New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-28
CUSTOM HOUSE REFORMS
THF jay COMMISSIONS REPORT.


sIFICNuON or ENIPLOYES-RiNISIoN or THE
FORCE At STATED TIMES.
lRy TELEGRArn TO ruE TRIRUNrl
WASmNGroN, July 27.-Ihe conclusion Of the
Second Report OF the Jay Commission the New
York Custom House, which WIS given to the press
to-day, were published in The RIBUNE week or
two ago. The facts upon which they are based aud
the reasoning 10y which they reached, viii, how
ever BE- interesting reading 30 those who have given
attention 10 Custom House affairs. The criticisms
which the Commission make upon the system of
political patronage, tina. has prevailed in the Custom
House for at least quarter of a century, were
unexpected: hut the results of it, stated 10y the
Commission, are perhaps worse than was popularity
supposed. The idea that the party in power had
right 10 control the Custom appointments the Com
mission thinks has of late been recognized 10 am
undue extent by the chief officers of the service ana
caused those gentlemen. the ground that they were
Obliged to surrender 10 personal and partisan dlcta-
ton, to assume that they were relieved, IN part at
least from the responsibilities belonging TO the APP
pointing power. No more striking evidence of the
decentralization arising from vicious sys-
tenn could be gwen than this The inycs-
tgation shows further, in the words of the
Comm s>ion that ignorance and incapacty on
the part of the employees of the Custom House
were found in all branches of the service creating
DELAYS and mistakes. importing tGe safety OF the
revenue and interests Of Importance, and bringing
the service INTO rcproach. AS example Of the
carelessucss existing among Customs officers tie
Commission call attention to the fact that invoices
recorded in the Appraisers office and then sent out
TO be passe upon and returned to the chief clerk
were found TO contain their return Numerous
mistakes, the number of which estimated by
onc witness 20 be as great as 500 month onc-haif
at least due to care. eSsuCss.
Tde recommendations Of the Commission that
be taken 10 enforce the law foroi dInG ire
bribery Of Customs officers has attracted much attcn-
tiou IN the Treasury Department to-day. The letters
OF Collector Arthur surveyor Sharpe and naval
Officer Cornell have been read with much interest.
and il Is believed 10y prominent officers of the De-
partmcnt-in sp:c of the doubts thrown by those
gentlemen upon tie success of any attempt 10
break up this peuiciOus practice, eXreq, by a
complete change of system and by the appointment
of q better class of oliccrS-that the Commission
has Indicated the real remedy la the following para
graph:
AN opinion, however. was expressed in the tcsti-
nouy Of some Customs officer that shcre would
be no difficulty in putting a stop to the practice
OF fees paid for services not contemplated
by law, without summary dismissal; tina, If
employees knew that their superior, opposed 20
The system of Illegal charges they would soon cease
to exact thcu7 1t may be unfair TO hold the lead
responsible for these illegal and dishonest practices,
but the suggestion Of the Commission s considered
al the Treasury Department as worthy OF the careful
attention of all Customs officers.
TIC SecIctary of the treasury has formally ag-
proved the lists of reductions submitted to him by
Collector Arthur and Surveyor Sharpe. The only
question that ever existed m regard TO these
lists was whether the Department should accept
the recommendation Of these two officers g.
al tlrr.,-r.
agents sent from Washington and approve
the recommendation of the Custom House officers
only after their wisdom had been fully and mdc-
pcndently demonstrated. On the whole, the Score
tary concluded that il would De wiser To- accept the
lists as made out by the Collector and surveyor
These lists were published raj weeks ago. and the
disluissals took effect the first of the present
month.
THE REPORT.
The rcpOIt of the Commission Is dated july
A. and refers 40 considerable length 10 te mstrc, ous
under wncn the investigation has been conducted. and
which have bccu given fully from time TO time ln
TIVE TRIBUNE The members OF the COMMISSION
state that they have regarded the subject of Custom
House salaries ia the light of the Presidents letter
CURING in the rccommcn auon> of thei frat report ana
in tie light Of secretary shcImau's directions TO Tie
Collectors for carry iug tie Presidents WISHES III
t. effect. The report then says: Apart from
the fact that tHe force is To reduced by
one-ffth-d percentage OF reduction which h.
some branches the Commission thinks may perhaps
be- safely increased and that the receipt Of Illegal per
auises Will no longer be permitted the rule freeing
service rom PARTISAN control vii give the duties and
RESPONSIBILITIES of Tie officials whose salaries be
adjusted I lcr and cI.tver character Than ID which
Larscd former management, which were asked To
investigate"
Reference is then made TO Presidents to Sc
Rotary Shermaudatcd MAY &c in which he expressed his
wish that collection Of the should be free
from partisan control and organized strictly
business basis. Secretary shcman's order 10 tho
Collector concerning reduction of force next men
toned and for tie accomplishment of the object Of
making the NeW-York Custom House not only what %
now is the most important but what il ought TO be- the
best-managed business agency Of the Government" The
Commission decar that mod hcations are rcqu red
in the routine and that the Acts Of Congress relating to
the Customs should be revised; bat an essential prelmi
nary to success the carrying in good tth Of the
order made in reference 10 the fitness OF the en-
ployes." Tie report then proceed, as follows:
glance AZ the character and results OF the past sys
tenn may HELM % illustrate the higher resp1sbi. ties
that viii heucCforh dcyOlvc upon the officials whose
compensation we are 10 CONSIDER l"I many Years
D. 81 thc view has obtained with some pOItca leaders
that the friends OF the Adj uinIStlauOu IN power
bad right 10 control the customs appoint
menfe: and tins view, which seems 10 have been aCQu-
CsCcd n ny sutctsN Auni'td His "l I"l pyNH
TecognH 10 what the Comm s,lou deems an Undue cA-
tent by the chief officers Of tho service. These gen
temeu the ground that they were compelled
10 surrender 10 personal ana partisan dctduOn'
appear to have assumed mat theY were re-
ucvel. in part al least from the responsibilities
that htlouL 10 TIE appointing power lie 20 cc'oI o,
the Port in speaking of the "teu thousand appcaIus,
and remarAing mat the urgency ior appointments came
from an ever tue count v aided, the persons Tor
whom II made bear cir PROMOTION oI the RESPONSE
biity Tor the character Of the whole force"
Tie extent OF the responsibility which one OF these
persons showed himself ready TO assume was indicated
by the surveyor when ne said:
81 lad within the last Two weeks ietteT from a gen
tleman holding high official position lh regard 10 the