The Portland daily press., 1875-05-01
The Wherefore.

The telegraph informs us that the frontier
collectors from Detroit to Island Pond has
tened to Washington when they learned that
parties representing the business of Portland
and Canada were in that city urging the reVo-
cation of the recent orders requiring the en-
try of merchandise from Canada intended for
reshipment, to be made at the first custom
house after entering the country. The fol-
lowing section from the act of July IA, 1862,
explains the zeal of the above mentioned Of
ficials:
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted. That col.
lectOrs and surveyors of the cole ction districts
on the said frontier are authorized to keep on
sale, at their several offices, blank manifests
and clearances required for the business of
their districts, and to charge the sum of ten
cents and no more for each blank, which shall
be prepaid and exacted by them
Now these blanks cannot cost more than
half cent each, so that as often as an officer
sells blank he secures nearly the whole
amount as fee. If the business required
only now and then blank, the amount thus
obtained would be but trivial; but thousands
of these blanks are required, as will be seen
when it is stated that the Grand Trunk Rail-
way has paid the customs officers at Island
Pond, the past six months, the sum of SILL
900 in fees, of which amount $1,000 was for
these ten cent blanks. Now when the cars
are sealed in Canada by the United States
consul, and the same come direct to Portland
without detention or examination, mo blanks
are required at Island Pond, and the customs
officials at that point are minus $4,000 or
$4,000 of fees which they are now enabled
to filch from legitimate business. Hence the
zeal of the frontiersmen and the haste with
they flew to Washington with their attor-
neys.
In addition the interest of the frontier GUS
toms officials to maintain their system of pet
ty piracy upon lawful commerce, it is said
that the railway companies whose extortions
are prevented by the refusal of the Grand
Trunk to enter into their arrangements to
increase the rates of freight, are represented
in Washington on the side of the officials
Every obstacle placed in the way of traffic is
an advantage to them. But the Grand Trunk
and Portland will not be the only sufferers if
this system continues. Every consumer in
Mainewill eventually be compelled to pay more
for Western produce if Island Pond deten-
tions and exactions compel the Grand Trunk
to increase its rates of transportation as a
means of selfprotection. 1t is not, therefore,
a question of the business of one city, but of
the pockets of the whole state.
There can be no doubt but that Gen. Bris-
tow is greatly misinformed about this matter.
The frontier collectors have caused him to
believe that the treasury will be defrauded
by the sealed car System; and, to be plain
about the matter, there is too good reason to
believe that there are subordinates in the de-
partment at Washington who are bound to
misrepresent the matter, prominent among
whom is that venerable fossil, Mr.. Assistant
Treasurer Hartley, whom Mr.. Van Buren, or
Mr.. Polk called to Washington long ago be-
cause he had once edited Democratic paper
in this city. His son is one of the attorneys
of the frontier interest.