The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-29
REPORT or THE TREASURY COMMISSION.
Strong Condemnation Of the System Of
Political Appointments.
RADICAL DENOMINATIONS RECOMMENDED.
Character Of Employees and
Hours of Labor.
THE PRESIDENTS ACTION ON THE REPORT.


WAsuiSGTos, D. c., May 49, 1871
The following the report Of the Treasury New York
Custom House Commission and accompanying letters
OF the President and Secretary Of the Treasury upou
the subject OF the investigation Of the
CUSTOM HOUSE, New YoRK, May "a, 1871
SIR-In your letter oil tho 23d OF April requesting us
TO make thorough examination into tho conduct or
specified the following among the first points TO be
braced In the examination
Of the
es oss ANA the e
o1 q they are and whether
REDUCTIONS REcoMxENDED
In response to this instruction the Commission
Bpectfuly report that, with reference 10 tho reduced
business Of the Custom House the present time.
to the proposed increase In tho hours employed, anu
DO retained the forcc now employed IN the Custom
House, Naval once and the Surveyors Office, number
Ing together Oas mcn.excludng Tor tho present The
numbers BY about twenty per cent For the general
character OF tho reduction which has presented se
tho Commission they beg u refer to memorandum an
nexed marked "a" with the suggestion that the pcr-
son or persons who may DO designated by the DEPART
give TO The character OF the reduction in
each division moro searching and minute considera
ton than the commission under your varied instrUc-
lions have been ablc to give 10 this branch OF the sub
ject
II Will be observed that the Commission proposed
the abolition OF tho Office OF deputy collector ut largo,
which is vacant, aud the ONCE OF other deputy
collectors and acting deputies. the suspension OF ITO
oincc OF the deputy collector NJ Jersey CITY Uor
the reasons mentioned In appendix marked "B"l the
continued vacancyn the Office oil assistant collector
aud the discharge Of deputy surveyor
THE HOURS or EMPLOY.
They further report that tho hours OF employ, which
commence nominay at nine, but in practice generally
ut ten O'Clock, should be in all the departments IRON
uine O'Clock A. N. Ill four p b., excepting where
longer term IS prescribed by law
II seems not improbable that the investigate which
Is still continuing into other questions submitted by
your letter. or subsequently referred to the Commas
close Tor further reduction OF iorce and
such Will doubtless be the case should he
sdopted BY the department under the present law or
BY Congress IN futuro legislation. tor the
Of separate departments or tho simplhcation Of the
general system.
Tho propriety OF the reduction tho force pro-
posed, generally sustained ny the Collector Naval U-
Ger anu surveyor (copics OF whose letters are ap-
pended marked e. and Ell IS indicated by the obser-
vation of comm and by the testimony OF OK
pcricncsd oflcals whose opinions seem 10 afford
Guar antoe thur wish The increase OF hours aud wiso
and vigorous administration, no Inconvenience tho
governments or 10 the merchants Can ARISE from it's
adoption.
CHARACTER OF FORCE
The proposed reduction OF The force brings 30 view,
directly bearing upon the choice OF the officials
be retained, some OF the points submitted 10 the
mission. Tnsy instructed to inquire whether
nyrofeh01oreo now eInployed deficient 10 proper
aniogIny Of character, and whether they are IN any
MANNER employed in other business
METHOD OF APPOINTMENT.
Tho commission also instructed TO pquire tas
10 the manner Ill which appointments arc made;
whether u can be Improved ana whether the appoint
mcnts heretofore mado have been made political
Influence without due regard TO efficiency The
tmony taken thus far has becn largely that OF officers
OF the service, aud the TACT that appointments are
mado on political influence Is from tho
admission OF number OF these gentlemen
whose position would naturally indispose Them 10
exaggerate the defects OF system which the
governments they served had recognized and which
they had themselves been called TO administer. With
evidence makes IL PLAIN that while the princ
piles of governmental management have been Illus
Improvement In tho terms OF service extending In one
case 70 fortyeght years las exhibited IN the appcn
dlccs + and G, submitted by Mr.. Collector Arthur),
the appointments have bcen made IN great part under
political pressure from party considerations aud with
insufficient regard TO the fitness Of the appontecs.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
Whilc aiming to avoid o course OF inquiry that might
TO imply q scrutiny into individual denqu oncies
rather the broad inquiry Indicated by depart
into the general conduct OF the customs service,
with u view 70 such reforms as might be found desra
bio and practicable, the commission report as their
conclusion, from the evidence gwen aud from their
own observation that part OF the force now en-
ployed IN the service arc deficient IN The
business qualifications and integrity OF characters that
few them employed moro less In private
the interests oil tho service, and that some fraudu
lsny accept moneys Tor services rendered il their
ohcial capacity. For these reasons the commission
think that the proposed reduction OF the force should
be mado In tho various divisions and classes after
careful scrutiny and examination n each DIVISION
such manner the wisdom OF the department may
determine, 10 the end that the government may retain
the most faithful and efficient OF Its present officials
Under tho existing system the incumbcnts OF onico
In the customs service, however high, responsible
difficult may be tho duties, requiring ofton the skill
md experience OF experts are appone ed generally at
he request oil politicians and political associations In
his and other States with little examination
The fitness OF the apponees beyond tho recommends
rne Commission, in response 10 the questions
VI the department, pronounce this manner
Of appointment TO be unsound IN principle,
influence on ali connected with the Customs
service and calculated to encourage and pepetuae OIL
heal Ignorance, incuicency and corruptIon winch,
pcrverng the powers OF the government to personal
party ends have burdcncd the country with debt
and taxes and assisted to PROSTATE tho trade and
Industry OF inc nation The Commission believe that
Jhere can DO no adequate protection IN Customs SER
vice for the honor OF the government, tho rights
service Is freea from the control OF party aud organ
ized on strictly business basis with the same guar
hntoes for efficiency and fidelity IN the selection Ut the
chief and subordinate officers that would be required
by a prudent merchant.
Al the New York Custom House arc collected from
seventy 10 seventy per cent OF our customs rcvc
nue., and It's present receipts amount 70 about
Sos, 000 Tho ndeIity OF s management concerns
a. once our foreign commerce. our domestic inanuac-
lures the general prosperity oil our people and the re-
spect and confidence OF the world.
the EXISTING TARIFF
Its management complicated by tho existing tariff,
winch suhJects To duties, specific or al vaorem, or
both, LOO articles; ana to tho importers and
American man ufncturcrs who invest their capital In
Enterprises ased upon tho exact provisions OF tho
larf II becomes matter oil concern, shown by the
complaints luid before he Commissio ion, that the
dtons OF the tarin willis remains In force shall not
be changed by ignorance. carcicssncss fraud IN IFS
execution
These considerations, which have been iorcbly i'm
pressed upon the Commission, present the Customs
service not simply as machinery Tor collecting a
certain amount oil revenue, but AS q complicated
and sacred trust, upon whose faithful execution
with single eye to the letter and spirit Of the law
depend IN large measure our commerce and manuac-
lures In this view the question oil political appoint
mt nts the recognition OF partisan power outside OF
the government divided among irresponsible leaders,
claiming tho right TO dispose Of tho Offices OF tho
TOMS tho spoIls OF party, assumes national mag
pitudo and Importance.
THE OFFICES PARTY
appears from the testimony that under the present
system the officers who appointed through political
influence expected TO make their offices contribute
In turn to the support oil tho party, and that tho
amount OF the contributions asked rom tho men Is
fixed By . percentage their respective sal
ares. Most OF The officials thus assessed