Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-22
NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE FRAUDS

The Chicago Times of Saturday presented
a statement in detail asserting that the New
York customs house is dishonesty managed
in the interest of New York importers as
against importers of interior cities. It in
stances as effects of this management that
Field, Letter & Co., who formerly imported
all their silk are now compelled to buy nearly
all of the New York importers; that Slodden
g. Co., who formerly imported to Chicago
largely of dried fruits and Cross & Black
wells goods, can now get better terms by
importing at New York; and that there are
but few Chicago houses now trading with
York or importing through its custom house
which would not, if the law was honestly and
justly administered, import at Chicago.
The methods by which discrimination is
made in favor of the New York importers
are described as including perjury, fraudulent
and illegal averages of damages to goods for
rebates of duties the passing of plums as
prunes, and similar eyasions; the illegal
opening of packages destined for interior
custom houses and abstracting parts Of their
contents: and, more than all else, fixed
practice of differentiation of goods imported
by New York men, the allowing New York
importers, who are not agents, certain
advantages attaching to imports on
account of the foreign producer or manufac-
turer on the plea that they are agents instead
of buyers, and occasional direct smuggling
Of entire cargoes for New York account.
Mr.. Ray, of Field, Letter & Co., inter-
viewed on the subject, thought no relief
would come until specific duty was levied
on dress goods without relation to price or
quality-by the yard, one duty for cottons,
one for woolens, one for silks, without re-
gard to texture or fneness. He accounted
for the inability of Chicago houses to COM
pete with New York houses in importing by
their being unable to get the ''rates''
allowed New Workers at their Custom
House. Last season he was able to
buy silks in New York for ST 10 which would
have cost him, to import, so. He thought
it useless to hope that an honest man would
ever be put in the appraisers office at New
York, and next to an honest man there he
considers specific duties the best thing.
Messrs Keith Brothers and Sladden & Co.
confirmed what the Times charges against
the New York customs officers.
! This matter is of Importance to every in
terror commercial city, and should not only
be looked into but, if found as represented
should be remedied without consider
Loft 4ho -,
terests involved in the question Of
who appoints the officers. There
was recently an investigation of the condue
of the New York custom house, which
whether it disclosed damaging facts or not
has not been made known,-though organs
of the de facto administration and of the
Conking- custom house-ring have alike sale
that no fault was found. Mr.. Hayes, howev
er, did undertake to remove the principa
custom officers at New York, but, because ht
had no reasons for their remova
that he dared give to the country, thu
Senate negatiyed his action in thu
matter. It is now announced tina
he will again undertake to remov,
New York custom house is as rotten as W,
believe it 10 be the removal of the three prin
cipal officers will not purify it. It should b.
thoroughly renovated and made to execut
the laws honestly and impartially. If Ney
York men will not do that, it is competen
for the President and the Senate to appoin
Western men who will.