Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-11
Judge Poland aud the Revised Statutes.

Hon. Luke P Poland being in town.
attending the railroad accounting. rs one
of the counsel for the receivers, repre-
sentative of the journal had a short con-
versation with him recently concerning
the revision of the United States statutes,
and recent article attacking him for his
alleged "blunders'' therein, which ar-
peared in the Boston Post and was copied
into this paper The Judge said the article
was Unjust, and when asked why he did not
answer it, his only reply was 80 Lord!''
But as the conversation proceeded, and
without any expectation on his part thai
any public mention was to be made of it,
he said that there are in the cities a large
number of men known rs customs brokers'
who ply between importers and the Treas
ury department, and have for many years
enjoyed lucrative business. Previous to
the revision the statutes on the tariff were
in hopeless muddle, having been annual
ly patched and tinkered since 1912, with
out specially repeating anything but using
the general clause, "All acts and parts OF
acts inconsistent herewith are hereby re-
pealed." From time to time 4 great many
questions had arisen rs to what was really
the law and these had been passed upon
ny lllC COlllHlSSlOIlcI VI Cu>lOulS anu tIlt
law officers of the government until the
department was encountered with rulings,
many of which were discov cred to be in
actual conflict with some of the unrepealed
portions of the law. OF course such a
complicated mass of law and authority,
upon subject which affected the entire
commerce of the country and involved
untold millions Of capital, was rich
Co. .1a1y-
in. But, unfortunately for them. the re-
vision swept it all away. They awoke one
morning and found their occupation gone.
That was when Congress had passed the
condensed statutes, doing away with every
thing else, rulings, enactmentS and mud
die, and given the country a law that is SO
plain that a way-faring man, though a fool,
need not err therein, and that even the
merchants and editors Of New York and
Boston can understand if they will only
get a copy and dispense with the services
Of the men whose interest it is to prey upon
their credulty and TO deceive the public
through the press.
He alluded to 4 mention which he saw
in the dispatches of another paper a few
days ago, that Collector Simmons had gone
to Washington to obtain instructions in re-
gard to the law 1t was made prominen,
| in head lines that the revision was wrong,
and section had been inserted which was
contrary to the common understanding
rulings and practice for years. Having
the revision and the annual statutes al
hand, the Judge had the curiosity to look
the matter up and, just as he expected. he
found a statute, nearly thirty years old
but never repealed, which was word fol
word the section complained of.
| One great cause. he said. of the criticism
which is tossed about, is the fact that I'M
der the revision, the government will pro
badly collect something like $5.OO0.O0C
more revenue each year than it did before
Of course the importers are not especially
pleased with this and would be glad tc
create a clamor which might result in re-
peal or modification. But with that h,
had nothing to do; whether the revision
Yields more or less revenue than was col
lectcd before was no more his concern
than that of any other CITIZEN he only
knew that he and his committee had cod
flied the law, and nothing but the law
and by that work he was willing to stand
81. -1ldd7lS Messenger, lUh.