New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-15
MR.. WOODS BILL.

Mr. Fernando Wood has introduced a bill to
reform the Customs service, and it has been
referred to the Committee of Ways and Means,
who will probably report either this or some
other measure in few days. Mr.. Wood
proposes to abolish moieties and perquisites
altogether; to provide for the payment Of all
fines, penalties &C., into the United States
Treasury; to prosecute criminally for all
frauds upon the revenue; to forbid cOmprO-
misses, giving the Secretary of the Treasury,
however, authority under general regulations
to remit the penalty on proof of innocent in
tent; to limit forfeituros for differentiation
TO the particular goods undervalued; to make
the liquidation of duties final settlement in
the absence of fraud or of protest on the part
of the owner; to limit the time within which
the Government can bring suit for penal
ties tol two years and to modify the sys-
tenn of Selling books and papers. The gen.
eral character of Mr.. Woods bill is excellent,
but it requires some amendments both in the
interest of the Government and in that of the
merchant.
We believe that some sort of reward ought
to be paid to infOrmers. While duties are as
sessed ad valorem, and appraisers are gener-
ally incompetent, it will always be easy for
roguish dealers to falsify their invoices, and
against these swindlers not only the revenue
but the mercantile community must be care
fully protected Honest importers do not
wish to have the precautions against fraud
relaxed. 1t is of more consequence to them
than it is to the United States that every
package of goods sent into the country should
pay the full amount of duty required by law.
ord 70
raise liberal annual subscription for the
compensation of informers and the detection
of frauds. The principle of Mr.. Woods
bill, however, is undoubtedly the true one,
that officers of the customs ought not to be
recompcnsed by share of the fines imposed
for Offenses which it is their duty to prevent,
and that Collectors and other high function
aries should no longer be permitted to share
in political corruption fund under pretense
of payment for imaginary services. Suisse
quent legislation may provide for reasonable
rewards to bona fde informers; but with
out supplementary bill to this effect we
believe the consequences of Mr.. Woods meas
ure would be unfortunate. 1t may be
doubted whether he has not also gone too far
in limiting the forfeiture for differentiation
to the particular goods undervalued. The
penalty ought to have fixed ratio to the
gravity of the offense, and il is therefore un-
just and impolitic to confscate O whole in
voice, worth perhaps a hundred thousand dol.
lars, for the differentiation of q single item
worth, it may be, only one thousand; but it
does not follow that the penalty should never
exceed the value of the goods. If it were
twice or three times that value, the revenue
would be better protected aud the criminal
character Of fraudulent entries would be more
forcibly impressed upon the mercantile mind.
Honest importers do not complain of severe
punishments for fraud. They only insist that
penalties shall be rational and equitable.
The section of Mr.. Woods bill that is most
likely to excite controversy is the following:
SEC 8. That whenever It shall be made TO arSear 10
the satsfactiohof Judge OF District Court for any
judicial district In the United States by complaint made
under oath by any officer Of tho Government that tina
books and business papers OF any person or persons
charged with fraud In the importation of
SO as to avoid payment OF the duties imposed by law
are necessary In the trial Of the oase a. evidence such
Judge shall issue an order for the production Of such
books and papers within the custody OF Court
used as evidence In the pending the
but nothing In this section shall prevent the free
OF the owner Of said boQks aud papegs his a0rneys or