New-York tribune., 1881-11-28


average annual prices both gold currency, of lead
ing staple articles in the Eew-Yors market for period
relation which the average annual price Of each article
bears TO the mean price for the whole term OF Yeas
The mean percentage for each year OF all the hrucleo
named furnishes basis for measuring the pufcnhhihg
power OF money, and is nstrucvey compared with the
per capita circulation and estimated wealth LOT cacn
year
TREASURY DEPARTMENT SUPERVISION.
ANNUAL REPORT OF SPECIAL AGENT TINGLE-sUG-
GEsTIoNs FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
WASHINGTON, Nov pa. X. Tingle,
Supervising Special Agent OF the Treasury Department
has submitted TO the Secretary his annual report for the
fiscal year ended June 30. 1881. This division is
charged under the law and regulation with the general
inspection OF customs districts, the examination OF
books papers and accounts Of customs officers, the pre-
vention and detection of frauds upon the customs
revenue the supervision Of the warehouse and trans
portaon system and the approval OF bonds for ware
houses and common carrers
Mr. Tingle says: The experience OF last added
TO that OF former years, induces the belief ,hat
tera improvement be made In the present methods
Of customs business without leg slaton IL is known
that many Of the yexatous requirements prescribed By
law and used In customs transactions might be discarded
not only without detrmcnt but with positive benefit 10
the public service"
He submits the following suggestions for legislative
action the direction OF simplnoation OF methods and
relief OF importers and shlpowners: First, Custom
House fees established by the act Of March 1899
when the theory prevailed that the system ought be
practically self sustaining independently OF the public
revenues those who business the
Custom House should bear the burden OF its mainie
nance, the iof officers OF customs beng
allowed nominal salaries only In addition
10 the legal fees. This doctrine. whether
sound unsouud. has long been practically obsolete
and no Custom House has paid way by fees FOR
years while the aggregate amount Of fees collected is
abou 5000 900 per annum, tho annual cost OF collecting
the customs revenue IA over SG,O00O00
These fees made up Of great number OF email and
annoying eYactions from importers and shipowners,
are dicult 10 collect and involve grca. and uuproht
able amount OF clerical work In Keeping stating and
auditing fee and cmolument accounts. There s also
unavoidable uncertainty to how much Of the revenue
ard official fees Ia duly accounted for how much Is
collected or intercepted by the way, and how many io
gal and oppressive eTactons made by ignorant and
unscrupuious officials.
The advantage TO be gained by paying fixed salaries is
too obvious to require much comment one Of the OBJ
ecouable features OF the present system 4 the tcmpta
ton to collectors at small ports to obtain additional
compensation for storage. under the bonded warehouse
system, by means of Misrepresentation and false
vouchers number OF 0 this character have been
discovered IN the examination Of Custom Houses An
other objection Is the uncertainty Of the amount OF com
pcnsatiou, and In the nsuccncy Of the fees
adequately to pay the officers by the act OF June 30,
1874, Congress recognized the proprety OF the lesa
tOn suggested by giving fixed salaries to the officers Oi
the leading ports but left the others unchanged
The Oaths required TO be taken before Collectors upon
entry of merchandise are, rule, merely formal and
serve purpose except TO great Inconvenience To
mporcrs By compelling their attendance AT the Gust
House They do not deter dishonest men from making
fraudulent entries do they add TO the security OF the
revenue upon entries OF merchandise by honorable mcr-
chants simple declaration, signed by the importer
and attcsted by notary and made by statute Of the
same binding force oath would prove great re-
lief TO our merchants, and would be fully safe as the
present sy stem
Sccond-rhat there many useless customs districts
cannot he denied and other than local pride
interests can be urged for their continuance There
are twenty-five ports Of entry at which not dollar OF
duties has been collected Tor whole year. and this is true
Of many previous years. There thiry-tvo discts
in which the years collections from all sources have not
equaled the years expenses Many OF these may have
had Importance when foreign trade carried on
exclusively In sailing vessels, and before the conccnr
ton Of the importing business at few large ports by
means OF regular lines OF steamers and the cstab
lshmcnt Of the present system OF rapid inland ranspOr
tation. But foreign commerce has been pcTma-
nently directed them The Custom Houses in these
districts are, however required TO be kept up with all
the formalitcs Of active establishments, with deputies,
inspectors and clerks make official rcturus-Onen OF
no transactions to the accounting officers OF the
Treasury and the Bureau OF statstics The consOidi
ton OF districts and reduction OF the number oi ports O
entry called sound businCsg considerations ana
may be accomplished without impairng the means
necessary 10 prevent smuggling or Withdrawing proper
facilities for dOCumcuting vessels.
Third-The Of June 10. 1880, repealed the former
requirement for special bonds each shipment OF u
appraised merchandise and placed the sole llaDlty
upon the bond OF the common carrier 10 whom the NOR
chandire Is inrusted for transportation. THIS law mas
been In practical operation for Than year, ana IN
found IN all respects safe and satisfactory ~ the
former practice. II the extra bond can be dispensed
with umGpprui1cd goods where the contents OF thc
packages have not been ascerainCd by customs Officers
t s certain that danger 10 the need hc appt
hended by the adoption Of the rule 10 the trans
appraised before shipment. IL IA Wei under
stood that bonds for the return Of packages
not designated for examination OF no pracu-
cal value; that IN the importer puts
IL Out Oi his power by opening tho packages and dtl-
utug the contents, to comply with the condition oI the
packages viii be returned intact 10 tbs Collector IL tc
packages have not been opened, simple request from
Collector will their rourn, and II they nave
been opened tncy cannot De returned In tho same coH
ton when imported. No suit ON Of these DJhdA
has ever been KNOWN aud 70 "a believed that no eva re-
therefor Oi general or special bond conditioned i"i c
payment OF balances iOuni due liquidation o. tlt.5 D.
II IL also well worthy O consideration whether IN" bonus
given upon the entry OF merchandise Tor WdTehduHc mag
not De safely dispensed With IN view or ihe itct ' &c
warehouse itself Is bonded, aut the Eupi hri u iAe t
tOoy Of the Government. Upon tIs question there ID -
difference OF opinion among the best Informed customs
officers.
F0urh-Legisati0u should also 10 hnd to aid In tlc
prevention OF opium smuggling san IidHciaeo uhu
other Pacific ports. regulation ul tlc D.uurihcul Ie
qurcs al packages OF imported Fn0Sinz Opdll 10 po
stamped before delivery evidence oi regular Imports
ton and IsycuU OF duty. EHt tiis regulation ictla i'
GancOu OF Jaw, Win penalties tor codbtttltlng suCh