The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-02
WASHINGTON.
The Proposed Reforms in the New
York Custom House.
DUTIES OF THE SPECIAL AGENT.
An Injustice to a West Point
Graduate Rectified.
CONDITION OF THE TREASURY.
FROM CUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT,

WASHINGTON, August !, 1873.
THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HoUsE-REToRMs
CONTEMPLATED AND HOW THEY ARE TO BE
CARRIED OUT.
u is understood at the Treasury Department that
the object assigning Mr. Curtis to duty as special
agent OF the Treasury Now York Is to carry into
practical effect a long neglected order, making the
snecaI agent the direct Of tho Secre
tary Of the Treasury with supervisory authority over
the accounts and books OF the Collector Naval ON GER
Surveyor and, fact, the entire force OF GUS
toms revenue officials at that port Tho department
does not recognize 1t the duty OF special agent TO
be acting or playing detective importations. That
IA a branch of the business which will here
after DO conducted exclusively by tho secret
service division Of the Treasury Department. In this
connection the Secretary OF the Treasury recognizes
the efcient and faithful services of Special Agent
Brackett who Will BIO subject 10 the orders OF Mr.
Curtis But In perfecting the plan Tor thorough re-
form sof the customs service in New YORK city Il
was Indispensable that the supervisory character OF
the Special AGENTS. once should be maintained In all
It's efficiency and that for this purpose the DEPART
mont selected Mr. Curtis without either his knowledge
or the eonsutation OF his wishes, that now omcer
might enter upon tie duties unsmbarrassed BY pre-
vious routine custom. Among the immediate reforms
10 DO carried into effect is prohibiting the furnish
ine OF names Of oficials who The fact
of such SECURES having been made will not be with
held but at tho expense Of suspected
parties or law does not in the opinion Of the
Treasury Department, belong TO wel regulated
system of civil service
Mr. Curtis was at the department to-day IN relation
It is said entirely to his unfinished business At Og
densburg and not at all in connection with bis new
field OF duties He Is said to be entirely free from
personal prejudice entering upon tho duty assene
nil ha hAlia hat
Arthur has been the best Collector that New York
has had in forty years. does not think that he was
rs efficient as he might have been.
What tho secret Of the unimproved opportunities
are officials Of the Special Agents Division OF The
Treasury Department decline TO reveal, but as they
are known they will hold the Collector 10 strict
accountability that the revenue service is made 40
ecieut as the personal attention OF tho Secretary ana
his representative can possibly make II
THE ASSIGNMENT OF IVES POINT GRADUATES
AN INJUSTICE HAPPILY RECTIFIED.
The assignmen OF Lieutenant Mcneil, who grad
mated fourth In his class, TO the Twenty-Gfth In
fautry tho last regiment in the whole army and one
made up OF colored men, occasioned great deal Of
indignation among the friends Of that officer until II
was explained to them at the War Department that
the assignment was made through a motive OF real
friendship for him and Is only temporary, subse-
ouent order today transferring him to ieutenancy
In the artillery ssrvce. Bsiore this expls was
given good deal OF feeling was expressed at what
was considered his consignment to Botany Bay to
crafty suspected jealousy spite OF some OF bis
superiors at West Point Usually the first i've graz
dua,es each year the academy assigned to the
Engineer Corps, but there only two vacancies In
this corps, SO that Lieutenants Hobbs, Mcneil and
Scriven had assigned to other The cavalry
service regarded next In poEs OF honor and the
artillery comes third But the artillery Is the fa-
vorito corps alter the engineers, ana Lieutenanss
Hobbs and Mcneil 60 there. An order Of promotions
rs beng made, which will promote all the additional
second Iisutenauts to full second iieutenants
COMPLAINT AND A RECOMMENDATION NOT
WE'LL FOUNDED.
It is said that Secretary sherman convinced that
e would not DO wise to make any change in the bead
OF the customs division of his Office, At least for
time 10 come. What has strengthened this conviction
Is letter recently received from prominent import
ing house New York IN which adverse ruling Of
the customs division affecting their interests
Is sharply censured and the head Of the DIVISION Mr.
James, Is earnestly recommended tor removal us
wholly unfit for SO important trust The fact Is the
ruling OF the division in favor OF tho firm, but
was by Secretary personally. The abuse
Intended subordinate unintenton ally hcapcd
upon head Of the department, while the earnest
recommen that the OF the decision DO
missed for capacity IS empbaticaily dsapproved.