National Republican., 1877-12-04
THE TREASURY.
Confined from 7nIrd rnr.. ]


cure to II tho most general circulation. II
could be easily redeemed In United States
notes and gold coin, and only rcissued when
demanded for public convenience.
If the essential quality Of redcemability
given to United states notes, bank. bills, tokens,
fractional coins and currency maintains them
at par, how much easier Il would be 10 maintain
the silver dollar. Of intrinsic market value,
nearly equal to gold, at par with gold coin by
giving to II the like quality Of rcdccmability.
To still further secure fixed relative value of
silver and gold, the United States might invite
an international convention Of commercial ma
tions. Even such convention, white it might
check the fall of silver, could not prevent the
operation Of that higher law which places the
market value of silver above human control.
Issued upon the conditions here stated, the
Secretary Is Of opinion that tho silver dollar
will be great public advantage; but that II
Issued without limit upon the demand of the
owners ofsilver bullion, 1t will be great pub
lie injury
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
The receipts from customs for the year ended
June 30, 1876, were $l4s,Q7i ,9Si.6l, and at the
corresponding date of 1877 they were $780,
soS,4s3O7-a decrease Of Sl7,1I5,4 ,49l-54. The
receipts for the first quarter of the last fiscal
year were 81, ,554, ,72s53, while, for the corre-
sponeing period Of this year, they were $780,
e63, ,53l .56-a decrease Of s571, 1867,
The embarrassments attendant upon the
collection Of the revenue at the port of New
York-alluded to In the report of my immedi-
ate predecessor-growing out of the large num-
ber Of suits brought TO recover alleged excess
Of duties, have not ceased; but q considerable
number Of such suits have been pressed to trial.
with results in favor Of the Government In the
majority OF cases. Owing TO the multiplicity
Of such suits, a considerable delay necessarily
occurs before they can be brought to trial
which delay Is adverse to the interests both Of
the Government and tho importers. The re-
commendation Of my predecessor, that spe-
cial tribunal be created by law for the trial Of
snstoms-revcnue cases at tho port Of New
In compliance with the fourth section Of tho
oct approved August 10. 1876, and since the
9Th Of March last, commissions have been Or
eAnized, under direction Of the President, to
Investigate generally the manner in which the
customs business has been conducted at many
Of the principal ports. They were also d.
rocted to inquire into the manner in which
appointments in the customs service have been
heretofore made, and to suggest such changes
In existing laws as would more fully meet the
necessities Of commerce at the present time
and promote economy in the collection Of the
customs revenue. The action taken by this
Department, in pursuance Of the recommenda-
tion of these commissions, has worked 4
1'"is'u III inc COnuuct OF the
sustoms service.
A copy of the sixth report Of the commission
appointed t0investigate the New York custom
house is herewith transmitted, and the changes
recommended in existing laws are commended
10 the consideration of Congress. Other changes
recommended by the various commissions will
be presented to Congress in due time for such
action as may be deemed necessary.
Embarrassment has occurred during the
past year in the collection of duties on sugar,
under schedule q, title 80, of the Revised
Statutes. These duties are assessed by the
Dutch standard, according to color; and it has
been alleged that sugars have been artifcially
colored in the country of export to secure their
passage at the custom-house at o less rate of
duty than would be charged according to the
color acquired in the ordinary process of manu-
fheture.
While the truth Of such allegation has not
been established In any positive manner, not.
withstanding the thorough examination which
has been made by the officers of this depart
nent, 1t has been ascertaincd that the sus-
pected sugars, which pay the lowest rate of
duty at the custom-house, were of higher in
trinsic grade in many cases than those paying
higher, rates of duty. Statistics show that,
from some cause, a marked increase has oc-
Cured in the importation Of sugar subject to
the lowest rate Of duty, and q corresponding
aecrease In the importation of unrefned su-
Ears paying the higher rates. This Is doubt
less due In part to the act of March 3, 1875,
volume IL, page $780, which
imposed an additional duty Of twenty five per
cent. Of the duties prescribed In schedule g,
and thus increased the discrimination in favor
Of the lower grades Of sugar.
The Dutch standard is an unsatisfactory
basis for the assessment of duty, founded as II
Is on color alone which bears no definite rea-
tion to the value of the sugar. II, however,
the Dutch standard is to be retained It is rec
ommended that the grades be reduced in num-
Der, so that there shall be but three rates Of
duty, one for sugars not above No. I3, one for
Iugaro above l3 and not above 90 and another |
for all sugars above No. 20, including all re- |
fined sugars. Based upon the quantities of |
Me various grades imported during the past |
two years, the following rates would yield
about tho same amount Of revenue as was col |
lected during that time: Sugars not above No.
X, per pound, 2.3S above No. 13 and not |
above 20, 345; above 20, and all refined sug- |
Ars, cents. This is inclusive of the % per
cent additional duty imposed by the act of
March 3, 1875.
Extensive undervaluations In the entries of |
hik goods have occurred during the past year, |
nd the persistent efforts Of the officers Of the
department at the principal ports to prevent
and break up such frauds on the revenue have
not been attended with entire success. This is |
Nue ia hoiN W VIC piaCticc vi SnIppluE kOOuS 70
agents In the United States on consignment |
Nor sale on the manufacturer account, for |
which goods, It is claimed, there is consequent
y no market value abroad. 1t has been sug-
yested as a preventive for such evils in the |
Iuture, that tho duty on silks be changed to |
me per pound, instead of the present ad- -raloyeh
duty. Tho subject is commended TO the care |
|ul consideration Of Congress.
For the reasons already stated the aggregate |
revenue FROM imports cannot be decreased with !
iue regard to the wants Of the Government. |
revision Of the tariff seems desirable, and the
recommends that duty Of two cents
per pound on coffee aud ten cents per pound on
Zen be adopted, which would yield revenue,
based on the average annual consumption of
he last five years, of over twelve million dol
mrs. BY the adoption Of such n measure OPP.
portunity will be given for a moderate enlarge.
nent of tie free list, and for the reduction Of
omc internal taxes, A large number Of isolated
Irticles arc now included in the dutiablo list
which yield less than ten thousand dollars n
1eaTcach, and the cost Of collecting the duty
IN these articles is prop0rtionately greater than
m the staple articles, Tho addition of many
uch articles to the free list, in the event Of
he duty being placed on tea and coffee, would
De beneficial.
The coin value of the exports and imports of