The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-12
Tnx lrAHITs or CusroM-moUsEs.
1|se 1Arifr Failure HOW IL Injuries New
d ss Orleans.

Eslttor Democrat The present revenue laws
- Unised Htates sre, with few exceptions. III,
80 that we're compiled and put into practical
<ektiion By Alexander Hamilton at the begin.
l12 q our national existence, In 1889. They
~ admirably adapted for the exigsncies OF that
etiods and for several decades worked smoothly
- harmoniousiy. But unfortunately the world
ii novess and We move with IL. From feeble
49, and spsrsely populated country we have be
9ne Z powerful, rioh and prosperous nation,
4& our intellectual and spiritual advance has
o6n eyen kreater than tho material one. The
antxy y large, its commerce. Ito ways Of trans.
stlhg business. ito necessities and resources,
Ase undergone tctal change from what they
- formerly. The system that was
nply perfection itself in Washing
6aA and Adams' days. has Jagged behind
~ times. and has become obsolete, inadequate
MnG inefficient. This sad truth has been sus-
rected Tor long time by the more clear. headed
4 our political cconom ste, and public attention
MA4 often been called 10 IL, out go difficult is IL
HM8dlnarily 70 get the wheels OF old-time travel
Il %Nt q nc accustomed rnts. and 30 diversified
E~1d eneAkonistic are the interests Of different
lions of our wide domain. that the unpslat-
no Truth hiss mp TO now been quickly put aside
l1d hid nom public view. Yet II remains one Of
~ eAcred duties OF the press TO present and
YNltNr2te the truth on every possible occasion,
Mowever distssteiu II may be, and thus finally
4ducAte the popular mind into q az state OF ap-
&fecfAtion and desire for Improvement. IL ex-
Agtlng errors ADd abuses were never pointed out
44fh1nG but universal apathy and Indifference
4Qmld exist, and reform would simply become an
11t1nGible phantom.
js THE TARIFF FAILURE.
iound II impossible to repress these and SINH
A1fefIectione while rendng some weeks 40 the
8x9PQrt Of the investigating committee which gave
40 opinion on the New Orleans Custom. House
1a the mode Of conducting 1t to the Secretary Of
6Bnscientous one, and contained plain and un-
ArMsbod statement Of existing abuses and i'm.
y&lecf10ne, and suggesti0ns--nore or less prac-
\ &xeAl and sensible--as TO their correction and
4M1elorAtfon. Still, no man OF average intelli-
ucnoe can fail, after reading il attentively, to
0cxne 81 tho conclusion that our present system
raising revenue from import duties
~ hmentablc failure; that II encourages
3x1nd and deceit, impedes commerce In an
aheArkble manner, and obtains for the govern
1ene comparatively small sum at m exorbitant
%xptnse. Tho main cause OF this unpleasant
te OF affairs - the incredibly intricate and por-
nxlng tariff Of Customs. As q colossal monu.
ent vf ineficiency and failure It is sui gene,is.
80 stands without rival. The present tariff
Il e9 directly IN The face OF every sound maxim OF
0Macd economy, and disoourages honest trading
III IN features, while it invites and encourages
4A9cality Mere changes Of officials can do no
4xeAt Eood-the evil lies deep, ana must be at
i 1Ncked 81 the roots The most eweepur change
~ onicials--from secretary down to the ordinary
D 6nAtmsn and warehouse porter-would do no
Tefmanent good: ~ long as the false system IL
! 4elf remains In force. Change Of personnel has
6aen tried so often that OF last the proverbal new
M8oom falls 20 sweep clean, even for few days.
IA tho most easy and natural manner. and as a
&tter Of course, new officers fall into the corrupt
md slp-shod ways Of their predecessors, till In.
%&omp0tency and ign0ran3 30 have become the nor
- condition Of nearly every custom-house in
Tic country. This state OF affairs has forced it.
Gnlf on the attention Of the public Ut large for
1omo years, and it 10 beginning at last TO be be-
.sved that no sham pretense OF civil service re-
41km will ever % any earthly good.
q The whole custom house system will have to
- nwept Awav like chat before the wind before
~ moral atmosphere Of the country can be
&ae y becoming 10 univsr and 20 strong that
tf ul Be impossible for the old fogies of former
tfMtee 10 fesist IL many years longer.
look upon free trade as panacea for most OF |
~ evils our body corporate IL afflicted with; not
TT regard : sudden and sweeping abolition of
10 present tariff ~ possible. or even advisable
ut advise such eimplification OF IL that the |
2xeat iemptafion to fraud and dishonesty which |
@xiStx q present is taken away, and the ever. |
66uxfin9 scandals that are inseparably connec ed
{ali the c0ilec ion OF duties, made more scarce |
~ leex glazing. change TO simpler and bet |
63efem can and ought to be made gradually |
almost insensibly. England has paesed /
9fh the same phases OF bad laws, corruption,
1S1s reform and final perfection that the /
States viii have TO traverse, and fur /
c11 excellent example and precedent to us.
S61o IaWg formerly were, II possible more /
N72SA barbarous, foolish and complicated
and iirequired incessant agitation
Il 8enerati0ns before more rational =