New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-08

tempt abuses OF the privileges accorded them. .
report submitted to Congress In December 1874 in the
discussion OF the Tariff aws regarded solely as revenue
f s a alG sun .Gea f, t s.perienee has shown
that when duties imposed upon any articles al rates
Teyene by Iessenns The amount OF the importation OF
such articles, besides inducing tendency 70 augment
the evil Of their clandestine Introduction
SMUGGLING.
In the collection of duties upon importations two evils
are chiefly operative prevent the Government from
realizing the fun measure OF revenuehrst, smuggling.
and secondly, naturalization. The first OF these evils Is
more generally prevalent, especially on the Northern
frontier, than is commonly supposed the difficulties at
tending proper surveillance Of that frontier under eI-
listing circumstances beng very great II not In some re-
spects nsurmountabe. without going into full Details
1t may be said by way OF illustration that in the four
collection districts OF Vermont, ChamDain Oswesatche
and Cape Vincent having frontier limo OF more than
800 miles. with eight principal ports or stations and
foryOne minor stations, after deduotnS the number
permanently employed at such principal points and four
service In Canada in connection with the sealing OF
cars, there are but fftyBine officers remaining for
service at the minor stations and as coasguard TO pre-
vent smuggling Deiuctng from this number one officer
for permanent service each minor station theio ro
main but fourteen preventive force, or less than one
man for every twenty-one miles OF frontier. ,,,,
These statistics apply " portions OF the border which
offer speedy and direct OF travel between Canada
and the United States, and which, during several months
OF the year. hrOnged by travellers Of every condition
and with every variety OF object in ycw from those bent
chief occupation is TO deIraud the revenue.
Information obtained by the Department from trust
worthy renders i. quite certain that steatc
frauds have been perpetraed by smuggling over the Dor
der wines brandy and other articles OF mercEandse;
Similar observations might DO nao s 10 Other parts VI
CONGRATULATIONS.
The second general cause which operates TO prevent
the Government from receiving It's full measure Of dues
is differentiation, sOurce Of perhaps greater loss than
the direct oense of smuggling This evil is attributable
part 30 the devices OF dishonest importers IN part to
the fluctuations In market values, but more, probably to
the defects o. the appraisemon system itself WlthoG,
Of the class " officers known az local APP
pras.rs many of them of long experience and the most
unquestoncd integrity 1t cannot be denied that there is
often very great diversity the different ports regarding
The classification and valuation OF merchandise "hie
this diversity sometimes arises from an honest difference
Of opinion not ua!rcqueny happens that there Is col
usve action between assistants or other -ubordinatcs OF
the appraisers ana the importers, which. whom once be
gun OF constant loss to the revenue - Wen ~
81 injury To honest merchants.
To correct ties evils the Office Of General Appraiser
was created ana to t0so officers i've In number, super
vision over appraisers .nd their assistants Is committed
by law cut can satisfactory results bo anticipated from
ei Iabors when tie large extent their field @; opera
lions j. considered ~ connection WITH their Limited NUM-
bert TO the General Appmser at Boston are assigned
ports ana ui,trcis 30 IL number 10 tc rchcidI Lp-
piai.cr at York. the district Of New Y0Ia CITY. TO
the General Appraiser ~ Phialophl ~ plfis ana 'iis
tiicfs 20 the General Appraiser at Baltimore ~ dis
tlcts and ports. 70 tEo General APPRAISER at AeW-OI-
The ahorr aud ducs Of hceo onrersha been greatly
increased by ire privilege OF immediate ,Ianspoftal2 n
Thre6y !1G nr 81 Ls ie}5G s s of ls u
uatiOn rendered much more difficult
REMEDIES FOR TARIFF DEFECTS
first general suggestion which presents itself by
way Of remedy for OF the defects Of tho present
system appaisemcnts Is Increase IN The number OF
general appraisers TO be drawn from the ranks Of suor-
dnae officers Of requisite ability and experience; ana,
secondly consolidation of customs districts, 10y when
a. ii
ducg the sphere Of u this class o. officers and
ennbiiug them 10 concentrate their efforts better adj
vantage
In connection with the general subject OF consolida
ton OF customs districts may be remarked that al eK-
animation Of statistical returns from al the districts in
tho United States viii show that in some Of Thorn the
amount OF business transacted is not sufficient t. jus,S
laeniuQ NJ The CORPS Of officers who-e aggregate
ueuston exceeds tEe auOLt 0f rcytnCe collected ny
fb,p md yEo car render adequate return only by act
ing as preventive detective force That species o.
,scG i,rel Oh coos and frontier than exng circim-
stances wiz permit Consolidation OF number oi Dis
.rrifng r.iurfon Of the aggre rate expenses.
Ard auxiliary 20 t.s II - recommended that iAet
sa.rc D. mace an leaDo 20 AL ports lne datilet Is, ana
fees pCyqU,tos, and einoiuLcnis OF Whatever nature
or character. oiycd by them. .
Another Ie.'euy, ana mo most ereG.l'e wllch couia
be adopted Ter correcting lie evils OF the @pnstihcht
slstem is l+e S".'t1GGn' 80 lar as l.'.el pie "
specific FOR al ysler,4n duties TINS can 20 "cid Wo,z
great reduction IN tie amount oi labor requiring the
duties would bo more simple, certain, and safe Opl9r-
unite. for colusiyc differentiation would he greatly
lc-senri and erlrs were coiuitied they could noi,
O.. % specific rates and amounts, accounted FOR except
upon The suppo,iti1u O., cGpanc hrSlsenca 81 actual
fraud; whereas, l respect 20 "a vainrm duties, an
error Judgment MAJ rCidhy be assigned as sufficient
H"i Change. either with or without decrease in The
number u dutiabi- articles, would insure avery consil-
cradle reduction OF force AZ Tho chief ports, with
Tic revised tuif contains Is schedules embracing
upward, 0i 1900 d1i'j.e articles winch are ehrf dis
.f.I. r.r 1901 .F tfHfH .f H e..
c-os, 10 ,'I i His. ~ t .' AZ ' a,
Of -ec.iou. 800 aud 2,5I6 % The Rows a aiutcs,
would Sucl place dudhe either by virtue OF
.i,ul ~ some oman, rated article. or IS aiuolcs
yacd Tor making over $500 in all The free list con
lalus crnmciaOn of over 900 articles, thus t1nsl-
tutug q ..tai aggregate 81 mo!e Than 5000 articles
embraced by tit tam either rs dGi!ahl' or iitc.
Of articles suu ct 10 duty, and either named I'D or sub
jcct 10 specific classification 10y schedule - pay all
YauTln Rates Way iIOh To 10 - tr cent oil "y
uay compound. co. noth specific aud 80 vaorcm rates
no articles dealt win under sections 2,t9j aud
N 81 necessarily be subject 90 either specific, al Nalu
rem, compound duties out IN v nat proportion II Is
nom tb, cncral reorganization Of the features tie
tiIf with reference To the number OF articles embraced
in u, ana che variety az rates alica"c 'hriclo 20 -H}
0hug OF questions arising under te Tree isi It Is eY
dcut that every step taken toward pcrectinS more
compact and simple system 81 dhucs on imports ihist
contribute only 10 tie ultimate safety OF c customs
revenue. bat to its more prompt ana eooHomcH cOiec-
But the only remedy for the evils Of smuggling
selection and retention of faithful and competent officers
Neither laws nor regulations however stringent or
minute will accomplish the desired results without faith
Iul officers to execute them.
RESTORATION OF DUTY on TEA AND COFFEE.
Referring the estimates OF receipts and expenditures
for the next fiscal year, and TO tho necessity exist
ing for the accumulation OF gold in the Treasury. the
secretary again calls Nhe attention OF Congress TO the
eject OF OF 1872, repeating the duty on coffee and
tea In last annual report the Secretary expressed
the opinion that the admitting these articles free
entry had without advantage TO CONSUMERS in this
country but that duty repealed had Doen added to
the cost abroad The repeal OF duty has been followed
By Increase Of export dniy IN the countries Of production.