The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-12
w ASKING TON.
SPECIAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES,
WASHINGTON, May IL. 1875.

Prominent Officers connected with the Executive
Department say they have no knowledge that Sec
rotary IRISH will PROBABLY retire At the end OF the
fiscal year.
THE FRAUDS IN THE INTERNAL. REVENUE DE-
PARTMENT-THE STABLE LOCKED AFTER THE
HORSE rs sToLES-How TIKI EFFORTS or THE
COMMISSIONERS TO SECURE HONESTY WERE
FEUsrRATED by POLITICAL ExPEDIENcY.
For years past IL has been the custom OF the
Secretary OF the Treasury ana Commissioner OF
internal Revenue to anticipate In their annual
reports to Congress what would be the aggregate
revenue OF the government for the ensuing nscal
year These reports nave been made
in the month OF November preceding
the meeting or Congress, and upon that data
the Secretary OF the Treasury has customary
calico the attention OF Congress 10 wat could
probably be expended by the government for the
next ensuing fiscal year. when Congress met
last December the estimates furnished were con-
sidered ample They conformed entirely TO the
experience OF preceding years. and were praised
accordingly. There was then fear or q lack OF
revenue Tor the fiscal year beginning July /
next. There were no other ntlmattons 81 fraud
on the customs and internal revenue, save those
which were developed 0y the change OF the Moiety
laws. The President ana Secretary OF tue
Treasury were satisfied the revenues or the
government were being fairly collected. as COM
pared with preceding years Shortly after the
port of the commissioner OF Internal Revenue was
made Information was received By him which led
him to believe that IL would at least promote
efr1cency in his branch OF the service II Tor the
first time the act or June 8, 1872, In relation TO
supervisors, carried into full effect, which
provision Is represented In section 3l59 OF the Re-
vised Statutes. After mature elaboration, the
Law so authorizing, Commissioner Douglass
addressed the following letter 30 Secretary
Bristow:-
Subsection 3.l5e OF the Revised statutes OF the
United states provides that tne President, by and
appoint not exceeding ten o1icers TO be called
supervisors OF internal revenue. each Of whom
Treasury the recommendation OF the Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue. 70 duty in
transferred from pace 70 place according
to the exlgencT OF the public service.n
under the authority above quo ed would be for
the best interest OF the public service, have the
homer 70 Recommend that Alexander =. tuition be
now under the supervision OF JohR Melon
aid; win headquarters az s.. Lous,
10 the district now in charge OF supervisor Tut
ton, with headquarters at Philadelphia; that
supervisor Hawey, whose headquarters are
now 81 No. SO Cedar street, New York.
ne transferred 70 the charge OF the New England
States, with headquarters at Boston, and that r..
D. Sewen, now in charge OF the New England
sta es be transferred 10 the district now In,
charge OF supervisor Powell, with headquarters
at Cincinnati that SIMON J. Powell now In charge
OF ONO and Indiana, be transferred to the dis
trict now IN charge Of supervisor Fonlke, with
headquarters ut San Francisco, and that d. M.
ROulke DE transferred TO the district now IN
charge OF Supervisor Perry, with headquarters
AT Richmond, Va; that r. w. Perry be transferred
10 the district now IN charge OF Supervisor He'd.
rick, with headquarters at Des Moines, Iowa: that
J. NJ. HedricK be transferred TO the dIstrict now
In charge OF Supervisor Num- with headquarters
At Chicago, H., and that d. w. Mum De transferred
10 the district now IN charge OF Supervisor Hawey,
with headquarters at No 50 Ceoar street, New
YORK. have the honor TO request that the order
upon the above recommendation, u IN your Judg-
meut proper 10 be made, be Issued at once. aud
returned 10 this ONCE AT the earliest practicable
date Tor the arrangement OF other details and
]. W. D6UGLAss. Commissioner.
Hon. b. II. BRIsTow secretary OF the Treasury.
Before making this important order public It's
political well as its business import was duly
considered, and was announced one week after the
recommendation OF the Commissioner In these de-
spatches foI0ws:-
The Secretary OF the Treasury has issued an
order making the following transfers OF super
vlsors Of Internal Revenue -Supervisor Tuition, or
LOUIS, 10 Philadelphia; HedTck, OF Iowa, TO cat
cago; Mum, OF Illinois, 10 New York; Powell,
San Francisco, TO Richmond, Va: Perry, OF Norm
Carolina, TO Iowa; Hawley, OF New York, TO Bos-
ton; Seweli, OF BOston, to Cincinnati.
Hunt OF New Orleans, has Just been appointed
TO his place and VIII be permitted to remain, &C
cOrdlng to mis- nrst assignment.
The supervisors are directed TO be At
their new headquarters BY the l5tn inst. 10
each supervisor will be assigned two special
toiore served with him Inc names of
these latter, with their new assignments are not
obtanable This order Is made At the request or
commissioner Of Internal Revenue Douglass,
who urged It's propriety on Richardson, but with
out eject Secretary Brlstow not only mad the
good sense 20 perceive the BENEFITS that win doubt
less result from the change, bat had also the back
bone requisite to issue the order. The changes
All al nd
made solely TO secure greater eniciency
the service. In his new neld each
entangliBg alliances OF q political or purely
friendly sort, and n the measure Is productive or
good results II will POSSIBLY be some time before
the oficers are cnaugeo back again. IL was men,
toned In these dispatches last fail that was
a disposition 10 get rid of supervisors altogether,
as some OF them had come 10 be little more than
active wlrepullers for senators who had secured
their appointments TINS change Of stations VII
recommending that the once be abolished.
Tue pronunciation OF the order was at time
when the Congressional and Senatorial elections
we're over, and AZ . time midway IL the Presi-
DENTAL term. Congress was in session. Tue con
sternation which the publication OF the order ere
ated among the trends or the President, secrs-
tary and Commissioner in the senate aud House
cannot be described Supervisors or Internal
Revenue had always been found valuable political
adherents, and now that the number had been re.
duced to ten and those selected for their party
fealty as well ~ their business qualifications
we're to De summariiy interchanged, many or the
interested parties without regard 70 the
object in view. which the simultaneous
publication OF the service, discovery OF frauds and
consequent increase OF revenue. n frauds did
exist, Desought in large numbers BY personal APP
peal telegrapbic and other communications, the
revocation OF an order Tor which Congress had
wisely provided, according 20 the exlgency OF the
scTVCe.W "a
impressed with the propriety and value OF
such an order, ana consequently hesitated
for days, though constantly impoTtune1, be-
fore he welded 10 the pressure and cOurselled it,
revocation. Internal revenue frauds al this
time were only mrrored. The President "a
well as the Treasury Or1cials, were anxious 10
prove the truth or ialslfy OF the rumOTs, snd fet
then, a. they pr baOly do now, IN the light oil
more recent eve nts. that the plan proposed would