Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-28
UNCLE SAM SWINDLED.
t,onsuls and Consular Agents in Canada
are the Schemers.
A Systematic Robbery Carried On BY Them
and Exporters Of Canadian Goods
70 the United states.

NEW YORK. Dec. PA Washington
have robbed the government of over
ST. 900 900 within the past twelve month";
have Just been brought to the knowledge
of the treasury officials, and searching
Investigation is in progress. The frauds
have been committed by consuls and
consular agents Of the United States in
Canada, and by the exporters of Cana
dian goods to the United States. Some
twenty consuls out of eighty, the larger
number stationed in the province of On
tario, are implicated In the charges
which are under Investigation. The pro-
cess of fraud has consisted in the Rppro-
priation OF Illegal fees and the UNDER
valuation of exports by the exporters.
Consular certificates in blank signed by
the consuls and consular agents have
been sold for a nominal sum for the use
of exporters IN making false returns of
the value on goods sent to the United
States. The evidence is not complete as
yet, as the percentages allowed by ex-
porters for the privileges of undervslua-
ton, but enough is known to
show that a systematic scheme
of petty swindling has been car
ried on by means OF the consular
certificates. The law regulating fees
authorizes consular agents who receive
no stated salary to receive from the fees
received certain sum, usually about
$40 900, as their compensation. The
oonsuls also receive q certain proportion
of the fees received by the consular
agents IN their districts. They reserve
for thems selves no part of the fees re-
ceived from official dues at their office,
because they are paid by salary. A
number OF the consuls, including several
whose names are quite we'll known, were
quick to appreciate the point that there
was more money for them in having re-
ports presented for certification at the
consular agencies in the outlying towns
than at the consulate itself. They ac-
cordingly made terms with the exporters,
by which the latter, in violation of the
law, carried goods from right under the
nose of the consuls, before whom they
should have been certified, to smaller
towns where consular agents were on
duty. These consular agents were in
the "pool, and promptly accepted the
certificates which they had already sold
at discount in blank, and which were
nlieQ OUT IN faise ana lneumcleQt values.
These certificates recite that the ex-
porter appears personally before the
consul or consular agent and makes oath
to the correctness of the facts set forth.
The very nature of the certificates pre-
cludes them being signed in advance
without palpable and Intentional fraud.
They have been distributed, no wever, in
great numbers, and autographs OF the
certain consular upon the damning doc
uments will soon be in the possession of
Secretary Blaine.
The estimate Of 81 ,OOo, 200 as to the
aggregate loss to the government is
nothing more than an estimate. Fur.
Their investigation show the loss is many
times 81 600 900, and that there are
even more guilty parties than have vet
been discovered.
The accounts Of a number Of consuls in
Canada are now held up at the treasury
department to await the results of the
investigation, and some of the gentry if
they ever sign q receipt for the salary
which they now claim to be due them,
will have to sign 1t in blank.