that, though the government has realized
largely from these reported violations OF the law,
It il by no means certain that Justice has always
been DONE the oficers OF the department. follow
ing up case with the same rapacious and hot
headed zeal OF the informer or special AGENT For
the purpose or systematically carrying on this
business the various collection districts are
grouped under six teen districts, with a SPECIAL
agent in charge OF each. The operations of Bing
ham, in charge OF the Boston, and Frank Howe, OF
the New York district, and their assist
ants-Kimbai, Hines, ChaAker and Others
foot up hundreds OF thousands Of dollars in
their pockets. 1t is believed that. in many cases.
there was no Intention of wrong. but that the un-
fortunate victims mad their goods seized upon the
most trivial grounds, the word Of an informer, for
some reason, being superior to the oath OF q mer
chant. The heaviest operations are those OF
Jayne, who was the favored one OF the set and
enjoyed sort OF rowing privilege under a special
assignment OF the department., whica covers Ne W
York and other ports. Jaynes share In the spos
lyrn1