The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-16
THE REVISED REVENUE STATUTES.
WHAT JUDGE POLAND SAYS ABOUT THE TARIFF
LAWS OF coNGREss-How LAWS ARE SUP
p1 ANrED NV RTrIINGg

WHAT JUDGE POLAND SAYS ABOUT THE TARrfF
LAWS OF CONGRESS LAWS ARE SUP
PLANTED BY RULINGS.
From the ST. Adams (vt) Messenger, August 1OI
Hon. Luke P. Poland being in town, attending the
railroad accounting of the counsel for the recev
ers representative of this journal had short
saon with him to-day concerning the revision OF the
United States statutes He said that there In the
cities large number of men known as customs bro
kers who ply between the importers and the Treasury
Department, and have for many years enjoyed
a lucrative business. Previous TO the revision tho
statutes on the tariff in hopeless muddle having
been annually patched and nkered since 1872 without
specially repeating anything, but using the general
clause Gan acts and parts OF acts inconsistent here
with are hereby repealed From time TO time great
many questions had arisen as to what was really the
law and these had been passed upon by the Commits
sioncr Of Customs and the law officers of tho govern
ment until the department encountered with rul-
ings many Of which discovered to be
in actual conflict with some Of the UNI
repealed portions of the law or course
such complicated mass of law and authority upon
subject which affected the entire commerce OF the coun
try and involved untold millions OF capital was rich
placer for these customs brokers 10 dcve in But, I'M
fortunately for them the revision swept II all away.
They awoke one morning and found their occupation
gone That was when Congress had passed the con-
dcnsed statutes doing away with everything else rul-
y
law that is so plain that wayiarng man. though fool
need not err horcn, and that the merchants and
editors Of New York and Boston understand they
viii only get copy and dispense with the services OF
the whose interest II is TO prey upon their crcduy
and to deceive the public through the press
He alluded W n mention which he in the de-
spatchcs few days ogo that Collector Simmons had
gone Washington TO obtain Instructions in regard to
the law 1t made prominent in head lines that tho
revision was wrong and section had been inserted
which was contrary 10 the common understanding,
rulings aud practice for years Having the revision and
the annual statutes at hand the Judge had the curiosity
TO look the matter up and just as he expected he found
statute nearly thirty years old, but never repealed,
which was word for word tho section complained or
One great cause, he said OF tho criticism which IN
being tossed about Is tho fact that undor the revision
the government will probably collect something like
$50 0OO moro each year than did before.
OF course, the importers not especially pleased with
this and would be glad TO create camor which might
result in repeal or modification. But with that he bad
nothing TO do whether tho revision yislds less
revenue than was collected before was moro his
than that OF any other citizen; he only knew thai
he and his committee had cod1ed the hw and nothIna
but the law, and bV that work no was willing V stand