The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-29
THE KIND OF NAN BREWER rs.
Serious Charges Against President Cleve-
lands General Appraiser at New York.


New York, Dec 2s.-Mr S. D. Phelps, of
Shis city, we'll known in connection with the
neommercial interests of the country, has pre-
sented to President Cleveland a series of formal
charges against AR. George V. Brewer, ap-
pointed by the President to be general appraiser
at shis port, who, as a recess appointee, has
been filing that Office, and whose confirmation
now rests with the Senate. The matter is made
public in formal way to-day. In letter to
the President. under date of Dec. "a, transmit
ting his charges, Mr. Phelps, among other
things says:
II have appeared as witness in favor OF the
government in three different cases before Mr..
Brewer within the past few weeks, and base
my charges upon facts within my own personal
knowledge Charges of similar character from
other sources can and will be furnished you If
desired, all tending in the same direction and
showing the incompetency, neglect of duty, and,
possibly, the dishonesty of this officer He is
not a fit man for the position which he occupies.
as the testimony will show. l do not make these
charges lightly, or with a desire to injure MIR.
Brewer make them because believe that he,
as public officer in the service of the
government, is wholly unfit for the posi-
ton he occupies. | ann willing that the
records OF his own Office shall determine the
question as to his intelligence, his performance
Oh QuLy ana MS honesty. CndTgeS Similar 10
these which inclose herewith | shall lay before
the United States Senate and the committee on
commerce of that body, who will have to pass
upon the confirmation of Mr. Brewer for the
public position which he now holds. Az pri
vate citizen, it is not permitted me to know
what cases of imported merchandise, under ap
praisement have come before Mr.. Brewer during
his term Of office l am informed, however,
that upwards of 1000 cases of invoices have
been referred to him for action. wherein the
~+ Vnrly Nv MnMulIap onfipn
under advice of his assistant appraisers and ex-
-aginers, after careful scrutiny, have advanced
invoices and in large majority Of which cases
the general appraiser has sustained the import
ers and defeated the government of its Just
duties do not presume that you. personally,
will investigate the official conduct of Mr..
Brewer; but to whomsoever the question of his
efficiency and honesty may be referred, shall
be prepared to furnish testimony going to show
that he is an officer wholly unfit for the position
which he occupies"
Uner the same date, Mr. Phelps writes long
letter to Secretary Manning in which he COM
plains that Mr.. Brewer has failed to give full
force to the views expressed in the Treasury cir
cular of July last concerning the methods Of
ascertainng the value of imported goods, partic-
ularly classes of goods manufactured abroad ex-
clusively for export, and which, BEFORE had 20
quotable market value at the point of manufact-
ure. Mr.. Phelps calls attention specifically to an
invoice of rolled or ribbon isinglass, imported by
Schief1ein d Co. from Hamburg on July last
which came up for reappraisement, and adds
at was clearly shown. upon this hearing.
that there was market value for such rolled
or riblan isinglass as was contained in the in
voice In the country from which exported; and,
therefore, the general appraiser ought to have
heard the testimony Of domestic manufacturers
and others as to the cost value of the mate
rails composing such merchandise at the time
and place of manufacture, together with the
cost Of manufacturing, preparing. and putting
up such merchandise for shipment ~
But General Appraiser Brewer insisted that such
testimony was OF competent and had no rele-
vancy to the case"
Mr. Phelps then says that upon an invoice of
isinglass of similar character, last July, Mr.
Hsyl general appraiser Of philadelphia, acting
rs general appraiser at this port, fixed the value
at B. ID marks per pound, as against 2 Is marks
stated in the invoice. In the of Scheiffiein
u Co, in which the invoice proper was the same,
Mr.. Brewer sustained the importer, and did not
raise the valuation Mr.. Phelpss charges against
Mr. Brewer, stripped of their formalities, are
follows:
First-Disregard of law in accepting as con-
clusiyely, in cases of reapprasement, testimony
in the form of invoices and affidavits furnished
by importers in contravention of Section 1902 of
the Revised Statutes; in the Of the Schiefein
invoice of isinglass in refusing the testimony of
domestic manufacturers in contravention of
Section of the act of March 3. 1883
Second-Neglect of duty. This is treated Of at
length under number of subdivisions The
chief points are that Mr. Brewer does not
appear at his office more than four days
per week, on an average; that on these
days his Office hours have been from IL
A. NJ. to 3 p M. that this shortness of hours and
irregularity of attendance has caused importers
much trouble and loss of valuable time; that in
the case of Sehieflein 81 Co, through careless
ness or otherwise. some of the governments
most important witnesses were not properly
notified to APPEAR that the general appraiser has
been in the habit of consolidating large numbers
of wholly dssmilar cases under one hearing,
passing upon one, and then disposing of the
others on the basis thus established: that he
grossly neglects his official correspondence, i'm
portant letters addressed to him in October and
November remaining unanswered, and the sub
ject matter OF the correspondence Enacted on.
Third-Incompetency as shown in the Schieff-
leiu case, in the case of an importation of glu-
cose, wherein said general appraiser was not able
TO comprehend the meaning, either of consular
reports to the value of said merchandise. or
TO understand the meaning Of wholesale prices
of such merchandise. in the principal markets
of Germany-the country from whence ex-
ported.
In conclusion, Mr. Phelps says: ''Said general
appraiser is not sufficiently familiar with the
ordinary courtesies and rules governing Official
or other correspondence between officers of the
government and business men dealing with such
officer In evidence of this averment, Mr.
Phelps refers to the correspondence between
himself and Mr.. Brewer.
Protection for the President.
I'M