The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-20
COLLECTING THE DUTIES ON SUGAR.
Charging that the Revenue has been Defrauded
of $4,000. 900 In Nine Years.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sn In THE
sUN Of Sunday last a letter appeared from a
member Of one OF the great sugar firms Of this
ds,rict-a firm which undeniably possesses
something very like monopoly Of the importa-
ton and manufacture Of an article which has
become n necessity OF life 10 almost every indi-
vdual in the entire community. As per-
son directly interested he has a right to be
heard in defence Of the very profitable system
OF sugar management" with which he has
been so prominently identified; but the public.
that has hitherto been very much at the mercy
OF these colossal sugar companies. have also q
right to examine carefully his statements. and
10 decide once for all. whether or not 1t entities
him to q verdict OF that child-llke Innocence to
which he 80 modestly lays claim.
As a matter OF course. he denies point blank
all tho charges which have been brought
against the system which he and others have
found so peculiarly profitable. In his estab-
lsumcut the revenue and the public haNo never
been defrauded 81 n cent All his importat ions.
and clRsshcations, and authorizations. in the
man pulation OF sugars and syrups. have been
NJ pure as the acts 81 the unfalcn angels We
r-ust Just take this for what II IL worth.
WAS among tho FIRST. II not the very first. TO
call the attention 81 the national Government
anu OF IN" punllc g,ncrallS, 10 we kroTs lrauus
50 long PERFORATED In this locality by tho sugar
King. Of winch your CORES pondcnt Ia tho cham
plon. Like tho devils which took possession OF
the swine. these frauds were in themselves q
Layton. There were frauds in false weigh ng.
There were frauds in colorod sugars. There
wcre frauds in under class incution. There
were frauds N rebate duties on drawback forex
portution. There were frauds OF a most Grim
inal kind ia the use 81 slu 'ose. and tin crys-
tails, and other neiHrious drugs AMI appliances
used in the process which IS called refining.
| These things We're done. and this man knows
n. / calmly and deliberately repeat and re-
| aiilrm all that | havo already uttered on THIS
most unpleasant subject; and venture 20 assert
| that. before three months have eai sd. not tie
| Government only. hut every Intelligent man
| and woman in the entire country Will bee cognl-
zant Of the fact that. during the past nine years
| the national revenue has been ulundered by
the Sugar Ring thieves Of upward Of forty
millions Of dollars.
This is bad enough in all conscience. But
| respectfully submit that what follows Is I'M
speaknbly worse.
| During all this time metallic poison has been
| mixed with the sugar which has been freely
| and unsuspectingly used 10y rich and poor and
| young and old, Throughout the entire COM
| munlty. OF course THIS IL, ana Will continue u
| be. most Nehemently denied; ana newspaper
| reporters are invited % 90 and look on while n
sham performances Is gone thr"ngh 70 noou'
wink them. But Il Will not do These crimes
have been committed for years, They are be-
ing committed Mt th. hour. and nothing shOr
| Of the state prison Will put nm end 60 them;
This defender Of tho Sugar Ring delivers
| himself OF the otacular opinion that the Gov
eminent 10 amply able 10 protect the revenue.
1t is when II has able and honest officials IN ia
| employment. men who can neither be bribet
nor caIoled. The fate OF the great MhiskeN
| Ring Of the West mikes this sufficiently eNi
| dent. So long ms complaisant Collectors, Al
| praisers, and Examiners were kept In authority
| INC style OF OlU'lNN OF NNtm New lNFh Ahs
| seen rather more than enough, and who are
| prououncedby importers and rofners and theil
tools and toadies V the very best we ever had
| SO long rs this state OF things continued th'
| robbery went on unchecked But when Col
| lectors OF fearless integrity. honest and com
| petent Appraisers. and chemists and samplers
| were put in authority. the organized villainl
| Of rich and reputable aud very religions meI
| was summary crushed. So Will u be with thi'
| vile sugar monopoly and the g"ntlemanly ras
| calls and polite thieves who have prolited by IL
| The end Of both will be the common Jail.
| Nor viii IL do for the Government to stop by
| merely redress ng the terrible wrongs OF thu
past. and bringing 10 shame and punismen
their guilty perpetrators. BY authority OF III
national Legislature a uniform duty on al
unreiined sugars whether ~ high or low quail
| ity. with athoroughly honest Collector. and with
| n Superintendent u Weighing who can neither
be fought nor llindtoded, the reign OF frau.
and robbery will be over and the Government
| Will receive its honest revenue and be able e
remit those taxes which press heaviest on
sorely tried people.
By acting on what have already spoken an
written on this subject of sugar frauds, the Gov
eminent has already saved millions Of dollars
and had Gen. y. W. Curt, been allowed to pro
he commenced q year ago in last July. lnstea
OF certain Sugar Ring reilners being nblo &
spend during single summer from tju,OOO L
100000 IN yachting. sporting ana entertain
ing their followers and admirers. they woul'
have been usefuIly employed with striped suit
penitentiAry MM II. GRACE.
997 Dekalb avenue Brooklyn,
Nov 10, 1873.