New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-06
a TREASURY DEPARTMENT ABUSE.


FREQUENCY OF CHANGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE TARIFF LAw-MPoRTERs' LOSS BY THE
DELAY IN DECIDING CONTESTED CAsEs-CLAM
LAWYERS AND THEIR ALLIES
TO tke Bdtfor Of The Trtbuns
SIR: AS a long time reader of THE TRIBUNE,
and man who has unbounded faith its opinions.
disliKe 10 IL msled blinded any matter which
affects The public interest. believe you misled
in regard to the dongs of the United
States Treasury Department. see you give
the Secretary unqualified praise for his IN
vestigaon into CustOm-hOuse affairs and his plans for
more economically conducting the Government bus
He Will undoubtedly deserye praise MS in'es
cations amount TO anything. The Tweed King" III
comparison with the Treasury Ring" Is ike iaiioT
candle alongside Of calcium light. 1t lie hand and
glove with certain claim lawyers-wheher intentional
or the public to determine after reading this
letter-in robbino our importers For the benefit OF
those posted will now state how this is done.
Some wise-head the Treasury Department suddenly
discovers that certain class OF goods can by little
stretching OF the i0ong Of law be classified SO as
TO pay higher OF duty than they have been pay
ing The various Custom houses are informed accord
ingly, and thereafter the importers are charged the
higher rate Of duty. Now comes the gobetween claim
lawyers They call the importers, say the seere-
tary certainly wrong in HIS construction or the law
higher duty must be paid until he can be con-
yinced OF his error the exacted In excess
will be refunded provided the importer mas pau u
under protest appealed, and entered suit WITHIN the
short time allowed by law. The claim lawyer then
offers TO attend to the protests appeals &C. Tor com
pensaou Of per Of the amount recovered but IN
case the seereary construction is found to be correct
and no duty refunded the importer TO be under no
expense whatever. In nine cases out OF ten the I'M
porter will sign agreement with the claim lawyer 10
the above effect Now is IL not plain TO any sensible
man that when O claim lawyer has such an agreement
with importers class Of goods, and the law
yer certain in the end. the longer he can
delay the final decision, and the more ex-
cessive duties he can compel the importer 10
pay larger the amount will be TO be refunhed pJ
the Treasury Department; consequently the more
profit will accrue the claim lawyer This s the way
the Treasury Ring" joins with the claim lawyers ID
robbing the importers by refusing TO honestly inves
gate the case and make plain and just decision on the
start Some importers refuse to sign agreements WIN
claim lawyers make their protests and appear 10
the Secretary themselves. What Is the consequence
The Secretary answers their appeals in such peat
prevaricating manner that they can get
no satisfaction until the time has nearly expired WITHIN
which they are compelled by law SUIT, when
they have TO put their claims into the hands OF lawyer
at last
Twill now cite a case in pOint-a claim that has been
been before the Treasury Department Tor nearly ""e
months and is not yet decided. For years there mas
been a certain class goods manufactured OF worsted
or mohair imported into this country known as Itaan
cloths" Some OF these goods plain on the surface
and some we're figured striped. They we're for years
assessed with duty under the following provision oil la"
724 On womens and chdrens dress goods and real or
imitation Italian cloths, composed Wholly OF III paS wy
wool worsted the hair OF the alpaca. goat or Oter IKE
animals valued at not exceeding ~ cents per square
IS per centum ad vaOrem valued at above :? cehtr te
square yard cents per square yaTa ana ~ a oo
ali goods weighing four ounces and over per Gu arr
yard duty shall be so cents per pound and' III a."
| 1tf1o
In March or April OF this year some wse-head IN the
Treasury Department suddenly discovered that tne
above law only applied to such Italian cloths as were
nlau on the surface those which were figured
or striped and that the figured striped ones should
be assessed with duty under the following provision OF
law:
7ol On fannels blankets, hats Of wool, knit goods
baimorals G25) wooden and worsed yarns' SnI az
In mart of worSted hr Of tue alpaca, goat or other
hee ANIMALS excrpt sucn as are composed part Of
wool NOT otherwise provided for, valued at not exceed
! in0l pOuud 20 cents per pOuhu Naiuru AT
above 40 cents per pOuud and not exceeding 60 cents
ar nound 89 cents I-r pound valued above 60 cents
rer mound. and MT exceeding ~ cents per pound ~
cents per pound valued at 80 cents per pound
30 cents per pound and IN addition thereto upon all
the aUove-named articles, IS per centum al valofem'
| Conld ANYTHING be more rtdieulous9 The law Is so
plain IN regard to Italian cloths II says rea OF "d
to italian cloths" showing plainly that the intent of
Congress was TO cover all goods of that class The I'M
porers laughed at the idea the start but nOw-weil,
tine Inst election shows that they well as others have
begun to get their OPEN AT the commencement OF
the controversy had the pleasure OF reading letter
from the Secretary Of the Treasury TO the Collector OF
New York in answer 10 appeal Of certain importer
rho substance OF the Secretarvs letter was That the
| inporter claimed that the goods were commercially
nown and used as Italian cloths" put the man had
nrodueed no proofs subsantate that statement he
coud not call upon officials to report to the facts
Of the case therefore be would have 10 decide without
any further Investigation that the importer wrong
The Secretary further stated that II the importers in
making appeals hereafter would produce any proofs
substantatnz the fact that such goods were CONNER
cially designated Italian cloths or would enclose
SAMPLES Of the goods each case, their claims would
receive prompt attention,
Relying on the above promise OF the Secretary, |
know that several importers forwarded samples OF the
goods TO him at Washington. understand from one of
the importers that attached his affidavit 10 his sam
pes setting forth that the goods were commercially
| known as Italian cloths" that they used az
Italian cloths" and :" Italian cloths" In every
sense of the word. His appeal forwarded TO the
secretary four months but as yet lac has re
| ceived no answer.
do not believe that the Secretary himself is party
10 this robbery His subordinates in the Treasury De-
partmen at fault, and it high time he opened his
| ey their dOings. l. l.
| ketc- York. Jan. 2. 1878.
SUSPENSION OF THE MECHANICS NATIONAL