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 h. Choate, Jackson
S. Schultz.

The special meeting OF the Chamber OF Commerce
which was held last evening In Stelnway Hall "to
hear the report or the Committee on Revenue Re-
form as TO the action recently taken by them IN
Washington" was indeed a special meeting IN
more ways than One Special technically, accord
Ing to the call issued for It, it was 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 filed, with the ex-
cepiion Of the last two rows OF chairs, with men,
bers OF the Chamber not only, but with importer
who are not members, and merchants gene
rally, who have an interest as strong, though
1t may De not so direct as that which
the importers have in seeing the infamous m0iety
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. yermilye, Leopold
Berwirth, Joseph seligman, J. A. Stevens. Jr.;
James NJ Constable, s. b. Kuggles, Ambrose
Snow, d. G. Robbins. Joseph Stuart. Joseph
Choate, Gustave Schwab, Oliver Hoyt, Jonathan
Sturges, L. T.. Chillender, Samuel Sloan, M. X.
Jesup James s. T. Stranahan, James. NJ. Brown,
William F. Lee, william c. Stuart, william J..
Peake, Charles MALI Elliot G. Cowdin, Charles E.
Beebe and ]. N. Phelps.
Alter Mr.. Opdyke mad formally opened the pro-
eeedings 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
Oficer and the Collector, and to the TACT that
they were "great distorters Of the legal mind"
and that there had been found man, TO use Lord
Chathams words, 'Of sufficient pronigacy" to
argue that the law OF 1868 authorized the seizure
of merchants' books and papers was constitutional,
created great deal OF merrlment His telling hits
At the expense OF the Custom House officers WHO,
infamous law approved by the Secretary oil the
Treasury; his denunciaton OF the spy system as an
tniamy and his assertion that the only way to
amend the law was TO abolish II altogether and
put nothing in its place" were loudly APP
worthy OF his name' were paid IN q vein OF biting
sarcasm that brought down the mousse. When he
first mentioned his name the whole meeting broke
out into Kisses, showing quite plainly tnat jayne,
"the great imperial infOrmer," as Mr. Choate
called him. WI by no means hereafter be consd-
ucular Joy forever OF the mercantile community.
The speeches that followed were all brimlul or
1acts and figures relative to the reign Of terror
which Inc importers have so long labored under,
and though they, doubt, were unable to give their
hearers, importers themselves, anything new in
the matter Of the eXtortions suffered by the mer-
chants by reason OF the mode IN which the law or
1868 enforced, the speeches certainly served to
wake up the merchants to the TACT that they had
certain rights which even the government had TO
respect.
As an expression ofthe general sentiment Of the
merchants OF this city as TO the inIamy OF the law
lch places them virtually at the mercy OF spies
and lniornlers the meeting was in point or
numbers, influence and enthusiasm decided sue
cess and 1t 10 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 for "Revenue Re-
IOrm."
The meeting was opened by MIR. George Opdyke,
VINO SAID that this Is special meeting OF me
CHAMBER OF Commerce, with W aOm were associated
OF the committee OF 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 oil GUS
toms. He said, in concusion that the
REPORT ON REVENUE REFORM
would be read by Mr.. John Austin stevens. The
report is as fOllOWs:-
me to s a resS
S to is na
selves able counsel they proceeded to Wash ing on on
Sf MIR rom Boston, also assisted y coasse
m sa Of Ways and Means through esarmaa
wen after short consultaon during which Mr. Dawes
count Of Urgent private business Massaehu,etss the
va as in ns 81 Of w MrG Is
e e os s r snI
FIXTURES the last four years.
that nseasn e. a Of
the Treasury appeared before the COMMITTEES OF Ways
upon merchants Who had suffered from the law and
here + dwe
give II an undue M Ssio onnca 1ny
y the COMMITTEE Of Ways and Means Tor change in
R hd Sa
personal element having however, been Introduced into
By
preseniaton Of the rssoasions with which we were
y I our h
Gelpha, Baltimore aud rom the National Boara ofTrade
81 an able Sy TOR
ss ann Noisy IN enan
the affections OF the merchants from the government
from he Boston Board Of Trade. who each turn
dressed the committee and were examined in detail by
This branch Of the subject dsuosed Of delegation
counsel arguments upon the unconstutionality Of the
s "w o. @ @ e
their ssar The MARGINS nSe5s Of yu
shsr tssIlmsny the
% IN S the had
.greed 70 Sonane themselves e dsmSnd ior iys
,hsy m leg Mean;
Sf fs q as
penalties orletures on the part q the goysrnment
an INVOICE IN which there is fraud ith to render
the Of duties conclusive upon all parties in al
The arguments brought forward in support, Of the
created TO merchants by the seizure and de
Ut their books their business, lnJurg
their credit without in OF Innocence either re,
dress reparaton is well known. Not so the general
low standard OF official character into which the custom
House seems have fallen-a DECENTRALIZATION marked
and widespread enough excite the comment and con-
tempt even of the intorners who pronted by ~ ,..
With regard to the system Of moietles, t Is cerain
that there compcn saton IN the amount OF revenue
saved To the government TOR the general 10
permit fraud as source OF profit TO officials ana 1rm
ers For 1t Is certain that interest OF each OF these
classes Is rather promoted by loose administration OF
tne custom House than BY severe ana strict super
vision OF the minor officials, which would wholly
prevent any infringement of the laws ~
- wortny OF remark that very large proportion
Of the cases, Of fraud brought TO the notice of the
congressman committee by the Special Agent were OF
couson between the importer and some Custom House
oncal-elther measurer, weigher, gauger lQuidat-
ing clerk such frauds the Sc deserve and should
ceIve severe punishment; but is there any sufficient
reason why an exceptional law should made that
punishmen which falls within the pen al codef Prac.
tically as admitted by the District Attorney tes
mcny the Translucent merchant is fined large sums,
brought to Justice or even threatened with suit
further charged by revenue agents thcmse that al
though complained OF, they still their Positions
Surely stronger proof Of the evil working OF The
.nOiety law need given The request to limit actions
for penalties and foreItures to of years is