The New York herald., 1878-09-23
OUR COMMERCE.

MERCHANTS COMPLAIN THAT THE CUSTOM
HOUSE AUTHORITIES INJURE THE SOUTHERN
AND CENTRAL AMERICAN TRADE.
great deal Of dissatisfaction has existed Of late
among merchants engaged in the Southern and Con-
tral rican trade the strict enforce
Of sections 1858 TO 1855 of the Revised Stat
utes, which require that all goods imported Into
United States shall, before shipment, be produced
and verified before consul nearest the place Of ship
mont. They claim that section 1850 provides that
the sections before mentioned shall not apply 10
countries whore there Is consul, vice consul or
commercial agent OF the United States and that for
several years past II has been the custom oi the
ports where there was no consul, vice con-
sui commercial agent OF tho United States,
upon declaration of two resident mer-
chants Of the port who certify to that fact,
and who furthermore state that, to the best OF their
knowledge and belief the invoice sxnbts the actual
value OF goods mentioned In 1t. For the past. few
months this practice has been stopped and the
reading OF the law has been enforced. Merchants
who at the presea, ,ime enter goods with
two mercnants' declarations are compelled 10 give a
bond to produce invoice, certified to before
sui or commercial agent OF the United States. This
has caused them great deal OF trouble as, for In
Juan del Sur Nicaragua, on Inc wost coast, and the
chief port OF one OF the largest cities in tho country
at C0rinto distant by land 230 miles, and there
cart road tor travellers between the Two ports
the only way OF reaching there being by the mule
path; aud, as far as United States Consul Is cou.
cerned, he Is much more difficult Of access.
GOODS
The principal exports from the port oil San Juan dol
Sur are hiues rubber and deerskins. all OF which are
freely Used by manuac In ihis country and are
ciassed as tree gooas. paying no duty. Tho
chants Claim that the pOSSiUty oil OBTAINING
thess goods at this port until the shipper takes his
invoices travels ON muicback 10 Corinto as them
certified and returns 20 ship tho goods, Will tend to
divert the shipments to otner lrkes, whero loss
Formally is necessary and where tho slightly lower
price may be balanced by the more prompt receipt OF
the goods and thclr consequently better conditon.
Another reason advanced why no bar should be placed
to commerce with these ports Is that when these
products come to this country returns made in
manufactured goods, flour aud other produce OF the
United States. In this manner these imports OF hides
rubber ana deerskns furnish raw material Tor m anu
lacturers OF various Glasses OF goods IN The United
States, and help them 10 dispose OF their manuac-
tured goods IN other lines
Tho port OF San Juan del Sur is not the only place
where tho eniorcemsnt OF this law 10 SAID inJure
commerce. otiil more hampering Is the ruling Affect
Ing the possessions OF Great britain the West
Indies. In the Bahama Islands there Is only one
sui and sh are forced to appear before him with
their invoices and have them duly certIled.
MERCHANTS VIEWS
A HERALD representative VISITED some OF the nrms
extensively engaged The Southern ana Central
American trade, and found thcm all bitterly opposed
TO new regulations Pomares IL Cushman, of No.
3S broadway, were worry mucn surprised Wnen lhetr
attention called TO the subject. Tney SAID that it
must have been IN existence ouly short time ana
they supposed they had not heard OF because during
the last months tney had not received any goods
from places where there Is no consul or commercial
agent They expected cargo, however, In low
days, which would be certified TO by two resident
merchants, anu they pronounced the enforcement OF
this law poor policy the part o! the government
and great bar TO commerce.
Mr. CotheaL oil CotheaI Il Co, No s Beaver street,
said that the enforcement OF this law was perfectly
outrageous. He had called the attention Of the GUS
,xpVir md lhau ncgn IuaA
that IL wrong, but said they mad no option.
They mad received orders from Washington
to secure a remedy ior evil was apply to tho
Secretary oi the Treasury. Nj. Cotneal said that
u the Secretary or the Customs onicinis Knsw
q considerable distance IN that country they
would not be 30 ANXIOUS 10 enforce he law. he (Mr.
Coinea mad been tuere and III some parts OF Central
America, man ON muieback cannot make over ten
miles day Tue largest distance It is possible to trav-
crse twenty four hours 10 litY miles 1t Is impos-
sble the United STATES to get commercial agents 10
there Tor The miserable lee o 50 90 all invoice.
AS Tor himself he would 20 II IN actual need
aud offered an enormous salary. NJ. Cotheai also
called attention 10 aLoher alleged abuse pracsed by
the customs officials. rhe principal imports bong
with a rope. SO that they can be easily examined
the dock. la former years IL was the custom
satisfied with Ihis but carl OF ono package 10 tho
pubic stores Oh the plea that they wisn 10 see II II Is
as has bssu represented tis kept there Tor week,
and sometimes ior month. la the meantime the
merchant has sold the goods ana not deliver them
70 his Gust Vers until such me ss the Custom House
authorities tho package taken to the puDiic
stores Merchants reason Tor THIS except
that The authorities want 10 make Carriage lee Tor
some OF their iriendk
Lannan Kemp, on the corner or william and
Pearl streets, other merchants corr0borated ali tho
foregoing, aud said that they nad repeatedly called
the attention OF Secretary Sherman to the matter.
THE CUSTOM house SIDE OF THE CASE.
On inquiry at tho Custom House the officials
complaint They stated, however, that 1t Was simply
the law that tney were eniorcng and referred TO hc
following sections Of the Revised Statutes TO maintan
their posItion:-
duty belonging residing tho tiue Ia The
sams .Sa b. admt.od to entry unless The insoee l.
verified ny the oath OF the owner or one Of the owners
tor himself partners
true aud issa account Of the cost thers"i and
o all charges thereon, aud that no discounts bounes
such have been actually allowed on the same such
oatn sns. pg samn's.rcu oy eon" , or , 'i
authorized to administer oatbs IN the country where the
merchandise purchased. and the saaIi be duy
cerhed the consul COMMERCIAL agent pulie officer.
ana when such oath namnisterea by an cheer o.sr
such oics certificate shall he authenticated by sueh
s44 II there is consul commercial agent Of
the United states IN tho country from watch sneh er
chandse imported the authenticstion required ~
tue preceding section shall De executed 1y consul OF
there Is any such RESIDING there II thers
consul In the country the autentica.on small be made
respectable merchant ~ any there oe residing In tho
port which the merchandise sh Ill have been imported
Tho officials oi the Cussom House say tnat num-
Der OF plants have been made by consus To the
effect that merchants nave taken advantage o This last
section, aud very often hao invoices autnenti-
Gated by Tho merchants IN ports where consus re-
In this way the consuis nave lost large amount
IN fses.
ENFORCEMENT THE LAW.
The law has been enforced Tor Sax months only, and
tho epartment 10 gradually letting up on those ports
winch nave been clearly proven 20 them TO nave no
consul commerciai sgsnt. since tne enforccine ent
Of tho law government has agreed " accept "a
certificates OF two merchants Residing at the follow
lug ports ts:--Arabia, KockIsnd, N. Is. Eteu, Psru;
Ragged Islands Juan del Ventura lsa Peru Dorches-
ter, N. b., aud Grand Aeuan, N. u. The provieo,
however. made that the goods are not suD.
ject TO vslorem duties. me following ports are
under consideration by the customs authorities -
Bahia de Caracucz ana EsmarRida, Ecuador. sfno
application OF merchants TO allow invoices to oc
autuentcaed by two resident merchants st The fo.
loving poris has been r0uscd Cat Island, one ol
the Bahamas, because there ~ consul IN ono oil the
Islands IN the group, ana Christsnsen Norway, be.
cause there 10 a consul a. Bergen, Norway.
1he officials nj the Custom House say that the only
way merchants to Obtain reorsss u by applying tc
tho Secretary of the Treasury hud II no hnds that