National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-07
THE U. S. TREASURY AND THE
RROKERS

The fact that there are from three to
five millions of taxes now in the Treasury
which have been collected in the shape of
duties on imports, and which have been
paid by the consumers of the country, but
which are in danger Of being distracted
through the medium of appeals from the
decisions of the collectors and divided
among certain classes of non producers.
yclcpt custom house agents, attorneys and
brokers, has attracted the attention of the
Committee Of Ways and Means, and will
be inquired into with q view TO ascertain
what part Treasury officials are taking to
aid in the nelarious project. 1t is believed
by leading members of Congress that it is
the duty Of public officers and employees
who are subordinate to tie heads of De-
partments Of the Government to perform
their duties as directed by those response
bic heads, and that ii is highly improper
for them TO receive one salary from Gov
ernment to protect and defend its interests
and at the same time by treachery and con-.
nivance lend aid through their official po-
sitions, by giving information or otherwise,
to those parties who are attempting to re-
cover money from the Treasury in defiance
Of the rulings of its officers.
They are right about this. 1t is the labor
Of the country which pays these taxes
The duties levied, and paid by the importer
in the first instanc, care added to the cost of
goods and repaid by the consumer. If
any portion of those duties is refunded to
the importer months afterwards, it only
goes 10 swell his profits and to enrich the
non producing classes (brokers, &c, above
mentioned. 1t is highly important that
rulings should be just in the first place, but
it is far more important that being Just,
they should be considered permanent and
final unless changed by the courts or Con-
gress.
In revising the code Congress very wisely
and properly endeavored to give as definite
construction and Interpretation as pracG
cable TO the laws in force, or which it
deemed to be in force on the list of Decem
her, 1878. In promulgating this revision
the Secretary Of the Treasury, in his circu-
lar, clearly defined the duties of customs
officers under it Brokers, agents and at
torneys, in the names Of various importers,
and frequently without either the knowl
edge or authority of the latter in the re-
spective and specific cases, but upon gen
eIal permission, with an agreement for
liberal contingent fee for their reward,
have filed about ten thousand appeals from
the decisions Of the collectors of customs.
Each Of these appeals forms the basis of
claim or suit against the Government fer q
refund of duties. Some of these cases in
volve large amounts. If, however, they
should average $500, which is not an ex-
travagant estimate, the whole basket of
golden plums would reach the value OF
100000. Ifthe average should be but
$500 the aggregate would be only $780,
Geo. 1t is said that the contingent fee usu-
ally agreed upon is so per cent.
1t is clear that here is a corruption fund,
then, of 81, 500, 600 to So, 800, 900 which it
is proposed to fitch from the Treasury of
the people, which has been paid in by the
labor of the country, for distribution
among the non producing brokers, agents
and attorneys and theiraidc and abettors,
official and unofficial
This is the equity side of the whole case
The Secretary Of the Treasury has set his
face against the refunding of these duties,
so far as he has decided upon them, as lille.
gal. AS lacking equity he has determined
them all adversely. He has also deter
mined that he will not be overruled by his
own subordinates upon these questions if
he knows it. He is supposed to know
something of law and TO have pretty correct
knowledge of human nature. When he
sees a moderate salary and a sense of duty
the only incentives upon the side of the
Government and a prospective corruption
fund of two and half millions in the OPP
posite scale, he is most likely to weigh the
arguments and evidence very closely before
paying out the money. We have no doubt
that Congress will exercise similar wisdom
and discretion in its inquiries and decisions.