The daily gazette., 1875-07-23
WHAT THE CLAFLIN IN
DOCUMENTS CONFESS.

- n ~ - <A& sS4N - ~ SOAN - AShSbVs
The acceptance by Secretary Bris-
tow, from the Grand Jury Of this Judi
cial district, of a criminal indictment
Of the members of Mr.. Claf1in's firm, is
an indictment of the Adminlstration
at Washington. 1t Is also another open
confession that the Treasury, whether
under Boutwell, or Richardson or BIis
tow in Washington, or Grinnel, Mnr-
ply or Arthur In New York, cannot,
In this city, collect the rates of duty
which the Republican party levies and
vindicafes. And II not In this city,
then practically nowhere, because more
than two thirds Of the importatious
into this country are made through the
port Of New York. Is.it sensible. or
decent to longer contiaue such tariff
legislation, and refuse to adopt sys-
tenn which, taxing few articles, turns
the eyes of the Treasury upon them
alone, and makes possible their COM
plete collectionP The weak points in
our existing customs revenue are the
consular, the warehouse and the ap-
praising departments. The consuls
are as o rule ignorant, lazy and inef-
hcient. They are sent abroad TO watch
and report the prices stated in invoices
q task utterly beyond the faculties of
hrokendown politicians and preachers
SO long as every article Is dutiable. --
Our warehousiug contrivance depends
in its Last analysis on the integrity Of
storekeepers at two dollars a day, who
are generally the bummers of the Re.
publican party, with itching palms
too, ready for pay to do anything that
amugglers and .defrauders ask. Our
appraisers are In chief part politicians
Ike Darling, of higher pretenaions
than the storekeepers, but yet politi-
clans and not merchants familiar with
the character quality and value of the
imports they appraise. 1t Ia related
asked by Secretary of the Treasury
to recommend fit person to be
examiner of Imports at So 500 o year,
and he answered that he would pay In
his store $10, 900 for such man. AS
1t Is now. appointments are sought In
the Appraisers office for the Illicit per-
quisities and not not for the salary
Everybody says that the merchandise
which pays duty should al of 1t land
not merely one package In ten ,as now)
be carefully examined by the apprais.
era; but this cannot be If everything is
dutiable. For such examination of
all imports no number of warehouses
or examiners would be enough; but If
our tariff did but levy duty on q few
articles, the task Ia easy. Intelligence
and integrity in the appraisers would
then be needed, to be sure; but they
could be secured. ~,
. At present Mr.. Secretary Bristow
does not collect In this city much over
SO per cent, OF tbs duties which the
monopolists in Congress intended the
language employed In the law should
impose. The statement may be start
ling, but it Is true. This comes Of un-
derveluatlons and rnisdescriptions In
Invoices, and from frauds at the port
of entry, like those devised by Law
renee, among others. Can these i'm.
proper practices be stopped not under
our present systemi And the conse-
quence Is mercantile injustice and
decentralization everywhere, Honest
importers with truthful invoices, and
who refuse to pay bribe money TO
officials, are crippled or driven out OF
business. ,
But there is another result of on1
existing system not generally appre- |
ciated, which Ia that the importing
business is thrown chiefly into the
hands of feyesgaers. The number of
Americans who actually buy abroad
and import on their own account and
risk Is diminishing every day. Indeed
there are now comparatively few such.
There are conspicuous examples yet
remaining, like Stewart and Tiffany,
but a great part of the merchandise
paying duty is sent here by aliens on
oonsignmen nt to their agents or partners.
These consignors are largely the origi-
nal manufacturers, who make up invo-
ces to suit their own purposes There
has been no sale and purchase, and
therefore no such test Of true invoice
price; and 1t is easy TO see how difficult
It is for actual purchasers with honest
invoices to compete with the manufac.
turers. One effect of this Is that our
bonded warehouses are hlled with The
refuse stocks Of Europe. II amy one
doubts this, let him first make sure he
has found an importing house that
never receives foreign merchandise on
consignment, and then inquire Of such
If we are not correct But let the in
quirer be certain that the house here
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