New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-18
THE CUSTOM BOUsE COMPROMISE.

The bill agreed upon by the Conference Com
mittee for the reform of the Custom-house
abuses is not perfect, but it is substantial
triumph for the merchants, and we may reason
ably hope for its immediate adoption. OF the
concessions made to the Custom house party
in the Senate, two at least are entirely proper.
Forfeiture is to involve not merely the specific
item undervalued, but the entire package
(not the entire invoice; aid the salaries OF
officers VINO have hitherto received m6ic.ies
are moderately increased. TO these
amendments no reasonable objection can be
made. Neither will the honest merchant COM
plain of the additional penalty of imprison-
ment, not exceeding two years, to be imposed
in the discretion of the judge, nor OF the
power conferred upon the Secretary OF the
Treasury to make compensation to those per-
sons who would have received mOietes in suits
already Observation-Disclosures in lieu of the
mOieties most of these persons have obtained
an increase of salary. The great blot upon
the bill, the power to seize books and papers,
is shorn of its worst features, and hedged
about with so many safeguards that practi-
caly we presume 1t will work no great hard
ship. We should have preferred to see this
ished, and it is by no means clear that gross
abuses cannot spring up under the clause as
the Committee finally assented to it; but let
us hope for the best
The solid measures of reform are many and
admirable. MOeties are abolished. Defend
ants may testify in their own cases. The
question of intentional fraud may be sub
mitted separately to the jury. Merchandise is
to be released on satisfactory bonds. Com
promises are forbidden, but the Secretary of
the Treasury may remit fines and penalties
Claims by the United States for duties must
be made within one year (unless fraud Is dis
covered), and suits to recover duties. penal
ties or fOrfeitures must be brought within
two years after the entry of the goods.
These are changes of immense value,
and the merchants may fairly cOngratu-
late themselves upon the accomplishment of
80 much. If the report of the Conference
Committee should be accepted by the Senate
and the House, the result will be remark
able and well-earned victory, gained by hard
fighting and in the teeth of a most determined
resistance. The importers may thank for this
success first perhaps, the Committee of their
own body who did such excellent service in
Washington at the preliminary investi-
CATION and during the progress Of the
bill; and secondly few active and
able friends in Congress-like Senator
Bayard for instance-whO fought for the re-
form with untiring energy. And it will be well
for them to remember that long before the
present agitation took definite shape, some
of the most valuable of the changes now agreed
upon-the repeal of the law which forfeited an
entire invoice for q slight irregularity in the
entry of one item, and the substitution of lib
eral salaries for the demoralizing system of
moeties-were urged year after year by Sena-
tor Fenton, and were uniformly rejected by the
same men who have now stolen his thunder.
He need not trouble himself about that how
ever; since his reforms are adopted it makes
little difference whose they are called.