New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-08

~ employees one plscs. sad charging tho
government another.
There is, however, another consequence
Of official dishonesty far more serious to
society than the abuse Of political infu-
ence. This 'offense consists in regular
dealer employing some venal officer to
pass imported goods at rates less than
those imposed by tariff These venal
officers are Of no political party, and our
government has been compelled to watch
the revenue employees with great vigilance.
It has given larger bounty to informers
and imposed heavy penalties upon those
who evade the law. Members of Con-
gress are subjected to fines for violation
of the revenue law, and Offering presents
to revenue officers is punished with
heavy fine. Indeed, the gravity of this
offense has occasioned quite catalogue
of penalties intended to reach all possible
parties to such fraud.
In the New York customhouse there
have been many violations of the law, and
such leading houses as those Of Dodge 4
Co., Clafin T. Co., and Lawrence, have
been implicated and prosecuted. The
modes of fraud are numerous. Snug
Cling evades inspection. Under valuation
and conspiracy with the officials are very
difficult of detection. All these frauds
compel honest importers to aid the gov
eminent An example is taken from
English history:
In the business Of importing silk goods
the entire elk manufacturing interest from
being one OF the most prosperous industries
became nearly extinct.
The leading dry goods houses in New
York have formed committees to prevent
the smuggling of silk and other dry goods
into that port. Said tie New York COM
mercial Advertiser:
Only short time since it was shown
that one of the most extensive buyers of
goods was one of the most respec-
table mercantile houses in the city. If
therefore q law should be passed to punish
and brides the penniless Castomhouse off,
cial, and who by stealth carries on the
trade with the smuggler, there might be q
remedy found for the evil.
This is indeed great evil, because it
brings the struggled goods into direct
competition with those which have paid
duties honestly. We are satisfied that
certain great interests in New Orleans
have at times suffered much from the
competition Of goods so introduced.
When there was charge against firm in
this city for introducing Havana sugars at
rates, there were instances in
which honest importers suffered loss.
When sugars have been struggled under
false packages, similar result followed
to the honest manufacturer, who was
thus deprived of the legitimate protection
given him by the tariff. When crooked
whisky was manufactured or imported at
nominal revenue rates, the honest mer-
chant was compelled to change his mode
of doing business or to close his store.
Nor had the evasion of revenue laws been
confined to this city. Contraband goods
may be imported into New York or other
Eastern ports and forwarded to New Or
leans by railroad or otherwise.
Now, why may not the investigating
extend their inquiries into this
departme of wrong? Their principal
duty is, no doubt, to protect the govern
ment; may they not incidentally protect
honest commerce? We have no idea of
sparing any weak or dishonest official; but
we agree perfectly with the New York Com
lnercidl Advertiser that the chief offender in
is the man who, with wealth
md intelligence, would bride "a penni-
less customhouse officer" and who, for
The sake of making such unworthy gains,
would ruin fellow-citizen honestly en-
gagged in the same mercantile business,
paying duties in full, while his fraudu-
ent rival is corrupting officials and enrich
ing himself.
1t is to be expected that the inquis-
tors will examine both those branches of
possible wrong. If an officer has abused
us trust to promote the political pur-
poses Of any, let him be exposed and
punished. If there be any merchant who |
las bribed or attempted to bride any
official, there is a very ugly set of penal |
les upon the statute book, for undergoing
which the dismissal of a "penniless officer |
If the Customhouse" will afford small in |
lemnity. Let this smuggler be inves-
igated as well as the politicians.