The New York herald., 1876-01-31
Important Action of the Ways and
Means Committee.
AN EFFORT TO REVIVE BUSINESS
Importers To Be Protected from Sharks
and IniOrmerS.
THE COMING CURRENCY CONTEST.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


WASHINGTON JAN So 1879
IMPORTANT BILLS TO BE INTRODUCED BY THE
WAYS AND MEANs coMNuTTEE-THE WRONGS
IN THE APPRAISAL. OF MERcHANDIsE-REvI-
SION OF THE TARIFF.
Mr.. Morrison OF the Ways and Means Committee
will introduce tomorrow two important bills The first
is intended TO remedy defects and some gross
wrongs IN the appraisal OF merchandise imported from
abroad This bill provides for the removal OF all those
absurd provisions which require that in making up the
value Of imported merchandise which duties
sessed there shall be added TO the actual wholesale
price market value the and place OF exporta
ton all the incidental charges and incurred In
preparing the goods for export as for example, OF
bang and packing, port fees gaugers' and woighers
charges export duties and other petty items
OF charges the omission of any of which under the
present oppressive and vigorously construed law held
to vate the invoice and subject the importer TO the
charge OF fraud and to liability to excessive penalties
These provisions, introduced some years ago, had
twofod object-to increase the tariff in roundabout
way and also create actual obstructons TO doing
business This law has been the foundation on which
great number of sharks and nformers hanging about
the Custom House have acted 1t this which
caused Phelps Dodge & Co. and other merchants
much trouble, and through the provisions Of which,
there is to believe, spies and informers in
tended to attack nearly every reputable house
In New York and other important ports.
The repeal Of this act hardly be resisted in either
house, and will gige the greatest satisfaction to all
honest importers and to the mercantile community all
the country.
The other bill is . revised tariff, formed with much
the general plan mentioned in these dispatches
ten days ago. The revision has been made with the
help Of the great experience and knowledge of Mr.
ry.tV
more at the request Of democratic leaders, give his
assistance In this and other matters. Tho OBJ
ects Of the revision reduce taxation give better
protection to many OF most important branches
Of manufacture and at the time increase the
For these purposes 1t is intended 70 strike
from the present tariff the large number OF articles
which now bring In scarcely any revenue or none at
all For instance, there individual articles which
produce only $50 year. and the cost OF collecting
duties them guarding against their impoi tation
is a considerable item Of expense
Second-It is proposed to encourage and help the
OF the great manufacturing of the country
by decreasing duties many of the materials
which they are obliged use, and the high cost Of
which, caused by exorbitan duties incapacitaes many
OF our manufacturers from competing with foreign
producers, and in foreign markets which they are
now anxiously seeking, and which markets prac-
ticay illimtable Such articles are WOOL dye stufs
chemicals metals and the like In the preparation Of
this revised tariff Mr. Morrison chairman OF the Ways
and Means, has that he has carefully
studied the questions involved and has a com.
prehenson OF the means which must be used to re-
establish at the time, foreign commerce and
home manufactures and set the idle hands work
over the country.
The bills above mentioned will be referred to the
Committee on Ways Means and will come up for
discussion only after they reported from the COM
mittee but they will probably not be materially
changed though 1t probable that coffee will
be put back the tariff has been found that the
people not benefited by the abolition OF tho duties
on these articles importers and foreign producers hav
ing reaped the entire advantage.
THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY PREPARED FOR
Acr1oN-THK COMING CONTEST ON THE CUR
RENcY QUESTION.
The democrats are pretty rapidly getting ready
the measures with which they propose to go to the
House and the country. They have boen busly at
work in their preparation and at the samo time have
by deliberation among the leaders and members per.
fccted the party discipline and made OF the majority
compact body in support OF the important on
revenue and currency which they will bring forward
1t is not yet certain whether the tariff or the cur
rency will come up first for discussion but a number
OF gentlemen have speeches on the financial question
ciptate the debate that subject 1t not yet GER
tain in what manner the two parties will Join
issue on resumption. 1t is understood that both
sides will favor resumption, and that the repub-
lcans will take the ground in favor OF measures
TO withdraw the legal tenders while the democrats may
seek contraction by attacking the national with
measures Intended force them 10 withdraw their
notes The precise nature OF the plan of either party
is not yet known, and they probably not yet per-
fected but the battle will be not between contraction
and expansion but between different methods OF con.
traction and may be taken for granted that the dem
ocrac party in the House does not mean 70 mako tho
blunder Of favorng imitation.
SENATOR MoRToN's WITNESSES IN HIS INr1MI-
DATIoN AND OUTRAGE CHARGES.
A. Warner is chairman of the Ames Republican State
Committee In Mississippi O. C. French Is the person
TO whom Governor Ames gave the contract for hiring
negro convcts TO the planters plantation laborers
and Is besides this a member OF the Centennial Com
mission. These two and s. A. vose alias vose-
burgh appear as defendants in complaint nled by the
Attorney General OF Mississippi in the Chancery Court
in which they charged with having, by fraud OBJ
tanned from the State about 12 900 acres OF land and
having failed render any account OF what they had
done with 10 pay the State the money they wero
required pay for IT, or TO make the improvements in
Pearl River which they required 10 make In re-
turn for the land grant They are said to have sold
about S175 900 worth OF this land and the Attorney
General force them render an account TO
the State
These are the kind Of men who have been for some
weeks deceiving Senator Morton about Mississippi
AFFAIRS and persNading him that It is necessary 70 in
vestigate the State
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES