New-York tribune., 1874-06-13
LOCAL MISCELLANY.


ANALYSIS OF THE BILIl-oBDCTIoNs OF DIS |
TRICr-ArToRNEY BLISS.
Inquiries were made yesterday by TRIBUNE |
reporters OF leading NewYork importing merchants IN
regard 70 their views OF the Moety bill as passed the
Senate. All who consulted on the snp)ect eA-
pressed qualification that they had gained 80 mueh
although the result not all that they hao ue-
sired. jackson s. Schultz, who has been most
active in the effort OF the merchants 10 reior"
tbe customs laws and service said that on
Thursday be received large numDer oi uis-
patches from members of Congress aud others In WASH
asking how merchants feel in regard 10 the
hill I'm its present form. He had spent large part OF
the day in visiting the merchants and replied that IL
was the general hope that the members OF the House
would vote it. 1t is believed that 1T Will pass 10
Conference Committee where it will be so amended as
20 be even more TO the merchants Dut not III
any respect 40 as TO make 1t Objectionable to the ma
jority OF either House OF Congress ana It's mmeoaso
passage after leaving the Committee is anticipated.
Another merchant doing large importing business
but who objected 10 the OF his Dame said that lie
wa. pleased only with the bill as 1t now STANDS out
with the general awakening of public sentiment, which
afforded guarantee OF more honest administration OF
tho customs laws than few months ago would nave
been thought possible Arbitrary seizures OF books ana
papers would longer be tolerated. and no merchant
woua allow himself TO he blackmaed and remain silent
for fear of public odium. The tables had peeh co"
pletey turned, and the odum would rest on the Gus
tou,-bouso officers who would dare 70 oppress
merchant ganst whom distinct charge OF dishonesty
had been made. He said that If a customhouse oihcer
should come into his and seize his books or Inter
fre with the trsnsacon of his business. he wouldcai
his porters aud have him put out. Many oher meren
ants would do the same whereas few months ago
they would have quietly submitted to any indigny OF
wrong He thought the Custom-housc was on its good
behavior and he did not believe that the enactment oil
any the failure to enact proper laws coud revive
the Jayne tyranny the SanbOrn iniquity.
A. A. Lowe said he had not read the act critically
as yet he understood that taken altogether II was
fair bin.
g. Eaton said that while the bill in the main
very fair. yet there some objections. Taking
copy Of the BILL proceeded to anayze it. Referring
TO that section OF act which provides that the mer-
chants shall furnish books. papers &c Mr. Eaton said
that it was absolutely imperative that tneronants
should be called upon TO crlmlnate themselves,
the causo waa, perhsps as fairly stated nd ana & as
the taking books ard documents which are partcu
larry described and are not 10 use IN the S4dIss @ OF
their retention. This prevented the seizure oI DOCKS
1roserators @ might "go on a fishing expedition for
evidence IN matters outside OF their complaint ana also
guarded against their detention for an unwarranaDe or
ny entered by any person or persons vo
provisions the preceding section but not suoect 70
uoder the section while Owned b him OF them or
by the collector and held as seeqy for the payment Of any ane
euon to ssss any meDt recovered any fnes
Tbis section provides for the seizure OF goods to
their return upon the execution of a bond for the
amount claimed IL would have been more desirape @ II
section had read double the amount OF the duties
claimed"
ee reserved existing rights both to the United states
actually ea IOSu begun Tue bill as a@ended by the Senate
apparently reserves the rights OF the IN.
1SInSf Committed a"o priOT SS to May T 1S7 In other
words this act is respect retroactive it's provisions
prior May the old laws being still IN force as
to all matters which nad occurred prior TO tnad dae Tho
friends OF the bill to have this objectionable feature
removed.
ANOTHER VIEW OF TIE CASE.
When asked on Thursday for his views upon
the Moe;y bill as passed Senate, United States
DistriotAttorney Bliss said:
The MOety bin it has passed the Senate has been
1t passed the House. Looking at 1t from the avowed
point OF view of ITS friends that the revenue is to be
passed the House. as practical measure almost fatally
spects It's chief remainng defect it me, is
Section which provides, in substance that only the
ohandise as 10 which fraud upon the has
feen committed shall be forfeited Inc law as II now
voice for any fraud connected with any one OF the
articles This penalty Is undoubtedly at times very
severe The House in its eudeavor to remedy the de-
feet. provided that only the particular item ID me m
That provision WILL IN very large class or cases. be
practically imperative For, while very frequently
fraud be shown TO exist in an invoice is imp0s
tiOe to attach the fraud to any particular item OF me
invoice Again y VIII be dlinonit 10 M snow 10 wnat
freight and transportation charges boxing and other
similar items 10 he attached AS the Dill has passed
the Senate. objections of this latter nature do
not seem to lie against * N, ioT nere .se entTe @
pears, as IT frequently does that merchant has
entered his invoice at valuation, and has remitted
i Inc invoice can il be said that the fraud relates Be
yond these details the section even as II now stands
commit fraud to include one fraudulent item or case
n invoice otherwise correct ana thereby nc greatly
iucre
tected, he ncurs no greater penalty than u ne haa at
20 Rs s ony about one case IN ten can
be TO the Appraisers store for actual exapna,1on
nine of the correctly invoced and the tenth
falsely invoced. even though the importer shall use
no undue means, the chances are clearly nine to
against the fraudulent case beng sent for examine
ton II happens be sent and detected then that
case of goods IS forfeited but the importer ncurs no
OF one case would involve forfeiture OF all included
D the invoice am aware that the l2tn secuon imposes
fine of not more than 5000 nor less than s'O ana IN
debate In the Senate that seems TO have been c0nsld
cred an ADEQUATE punishment when added TO the forfeit
this ne is to be Imposed only as the result OF criminal
e9ss1 in very extreme cases The particular case of
goods as to Which fraud is committed will be forfeited
pOfon Of cases thing must end. It ought 70 be
perfectly clear that this condition OF things AFFORDS
Section l5, which directly concerns the DstrictAtor
Sey reay Il a@ouSs TO TO notSns @ ssy nohas @
s the general principle OF the Dill III Its views upon
Inoieties though am confident that many years will
not 20 by before there win be general agreement that
the theory upon which proceeds does not afford proper
security 10 the Government. 1t may be doubted
whether of $4,000 appropriated to enable tue
Secretary Of the Treasury to pay the to inform
m satisfied that under ordinary circumstances, nothing
less than 20 per cent VIII secure the NECESSARY activity 4
IN certain cases. tnink larger sum should be al
lowed
per cent the maximum. should be inclined to carry
lhe maximum as high as 80 per cent, ana would make
ude OF the amount recovered the percentage decreas