New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-02
THE CUSTOMS SYSTEM.
OUTLINES OF THE INVESTIGATION.

FERNANDO WOODS PLANS FOR TIE wO~K OF HIS
CoMMnTEF-HIs VIEWS on THE sERvicy.
Fernando Wood viii be engrOssed with pub
lie business during remainder OF tIe Con gressional
! vacation. He was found recently at his Nassau-st
Office and on being asked for an outline Of the pro
! gramne 20 be pursued by the Custom H0ule Investt
eating Committee OF which he is Chairman, said
sit can scarcely be said that we have programme
yet This IS the resolution which adopted creating
the nitee, which is subcommittee OF tho Ways
and Means Committee Of the House. It's Instructions
are 10 examine into the present method and machinery
Of customs collection and to recommend such measures
for systematzing and simplifying them, re may
seem wise 20 the committee, which consists OF
General Garfield, OF Ohio; ]. Randolph Tucker,
Of Virginia; General n. p. Banks, Of Massa-
chusetts; Judge Phelps. OF Connecticut; Henry
b. Harris, of Georgia; General Randall Gibson, OF
Louisiana, and myself BY the resolution we are re-
quired to begin our work on Monday. All Of the
members will not be present, but We shal have quo
rum with General Garfield. General Gibson and myself
conference will be held first in my Office, after which
the committee wiz begin its sessions in The room which
the Custofse officials have placed at our disposal.
II Is the room the Auditor of the Naval Office, and ~
SO situated free the committee Of disturbance from
nosjn the street doubt If the ork OF the committee
VIII 81 OF much the public before the final re-
port is submitted. committee appointed by the Cham
Der OF Commerce will make suggestions 10 US at
tho outset"
Zone embarrassment 70 the Work OF tnls
arises from the fact that member is candidate
for reelection and is actively engaged in making per-
sOnal canvass Of his district But as II is subcommt
tee having only gether information to be presented
TO the Committee on Ways and Means its work can be
prosecuted by two or three members Fortunately
have abundant time for the work. For while am not
Indifferent to the canvass in this city and State. yet
far as NY own reflection concerned II the people OF
my district do not longer require my services am will
ing to retire private life after public service ex-
tending over third Of century. do not feel that is
necessary for to make any personal efforts for re-
election"
"our investigation will probably go further than that
Of the Jay Commission continued Mr.. Wood We
shall not use their conclusions beginning The Jay
Commission did good work, but had different OBJ
ect in view. Our investigation has 10 political signn-
oance except will aim TO benefit the Government
and the people. There will be nothing personal in the
investigation. It has been said that without faithful
and intelligent agents to execute them laws are OF little
avail But the Secretary Of the Treasury, assume,
knows whom has put R the places provided by law to
discharge tho duties Of the Customs service Who these
officers are does not concern us. Our in1me-
date object is to study the workings and
the relations of the different parts of the machinery
which Ia the resa OF these laws and Treasury rulings,
and see II il is not possible to simplify and consolidate
We want 70 get at the theory OF the present system Of
revenue collection and If it is not possible TO improve
where 80 much improvement seems TO be needed. My
own objection to the present system ia that 1t costs twice
as much as ought collect the customs revenues OF
the country owing needlessy extensive and compli-
Gated machinery. This year, with estimated revenues
OF S13s 600 900, the collection costs per cent be-
eye mat such collections can probably be made Tor
or per cent Of tie revenues For years mas cost me
Government from to per cent 10 collect external
aud internal not including tue cost ana repair
of buildings belonging 10 this branch OF the public ser
vice won't say for just what reasons politicians have
done much 70 maintain Vicious SsIo mST<S Ss5be'
which began long before the ParY was Dom,
hut which has since been extended believe, TOO tnaG
there are peculiar defects in the system which invite
COLLISION between the officers and the importers ana,
aside from the unnecessary expense 10 the
nvos s9e Pr''eh Ike eR
pense on the merchant who makes the consumer pay
way for consolidating the three great divisions OF the
Custom House. the Colectorg, the Naval Officers and
the Surveyors Departments. Also to consolidate some
~ the numerous divisions Of these special departments
al three cannot be joined IN one we snal lry 10 MAKE
one less by combining any two Of them. IL seems 10 me
nat ibrre Is forca or clerks the Custom House Large
enough about double the collections especially
UndeubJedIy duties should be specific far posi-
ble - SAID Mr. Wood but silks and fabrics which
sold by yard and other classes Of goods can
not well he made sRccaS or. au,isy weuS be
better calculate tine duties on home Valuations ana
moi ON the OF tine goods in tne country wnere t6ey
were purchased. Many suits nave grown out OF dis
putes as the value OF the goods In the country where
easily be determined. am told that the French system.
which is wonder In It's construction, but Is very COM
ia leading great deal OF trouble, and tlat
French manufacturers are agltauLg Tor a change'
They import manly Few IeT TAPES a ra mS0 S GC
hy supplying the whole world with luXurlesS
while consuming comparatively few luNures themselves
tXtryagant Americans and Engshmen nave been thelr
prnc customers. IL has been steadily my enter ann
To asi, in developing the great resources OF this coun
try believe that arc I'm position now 70 command
the trade of whole world We can produce anything
that can be made any cline Our material Is OF the
best, machinery very superior our Invention uhll-
lied and our energy and facility in production
are unsurpassed. Europe Is largely Denghted
aud ignorant OF the benefits 10 DO derived
frOm trading with The peasants OF France
scarcely know OF any city but Paris. We have sent
cotton goods steel to England, and recently our
stks have been indirectly imported into France. III all
our pOrts were opened free 10 the whole world, co not
bDk IL would In closing single WORKSHOP IN inc
cDuntry-because OF tho superiority aud comparative
tbag as absolute trade. We must have arH for
Inc support Government England collects rev
cuuo enough for her needs on sixteen articles tlnk
We could arrange derive sufficient revenue from
mink we are Oh the eye," concluded Mr. Wood, OF
the greatest prosperity the American people nave seen,
from the Revolution down. IL Will not be FICTITIOUS, ana
based on tho stmulant OF champagne and speculation,
s after war; bus the strength OK our naive COLI
stuton and enforced sObriety. The reaction IN 1873
gave US a terrible heanacne for we had been running
RIOT and were Intoxicated Those VINO survived leel 10
daY better aud stronger than ever before. We
have been taught a good lesson IN onIcfcea econ.
smy and the precept OF economy is DOW practised
by wen mIiuOndreS IL permeateS the WhOe sOcla
fabric COngFess would not DO willing 70 adopt anew
the-od reciprocity treaty which gave Canada An all
y,nlage over us, but think Congress would accept
RECIPROCITY treaty, based upon au equality or trade.
should favor It. Maine aud other Eastern states would
3 hostile TO the project. thnk free trade with Can
ada would benefit both. In conversation Which
eral OF Canada, he expressed very liberal views. L
think II the details OF treaty could ne LETT 10 COM
mission composed OF intelligent men, the question would
be- solved satisfactorily"