New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-12
suGGEsTIONs FOR REFORM.

mttee would glad to receive suggestions from dele
cation Of the Chamber Of Commerce. he fully expected
that at least OF his colleagues w0ud be pres
ent 10 support their chairman. He in his chair al
1880 and waited TIL IL for the appearance OF Gen
eral Banks and Judge Phelps then concluded to ga
on with ,ut them Collector Merritt and Naval officer
Burt were present on the invitation OF Mr. Wood The
Chamber OF Commerce was represented by jackson 3
Schultz and Daniel c. Robbins of the firm OF Mckesson
& Robbins, and SherbOrne b. Eaton as counsel Inc
Board Of Trade Of Boston represented by its ooun
sell Henry b. Hyde. few gray-haired merchants were
present and many merchants clerks who followed the
several speakers closely and made such comments to
one another as "gOOd" that's the glst OF the whole
matter" q" I'd like TO applaud that" etc.
Mr.. Eaton first addressed Mr.. Wood He submitted
the following suggestions for the consideration OF the
committee saying that they received the unanimous
support Of all merchants present at recent meeting OF
the Chamber OF Commerce. and that they also embraced
the views Of the Boston Board Of Trade:
l. The abolition Of trlpcate invoices and consular GER
tifcates.
be nyOced at actual market value at period OF eXpof-
ton.
d oaths to entries to be made before notaries and
8. The Government to retain in its discretion the
whole or any part OF an invoice for not more than ten
The reduction Of penal bonds from double the value
Of the goods to once the value S ct I6e goods
s. The equalization Of appraisements at the different
o. No duty shall be charged on goods stolen other
wise lost while IN bonded warehouse.
10 The law for dischargtng export bonds should DC
IL The total abolition of damage allowances.
IL The payment Of duties In certified gold checks.
13 Completion OF liquidation OF entry within thirty
IA The abolition Of petty fees including fees for per-
10 Let there be an additional United States Judge in
NewYOrk for the hearing Of customs cases exclusively
The Government should pay interest aud costs GU
Judgments, the same as other defendants;
entered for inland transportation should be abolished
10 A change from ad YalOrem 70 specific duties.
10. The abolition Of the Naval Office.
Briefly commenting on these suggestions, Mr.. Eaton
said that many Of them laid before the Jay Com
mission. II was the wish OF the Chamber of Commerce
TO return TO the law Of 1868, when rpcate invoices
foreign declarations and consular certificates were not
muse The merchants would DO content to hand over
the goods and the invoices the Custom House autho
ties and say Now make up your duty" On the second
aud third points he asserted that the aw required that
goods be nvoced at the market value at the time Of
production, when merchants always shipped goods in
voiced the then market value. On purchased goods
the law onesided and favored the Government II
the market price went up the Government held the i'm
porter for the increase but II the market price declined
the merchant held to the purchase price. If the
entry oaths could not be abolished altogether merchants
wanted the privilege Of making oath before some legal
officer and OF being saved the Inconvenience OF waiting
during busy hours at the Custom House. Merchants
ought to be better protected against arbitrary decisions
Of the appraisers Appraisements Of different Custom
Houses ought to be equazed rs not 20 give the
chants Of port unjust advantage those OF
ather port as happened at the present time II cert
fed gold checks used in place Of coin, business
would be facilitated and the merchants relieved Of loss
which Is now sustained Petty fees ought 10 be abo
ished OF paid by afiXng stamp 10 tho invoice great
necessity existed for additional United States Court
cases against the Government cost the merehsnt too
much time, and II he succeeded he had to pay his
costs and the costs Of both If he failed
Henry B. Hyde, for the Board OF Trade Of Bos
ton. said that commerce impeded by cum
bersomo laws. and changes necessary. An
tlAy ought TO be simply description OF goods
imported aud the amount Of duties to be paid
Consular certificates had ceased 10 be Of use IN
settling the market value Of goods, for the duty in
many instances assessed the market value OF the
goods the day the entry was made and the telegraph
outtripped the consular eertheste Values should be
determined at the port OF entry IL impossible
China and consular certificates obtained there would
not be received authority in New-YOrk. Duties on
check system OF the Naval Office useless because
computations for duty were not binding until the
the goods. The damage allowance law absurd and
encouraged aud more than any other part Of the sys
tenn. without requiring the merchant TO make OATH
officers should ascertain the amount Of damage and al
low accordingly One round charge should take
the place OF several petty fees Custom House oaths
had become by-woid' ana gave no protection to the
jackson s. Schultz said that entry clerks ought to
keep q complete record OF invoices 70 protect the
Goyernment against fraud The Naval Office was an
incubus which made pretence Of checking the errors
OF the Collectors Department He believed that the
ered n the Naval Office He was opposed to the bond
system but bonds 20 be given at ALL they should
he more substantial than brokers' bonds Merchants
tolerated brokers for the simple that they
could give the necessary bonds This system ought TO
be stopped. Sugar Tregularties had reached such
point that Il almost impossible for reputable
chants to deal in sugars II was frequently matter of
81 1000 or 50 to importer whether the
pier his tester up into the ghtercOOred end OF the
hOghead down where the sugar was made darker by
the settling Of the mOasses He favored Court Of Ar
bitratOn 20 consist OF three men, living ia Phiade
phia another in Boston, and the third in New-York.
These could settle minor disputed points separately and
come together month for the arbitration Of im
pOrtant This would relieve the Secretary OF the
Treasury OF a vast amount OF work, 10 which 10 would
seem impossible for him 70 give sufficient attention
TINS court would also take the place OF the merchant
appraisers. Three thousand cases waiting TO
be settled IN the courts Twenty decisions would
Ss sSs weSe Interested In having these cases continued
Mr. Schultz said that the English system Of penalties
admirable. III merchant underyaued his 1np0r-
Crown. with per cent added TO the entry valuation.
Ths demanded great skill the part Of the examiner
and imposed Dehehea Iesponsioly On DOth inc Col
lectOr and the examiner such system here would
Gated tariff laws Mr. Sc utz thought tuat experts OF
high character should be employed In the Appraisers
60 tho employment OF a brOEendOwn clergyman as an
appraiser OF greases which he importing The eler
appiaseuients ana be lost his trade He wanted the
Custom House Oaths abolished like other merchants he
had DeeB swearing all his life ~ things he nothing
about He did want the MOiety Act Te6stabished.
qbs suggestion mado by Chief Clerk Mcmahon was a
good one that the Government ought 70 take
chants goods examine them. aud release the goods
the payment Of the escertamed duty without demand
Ing bond oath.
Daniel c. Robbins explained the French aud English
systems. The American system Of British parent
age, and ought 10 DO modified and improved, IN.
stead Of exchanged for a system foreign 70 the
usaeee IL the people. Great Britain imposed penalties
for false entries. and did not demand Oaths. Duties
ought 70 DO specific. He did not agree with his col
ieague that home valuation ought 10 regulate the
ment duty and took quinine 10 show how with some
articles home valuation might be subject 70 great
nnctuntIon He criticized the requirements OF the Gus
rom House with regard 60 the expectation Of goods IN