National Republican., 1877-12-04

II Is believed that tho decrease of recsipts
from this source has not occurred In conse-
quence Of IN increased observance of tho law
| in the entries Of goods, but rather 10 the fact
that violations Of law have not been detected
| in as great q number Of cases as before the pas
sage Of that act. The commission which ex-
amined the custom-housc at San Francisco
makes the following Recommendation in re-
gard to modification Of the law;
1. That from the gross proceeds of any sale
Of goods seized In tho act Of being smuggled,
there should DO paid all legal and other costs
Of seizure and sale.
2. That the Government should receive the
amount Of duty properly chargeable upon the
goods so seized in full satisfaction for its
claims.
3. That the remainder be equally divided
between the informer aud the seizing officer,
and where there Is. no informer, the whole of
the remainder, after deducting expenses and
duty shall go to the seizing officer: provided
that neither seizing officer nor informcr shall
be entitled to receive exceeding 5000 for
any one seizure; and provided further that
no officer of the customs in receipt of salary
or hxed compensation exceeding s., 800 per
annum shall be entitled to pro rata of q
seizure for acting as informer.
The Collector Of Customs at New York sub
mitted to the commission which examined
that custom-louse table which shows that in
1873 seizures at that port amounted to S773,-
1900. and that in 1877 the total amount was
$40, ,13I 90.
The collector, in submitting that table, re-
marks that, without any desire to argue in
behalf Of informers or detective officers, he is
yet strongly OF the opinion that the above fig
urcs represent a loss of many millions to tho
Government, caused by comparative safety
to those who are undertaking and accomplish
ing great frauds upon the Government.
It's recommended that such q change be
made in existing laws as will offer increased in
ducenients to parties who may be able TO secure
a knowledge Of such frauds to bring the same
to the attention Of the customs officers. The
greatest loss to the revenue from customs arises,
not from smuggling, but from undervaluation
of goods subject to dd raorem duty. 1t is, there
fore, also recommended, for the purpose of Sc
curing simplicity and uniformity in the col
lection of the revenue from customs. that spe-
cifc duties be adopted N far as practicable.
ALASKA.
Since the withdrawal OF the troops from
Alaska last spring, the management of the ter
ritory has practically devolved upon the
Treasury Department. The only officers who
could exercise any authority were the collec-
tors of customs at Sitka and his deputies,
stationed ut other points within the territory
the duties of the officers at the seal islands be-
ing confined exclusively to the protection of
the seal interests. IL was feared that the sud-
den withdrawal of the troops might result in
q conflict between the whites and Indians; but
thus far little disturbance has occurred. The
white population at Sitka is very limited, and
the expense of maintaining customs officers
there, and at other points within the territory,
has aggregated, In the past two years, $l7,-
1882, while the receipts from customs have
during the same period, been very much less.
1t is, therefore, recommended that the port of
Sitka be abolished.
The receipts from the tax on seal skins taken
on the Islands Of St. Paul and st. George, in
cluding the rent paid by the Alaska CONNER
cial Company, have been as follows:
loIo t3l70A 90
10" VI loo 30
The decrease of receipts from that source Is
consequent upon the fact that less number
of seals were taken the past year than the
maximum allowed by law.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
The following tabular statement exhibits
the receipts from the several sources of taxa
tion under the internal revenue laws for the
fiscal years ended, respectively, June 30, 1876,
and June 80, 1877:
Statement 4opingdhe receipts from he several objects
oGfdrafion under he Internal revenue ldios for he
fscdi yeurs ended June 30, 1876, and June 3d. 1877,
respectipeln