, 1875-12-08

Value Of Import,t!ona Of cotton, glas1 and
glassware, india rubber anu eIita-
rurcls, IRON nnd ntee lcathrr. iuttAll
not otherwise proYttG1f for, Ia,tr,
straw, wool tnCludlng hair Of aliMr1,
etc.) and manufactures thera't, for
tho nns months ending Sept 70, 1871. ~, .affoo
ya!uo Of !nputtAtlonz Of tho Aa:nc nsti-
clos for corresponding rcriot nE ihji
tncludng tho seven nInthh Next suc-
ccedlog shs act Of March j, ls7;...... e1,22st2oo
Decrease. s13,';9J,s1
Tho decrease MAS oecasioned principally bY tho
falling off in two classes Ut impossations, viz:
Iron Rn rrc aud manufacturer thereuf s. no
Hools And manufactures thorcof. a,14l,a0sD0
*la.av., ,27i.ou
Returns for tho four months ending June 80.
1876. show that of importations for that period
amounting to $40, ,547, ,1o5, lutes have been pa,l
on $2J. G23,G0G withdrawn for connunlptton,
yielding 9l0, g54,7l0 OF 1avenuo Ii, this amount
is OF course included tho III s.er centu1n restored
by the net Of March !, 1b7J, eho wing MI apparent
increase fer four montha OF $l,03J, III ~. But
In this connection theEe IL to TO considered tho
tnct that, fur tho corresponding period Of tho
year 1874, tho impurtatons OF tho sanle classes
Of merchandise amounted to :1C ,U22, ,4G7, ahow-
ing . decrenso III impottations for tho four
months onding Juuo ~. 1b7', Of *5.475ti52, Of
which q sou375 Is duo 10 tho falling OF Of in'-
po,tations Of iron and stool manufactures thcro-
Of. IL H. therefore, difficult ~ determine. in tho
light OF roturnH now ~ hand, to what extent tho
apparent increase Of rcvenuo resulting from Tho
repeal Of tho 10 par cont Reduction il Offset by
the decrease in l.nportatons, aud. consequently,
in tho amount Of eutrles for consumption on
payment Of duties.
In relation to tho 25 pcr ccut increase Of duty
on sugar nnd n,olsBBes, nnaor The act Of March
j. 1875, it ta still nore difficult 10 determine tho
effoct on tho revenue. Owing to tho change OF
classification and Of drawback on rofLel sugar
exported, together with the tact that haruiy
sufficient time bas elapsed to enablo : compnrn-
tive stntonleut Of mulch salue to DO prepared,
|, r.f Il Fnhf tim
tiona, dnty Iovlcd cannot DO gison. The actual
increase Of duty collectod from tito timo the act
took offeot, March 8, 1875. to Juno 80, 1875. waB
~, 45.Qt7. but how far this increase il Affected
by tho classification and draIh1tk cannot be
determined with accuracy.
Pursuant to tue act Of Juno is, 1871, admit
ting FREQ Of duty atticcs iutendod for the Inter
national Exposition Of 1876, ut philadelphia.
Treasury shall prescribe, Collectors Of Customs
at the various portB havo bosn furnished With
regulations designed to cover tho Buhlact in tho
Rplrit aud Intent Of tho act. 1t 10 hoped that.
wlliio these regulations will aforl all reasonable
facilities for tho importation OF Bnoh articoa Is
may bo conAiKned for exhibition from tho var.-
Gus nationa1ties OF tho world, tloy Aro 10 guard
cd ~ to prevent frauds upun thu lnrenuo by per-
sons who, under pretouso of being exhibitors
may atscmpt abuses OF tho privileges accorded
them,
Tho genera! yiowu held aud suggestions nado
In tho report submitted TO Congress III Decem-
Dor, 1874, In tho discussion Of tho tariff laws.
regarded solely as revenue noasuroe, aro stli!
entertained, and aro rofoTrod to now with tho
addod nuggestion that experience has 1hown
that when ,iutiea arc lnpobcI upon any articles
ut Eatoa 40 high ~ 10 10 almost prohbitoty. in.
jury tt douo the revenue bo 'ehsaDlng tho amount
OF aho importation OF etlch articles, bcsiltB in
ducing tendency to Aug1nout the OWL Of tholr
cl1ndeatno introduction.
In tho collection Ut dut!cB upon importasons,
two evils sre chloily operative to prevent Tho
Government from roa!iziuE tho full measure OF
revcnue-lEat, smuggling; aud, secondly, un-
darvaluttion.
Tic firss Of those evils ls mora generally prey
alent, especially OH tho Northern frontier, than
ia commonly nupposed, the dsnlcultien Attending
a proper surveillance Of that frontier. under OK
istlng circumstances, being very great, II not In
somo tespsctH lnsu1muuutable. Without going
into full details, It may be said, hJ way OF illus
tratiou, that in tho four collection dasrlcta OF
Vincent, having frontier lino of moro ,han 350 t
miles, with eight principal ports or Stations and
forty-ono minor stations, after dotuctiDg tho
number permanently employed at such principal
points and four for sorTlce In Canada in conucc-
tion With the senllng Of cars, tlsso arc bul afty-
nfne onlcers ro1naining for ser!co at tho minor
stations aud ~ coast-gunGI to prevent snug.
giug. Doaucklng from this aunbel ono ollcor
for permanent sorYicc At each minor station,
thero iet1ain but fourteen Rs preventive forco.
OF less thRu ona man for every II miles Of
frontier.
These statistics apply to portlona of tho bor-
dor which offer Hpoe1y and direct means OF travel
which. during several months OF tho year, aro
throngcd by travellers OF eyerY condition
aul with every variety Of object In Wow.
from those merely bent On pleasure or log!ti-
mate business. to those whose rhlof occupation
" to doffAud tho rsYonuo.
Information obtained BY tho Department,
from trustworthy SOURCES, rondcra II quite cer-
tain that syBtematio frauds have beon psrpe-
trAted by smuggling .ovor tile hordor wincn
brandy. and oslscr artlclcr Of merchandise. bmi.
lar observations might bo msdo ~ to otLos pasta
OF our frontier.
Tho second general rauss which operates to
prevent tho Government from receiving its full
11oasure OF duos IL undervklnAtion, source Of
pe1haps greater loss than tho direct offonse OF
smugBllnH. rhls OWL 10 attributable, In part, 10
Tho davlcas OF dlAhonest importers, In part 10
the fluctuations ta markst values. but moro,
probably, 70 the "a defects OF tho arpraasmsnt
systsm !tsoif. Without disparage.nent OF tho
class OF officers known ~ local appraisers, MANY
OF them OF long oxperleno0 And tho moat utt-
questioned integrity, It cannot 10 denied that
thero IL often very grost divosaity at the dltler
ent ports regarding the classification aud valua-
tion OF merchandise. While this diversity eomo-
times arisea fran An honest difference OF ppiu-
ion, it may not uhitequently happen that there
ID colluBtgo action between ashistauts or other
subo1dinatos Of The apprntsars and tho import
efn, which, whom once begun. ia source OF COLI
stAn& loss 10 the revenue ~ we'll ~ Of Injury to
houeAt merchants.
10 correct tueeo evils the ofdeo Of General
Ia number, supervision oses, appraisers aud
their &sYistauta ts committed by law. but eau
satisfactory results 10 anticipated from their
lahors wheu the a1tont OF tllsiE leld OF opera.
itod uumbsr7 10 tho General Appraiser Il
boston arc Assigned Ports snd districts. thirty
two III number. 10 the General Appraiser at
New York the dIssric. q New York oily. 10 tie