, 1880-01-04

number Of Inspectors who attend to the for
warding n9 &c could tIg a{5en1 60 IT then SO that
ccrcased,-a consl1mmation which we agree, with
Mr. James, is dcvoutly to be wished: +
Fyth-Mr. james opposes Pr the abolition Of the
carriers bond, because the latter might become
oli aud the sl1reties irresponsible. He parades
the magnitude OF 59e & ahoat ,4ia of goods trans,
yoi,,e Inst year OF some $12,0o0 COO Now Of these
SIC 0W there are never over $500 GOO in course
Of transportation: Which amount must be divided
between four or five great companies, who are
dai,y.transporting and are daily responsible for
:rtst: free goods Of hundred times that amount.
The bonds they gys mre not fFeyokabe unless
demands new ones which It can do at pleasure
They are the ''livest" kind Of bonds, and when
at rare intervals bonded shipment IS stolen or
s,wner for the value, with duties added, and the
Goyerpn1ent never loses one cent, US it must ret
its duty from the owner % or the carrier. It is
the value Of its bonds, and, If the sureties On
them became irresponsible, or the bond in any
way weakened, it can @ always demand now
bond. Bonded goods are very small fraction
Of the freight handled by the railroads. and to
Imagine that such dire and sudden porils beset
dutiablc merchandise whie free goods are trnv
The curriers' bond il m ample security
1t is pertinent here to to cite some INSTANCES Of
goods that Ss4f from oat e. Sew goSts %a Dec
bond bon No 4,6.7, i've cases Of cisars consigned to
Messrs. Lawrence Martin. Chicago. Upon the
arrival Of the cnr M at Chlcago one case was found
stolen. St Dec. l5 1s7, the consignees paid duty
on the lost case, and and were reimbursed By
the Merchants 1 ubesa Rbespateh Transportation
rsp'''ilset were loest, and who were consequently
responsible for them Dec. ], 1877, there
were shipped from New York. under /. T. bond
Mcssrs. Kantzler s. Hargis, Chicago. Upon the
arrival of the car at Chicago five cases were
be be SS to have
signees, and tho Merchants Dsepatch refunded
them the same.
=, These cases show the absolute responsibility
of the carrier. Why, without any bond ut all
the liability of the Company us common carriers
would hold them with Inevitable tirmncss for
the value Of the goods transported which in
sumption in the United States.
Other cases have occurred where goods have
been found to be missing after duties were paid,
and in every such case the importer has recov-
cred his duties from the carrier. The importer
pays his duty tn the Government us matter Of
convenience, and collects Of the carrier;
of complete indifference to the carrier
whether he paid duty to- the importer
Or to the Goycrn.nent: Under the proposed bin
the carrier tn puy directly to the Government, as
he alone would be held under bond, though sure
ly 1t is Of no importance through what channel
the duties come, rs the only object of all these
bonds is security to the revenue.
The Hon. Edwards Pierrcpont then Attorney
General, in I'm opinion published by the Treasury
Department. July Y, 1877, holds that the trans
portAtion of merchandise in bond under the
Il Immediate Transportation act,'' is n continue
ton Of the voynge; Or rather, that the journey
The stoppaee at, the seaport town is q, mere
break or incident in that voyage. The suryeil-
lance Of tho Customs that begins there is, there
fore, merely police function9'and not basis
for the estimation Of dutics and it is utterly H.
logical, and violently contrary to the spirit Of tho
Inv thus expounded, to demand invoices at the
seaport, to make entries, to pile bond upon bond,
and otherwise usurp the rights Of the port Of
destination. It would be Just us proper to send
out Government vessel to meet imports on the
high seas and tic them up with red tape as they
trlvel. ..
Your efforts have been watched and appreci-
ntcd. The obstacles you have encountered are
well known, and are by no means small. But
this is IL question not only affecting Chicugo
merchants, but nl1 tho West; every man who
wears Ill imported article, every woman or child
who uses some foreign goods.
All Western Congressman should work for this
cause hcnrtily, for think 4 moment how absurd
It is thnt the Imperial West should be tied up in
Just such bonds and restrictions rs when it was
tho Great American Desert! With best wishes,
VIC are, dear sir, yours respectfully,
e. w. SHETnnE r. G0.