New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-31
rT MAY BE A TROJAN HORSE.
DANGERS IN THE APPRAISERS OFFICE

eA" ,,,,;ser,s Stor,s is of general interest. The
,e.r.,,ions on the Public stores nave borne run III
t,ot senator Evarts has introduced Dill nj" inc
- States senate providing for raising the local
.nnraiser's salary TO -, 900 0r $4,000 Inc HiucSm
IN the Appraisers stores was offered IN MndiY ana
s nrt and reeipYoestca by Mir cooper. The Board
says: -, 49,. ,a. .
,ndIcate positively Improvements ua might DC ma e
VA errors which should be corrected In the law under
Which we were appointed il Is proper that We should
communicate 10 the Department s"Ne opcrNduo"S u'"'
advsntase of the prohibition in Section :. against
addition on entry by any other Than the bona nde
"u,cilaScr is already apparent This limitation has
largely increased RISK Of differentiation by the
ATTEMPTS 10 thus delr;ud the Government arc more
generally confined within t!c narrow margin of 10 per
collectors would make use sometimes Of the authority
cases Of differentiation exceeding 40 per cent
NOT Likely TO TELL TRADE SECRETS
We think the requirement in section Is, of certified
statement of cost of production is than useless
II scarcely 10 be expected that the manufacturers
will as rule, consent 70 make public the true secrets
Of their trade Hence. statements apparently de
signed to comply with the law are likely TO be mis-
leading and mschieyOuS. The requirement involves
expcnse 10 importers and labor TO Government oil
Gers without afordng any definite or reliable m
formaton While not preventing the authorization
of a dishonest invoice, II IS simply Obstructive 10
Tie dnty broadly imposed upon the General Ap-
praiscrs by section L. OF the Act of exercising super
vision over appraisenents and cIasshcatons at the
several pots can hardly be considered lesa Important
than the work of holdins rcappyais-mcuts and de
Gliding questions OF Classification arising under protest
do not understand this 10 mean supervision nm
ited that may be broushJ to Their attention
by importers and Cocctcr> OF 70 be coHpilstS III an
Inspection Of monthly reports and samples rom tne
several ports. The law evidently intends such acuve
personal supervision and executive acuon g." as may
be needful 10 secure law ~ ana UNIFORM .,
and classihcatons al the several ports: hnt in t
supervision is to be under TIC general direction OF ne
SECRETARY OF tnc treasury We uIelVIVEc ~ T
the Department issue such instructions ih the premises
As may authorize the General Appraisers 10 correct
the practice IN any cas- anu al aHN POI - nasd
they have knowledge that merchandise Dcs pdsSeu
TN our Opinion there should be change that
norton of section 10 relating to unusual coverings
only the rate Of duty upon their contents OOt
additional duty at the rate 70 EhiCm ir fb
Stc t 10 Oe one o dscp6n a. mcrcha hat cannot
be concealed or smuggod it i coverings IN me tH
animation OF goods the covering Is the iret thlis at
not Let il nav simple duty not additional duty, ac-
cording " its material; ....,.,,tr
To exemphfy the injustice rather the inequality
Of Ibis provision let IL suppose that the usual GOV
ernC for the goods about So be mentioned /, WIZ
pine packing but hat CEDAR box y wS' cent? IG
If filed with paper stock the auH " 4E viii
81 per So 'G ber cent %A p G9 s. or With imde articles
20 per cent plus 80 per ,e III one a' an y Al
IO5 ,,er cent 1t is sucg sted that this ohJecuonSD
provision might be mcShed a. G 2o~ mnortod Her
chandise whether dutsble or free any InaIcr1hi d
article other than thSt usudiH wi any slalI
be levied thereon al the rate I! %lSn ne am s Tste
be subject II Scpaf An th5. ,mpo,ed MON the
chandise
OLD ABUSES STILL EXISTING
abnses 10 which attention is directed IN your las'
animal report continue t. exist ana ;hcN anu uo"
effects well portrayed IN the lono"iHe ''''7
re s,id rcno,t: Tile inevitable result . expert
ence shows is that the honest trader is driven ont
n business, and domestic producers are n'idiou'iF
d4prived Of the protection which the law intends 10
Give them and upon the faith of which their b9'l'
nc,s ventures are based inc oppot'H,iH ' I,r,Iiy
valuing aIolutu p IL. EEy simmer, on foreign
"cconpt 'rh@ tendency Of this IA, 0ern To con
ccntratc the importing trade m goods Sullc. 10 Lho
higher al valoIcm rates ~ olie 60. P f in'p1rine
pIlNhg our & la which ti,ey sell or distribute
Y6n also onotc the following passage from com
mum cation to Ne VA. @.n Noe, 9r, dare If June
NE hzeNS t ~ .+i', secretary Of the Treasury.
Wr Cbaiss :, Talrtf I'd 10 tL" same e'cct, naineN
About - per cent - 81 llc 7.il,~ ",lYI ~ X.,
Coun" D'',- 80. n -i,ch lraDoftatou At shat
,'1rf f,r ,Ic mast ,A wears l--O to 1--j' has been
ihovo 90 per cent. Fully go per cent OF ihe~e lnp'
jations represented ''h>'-n..lcHt1 D d.cri.o
and were "a, F"'y, 80 .,T widely bnovu I'm
pTe,cn'a,lon on t"e & .,tlin.- t#n ium!latI :.
a,at ' he customs ,dm. -tlauve A0 Vi. demanded
pcce,.ary 10 ,,y that the TACT, ms oly constituted
The motive Tor the enarm" o me Law" .. ,,,,.
we believe even in the short period u oHI ,cfNI'e;
that we lave made some po-re~~ toward nlD.in 81
oljcctiOuarlc practices, bUi ihe t-n is l di"''I9
one and win al best r"ou'-' considerable time "
accomplish. There are great e''l 'jiic. ID ii" WaIi
which can bc overcome OILY ht p.'~.,i' dIIi wei
-c.tod cNo,t, cXcrtci an I" m''h'l.,aI am ~,
tematic manner Nor de we i'--'('. ~ an Ia, c'',
NAV BE ha- been accomplished hf I'-.s.'ll'l. -
word. think the abuses t!'i 80 "io"N p''E' a.
til, port. and which a.. cNr'pl4" me- ft IT,
due 10 unf1rtuuate condition peculiar t. the port Of
New. York
~ . r--tc,, N'.v Er ., COT-H-T- or FRAUD
IL ''4+ -, ~. t.,o ,l,oi. incen
The more SERIOUS customs anu .,i
IN tho nfflN q A
....,o,. i- .41,or hul,yart ac3ins1 fraud,. the
r'P"i '"'.' -. 1T, ,,t., ...r,.,,,,s .re de-
Trojan Horse ''I'""" wiz P" -
bauchcf and the revenue '"Doeh iIf evils 80 'I'i"''
Denoted in your report. from which We have quoted
-. o.i..o,. q, yre.t ~ yir.ou. methods Of
Owe INV" r. "a. .h. ,,or exi.t cfieav a.
appTalsenent. Inc lsCi ''@' '''' - ''"'
N-ke Ip " think. that there e