New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-05

not the creations of councils AMI Legislatures ou'
the cxpresson of the results OF the slow ana giaoua
growth of the political opinions oil the people, now
much more truly may it be said oil nationa' 'sii,
system like ours that it is the result OF tne
rcwtb of the necessities for tho time OF each OF the
nov ;ndustries or interests of production, spring
mo from year TO wear into existence. each III us
rsv securing by discriminating d-tes the natohai
defence from undue foreign importatons
4 reference 10 tho existing tariffs, tho gJanuai
Growth of generations of defensive legislation ls
determinations, It's phraseology. and lts deSipna
tions has been found essential for preserving 'i0
general structure of the existing system anu d"
though in some cases widely departed rom mas III
wsys been kent In view by the Commission IN ,he
changes recommended. For the same cohsel'"
reasons the views of the authorized representatives,
and experts in tho several industries III Ie,aion "
objects Of discrimina ion. phrasaology, ana uess
| nations. have been carefully conNdereu; anu nov
had great weight with the Commission III deter nn
ing the measures of revision tn De Iecoinine"uou
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS.
-, .Lo administrative measures recommended
h. .ha Commission are the sub .titution OF single
entry fee at the Custom House for tho present nu-
merous and annoying small fees; giving authority
for cer+ain procedures now adopted without the
sanction Of law giving facilities for the lmport'-
t,on of the personal effects of immigrants; giving
authority that weights and measures in invoices
shall be those of general use in the country of ex-
portation requiring that invoices Of merchandise
subject ad valOren duty be made out i'll the cur
rency actually paid therefor as well as that OF the
place from which importation is made limiting
the requirement of triphcate invoices to articles
only subject TO ad valorem duties; making it i'm
perarive that before certifying TO az invoice the
consular officer shall require OATH affirmation, or
declaration that the invoices correct providing
more equitable, rigid and efficient penalties
for under-valuatiOns providing for an APP
prasenent, separate and distinct, in all
cases; permitting the examination of bulky
goods for appraiSement at other places than the
public stores and other changes more particularly
referred to in another part of the report. Perhaps
The most radical change recommended is the re-
peal of the sections requiring the addition CT inland
transportation costs and charges to the basis OF
duty on al valnrcm goods. The repeal of those sec
tons will work a large reduction of duties. especial
ly on bulky goods, and was strongly recommended
both by Custom House experts and imoorters as
means of relief from The greatest Of annoy
ance in the liquidation of duties on imported mer-
chandisc.
A CUSTOMS TRIBUNAL
Another important measure recommended by the
Commission. in the form of proposed bill Tor me
purpose is the establishment OF 4 customs tribunal
for the determination of disputed questions ariSi lg
under orr tariff laws as 70 the classification for
duty of imported mel chandise AT present these
questions are first determined by the etlry OF
the Treasury, and in many cases are so finally de-
tprmned exccnt on appeal to highest courts of
the United States involving great delay and uncer-
taintics as to the duties PAYABLE. The desirabiliy
of prompt decision in respect 10 questions of
classification can hardly be Overestmat d and il is
most desirable that every aid should be gwen to
make the machinery for collecting duties work as
easily and as simply ms possible, 90 as TO avold so
far as may be all that may make the practical
working of the tariff unpOpuarand unnecessarily
onerous. The Commission believes that the meas
ure proposed would provide cifectual relief from
one Of the greatest sources of annoyance TO Which
merchants are now subjected in their Inspirations.
WORK OF TUE COMMISSION.
Tho report sets forth somewhat in detail the
places visited bv the Commission and their me no Is
Of operation. Most of thes, facts have been from
time TO time nuhlisird anil il is not wotth Hhie to
recapitulate them. H. biief II s.cms that The Com
mission travelled abOu seven mo- sans lnll', VS.
lied twenty -nine ciuoa held public sessions every
WORKING dav, that the humoei Oh d3Ns so OccuP'en
was sevcnty-e ght and The test mony taken Is 'o.-
tainei IN three accompa ,Ylhe lunts cohuting
about Zoo pages Ibis tc umonv pr'se Is. q
faI hful PHOTOGRAPH of the various cconomcai H.
IONS OF the great business centres OF the count Y,
at east so far as tie inter Is In question are viii
ing to present hem. Tn Co miss Uu states tiat
ii Is b cved hat 10 exhibit of uch otini0n or OF
the facts n T'ation to h vast and. varied INDUS.
tr nj developments OF the rOunIrY 80 ondcn fdand
vet so vivid OF rtspOnsib e, from pu iclty OF
the hearings a thr p1son.l accountability OF me
witnesses to tn COnuniss,vn and ia" p 3D. &c, has
evir cen presented. OF the haractrr of this les l.
mouy it is needle s TO speak, eXce't III those gen
eIal terms, rs it speaks for sell III the PTin ei
pages, and OF the vas variety If subj rs which u
en- braccsa as III II July shown III tn index OF te6tl-
mouv, IT would he useless 10 attempt an al
stract I he report evidently shows that the m"n-
bors nf he a
dcvolvinC upon them without any political n'as,
enal pIcGdce or cons'deratIons OF personal III
t,r .sts a'd hat they have made fair aud inn:r-
tial invet iLa,i0n INTO this subj ct without desiring
10 serve particular patty, class 'ectlon or
school of political economy. They have zone %
work rs inv' stgators and III the Hunted time ac-
which Wi undoubtedly be Of Ig greet as as
he lack of time undoubtedly prevented The Com
mission fuTn shlng as full review If each DIVISION
of the testimony might have been desired, and
as this attempted only IN one instanc", that
portion of the testimony relating 10 the wage ques-
lion, the epitome was not placed IN the body o. the
report, but in the appendix IL l., however, of
sufficient interest 10 briefly summarize
THE PRICE OF LABOR
The Commission calls attention to the fact that
while the difference the cost OF labor in European
countries and in the United States has been alud-
ed 10 by the majority of witnesses who appeared he
fore IT, and the h, gh.prce of American labor urged
as a reason in almost every for Tie retention or
increase OF duties theeVldence as whole. dOes not
contain mCr, than half Il dozen carefully prepared
cOupaiisons of wageg at home and abroad. Even
intelligent witnesses entirely glet ted to give any
thing more definite than 10 FAY HAT wages were
all, ut 81 per cent higher IN America than III GREAT
Britain. and that labor IN the other European cOun
tnes is p OpOrtiOnately lower than IL IL & and.
The cotton thread manufacturers II appears. pre-
scented atsticS showing that wages III TINS country
were double the amount uaid in Paisley. But, as
the Commission suggests, they in parJ destroy the
force of their statistics by forgetting TO tax" into
account The isolated condition of he Paisley manu-
facturers. he Scotch Mills draw largely from the
country population where wages are very low. but
H. ths cnnnfrV In lhrN metrnnnli1nn