New-York tribune., 1878-05-25
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
QUESTIONS AFFECTING IMPORTERS.

| A DECISION BY COLLECTOR ARTHUR IN Ihh MD
GLOVE CAsEs-DUTlEs on SUGAR
Collector Arthur yesterday gave his deci-
siop in regard 70 the detained consignments Of Kid
gloves He susains the appraisement OF Generh Ap
praiser Ketchum, which advances the value "a 10 per
cent above the invoice value and carries pehaS VI ~
per cent The report OF the Merchant Appraiser nAeo
the value OF tie gloves little IN excess OF per cen'
above the invoice value and thus carried no penalty.
Collector Arthur says that he has read carefully the 5oV
pages OF testimony presented to him. ana thI ho uo
not see how General Appraiser could nave reacneu
any other conclusion than that which he ala reach III
regard 10 one class OF gloves manufactured exclusively
for one firm and having therefore no fixed market Vaue
abroad the Collector says that Mr. Ketchum has Deen
guided in his apprasemeut by the Treasury circular OF
Apr IL 1870 which establishes the rules for securing
a correct valuation
Some of the Custom House officials express the opinion
that the Treasury rules by which Mr.. ketchum was
governed do not give just and correct basis OF & est
mate, and that they do great Injustice 70 nS
have expended large sums IN securing lhonopog % oa
been released the importers making special depOsits
to cover the excess duties and the penalty the mer
chants preparing protests, and the matter VIII pe
carried into the courts Tor Judclai decisloh'
THE TARIFF on SUGAR.
The Treasury Commission yesterday resumed the eA-
animation OF the alleged Irregularities IN the sugar
trade the witnesses being Lawrence Turnure, OF Moses
Taylor & Co.; solon Humphreys. OF E. d. Morgan Co.;
Theodore BaNculcleT,Ol lbNtmOSVi " '@i"N'' 49,
skeele and H. Ami, Of Renauld, FRANCOIS co. Ihe
evidence was largely in regard to the value OF the polar
,scope and the facilities which II was alleged were
afforded for fraud by its USE and in regard TO the or Vi
tariff most acceptable to the trade The witnesses u
fered concerning the pOarscope, some hoidhS tha IL
supplied the only means OF securing true saccharlhe
test and others claiming thatn the hands OF unscrupu-
lous men would make frauds comparatively easy Inc
wnesses requested to state their views IN Wr.the
on the scale OF duties most suitable to the trade
A leading sugar importer has submitted TO the COM
mission the following views on the proposed duties OF
ia, Wood Tariff BILL le invited to do at the ses
sion held on wednesday:
Tn. abuses and frauds that have sprung up In the ex
ection of the present customs tariff whereby revenue is
lost md honest trade is destroyed, while spreaahg ne
mOrallzatlon throughout the trade make IL an lmpera
i've necessity that this most lmpOrtdnt mater shOuu
receive the immediate and earnest attention 0f Congress
To postpone it for another year or anOher stsSO an
suggested by that small but evidently pOWeTlul inter
est whose existence Is but too plainly n0lcated III tue
present and proposed tariffs, would be SIMPLY 20 aSsa
yate the evil terate what remains or honesty, en-
courage protect dshonesand deprive tue treasury
Instead Of simplifying the mode of lcvylng duties, the
proposed tariff adds new and subtle processes OF mys
ncatiCn Every truly Objectionable feature OF the pres
ent law retained aud superadded thereto Is he pro
OF mystery by the use OF INC poif % ra I
object been 10 devise some scheme whereby IFauus
uon tho could be practscd without rear OF ue
lection, aud tue Whole susdr iIaJ w. ~ nn @ bnve
their manufactures IN NO ana the very le" acl
ting with them, this bill could hardly DC lmproVeu
For revenue purposes which sugars alone are called
upou 10 contribute enormous sum OF over oiOOoO-
600 n IL submitted that simple duty Of or2l2 cents
nrr u0lnd on all sugars would ylcd the necessary
amouut and could be collected by simply weighing tbe
imports without fraud or evasion, ana al very trhhE
xueu.c 10 Ia. Government, compared TO the present
sys EN- or the proposed. II reduction ot taHHon
h. dr.Irrd now better can be accomplished tnan by
reducing the of article which u an element oI
every meal ot the rich ana the pOOrf Poverty may sep
argtc its victim from tea aud coffee but from sugar
never while starvation Is kept dt bay. .
duty OF 2l2 cents per pound on nll sugar. no.
above No 10 Dutc standard IN color and 3l2 or even
cents per pound all above that number would accom-
pish the object. .,, :, .,,-....t ~.
n nominal expense; the poor man cOuld nave 6Oou
raw sugar. and pure IN saccharne matter h~eau Oh
iSo led and uu " holesomo refined yellow sugar
now forced upon hun, and which he has 10 pay TAX
10 the mOuUpOllst.