New-York tribune., 1890-05-27
AGREEING ON THE CUSTOMS BILL
ALL DISPUTED PoINTs-CHANGEs IN

ALL DISPUTED PoINTs-CHANGES IN
THE MEASURE.
Washington. May 60 (speciaD.-The Senate and
the House have reached an agreement In Conference
Committee upon the features Of the Customs Admin
lstraton bill, which has been in dispute for the last
three weeks. II may be said in general way that
the House has yielded the senate nearly all the
points at issue and that the BILL as II will 60 20 the
President will contain practically all the liberalizins
provisions inserted by the senate Finance Committee
upon the petition Of the genuine importing interest
in New-York City and elsewhere Section Is Of the
BILL which rearranges the whole machinery Of appeals
to the courts in cases of disputed cassi1catonS IS
left as the Senate modified ii, so that the United
States Circuit Judge may decide upon questions Of
both law and fact and not OF law only as the House
had arranged it. There also wide difference
of opinion the salaries the nine general apprais
ers should receive The House voted to fix the
amount at $1,000 year The Senate increased 1t
to $500. The Conference Committee compromised
on 81 900 Finally the senate yielded month rs 10
the date on which the act should go into effect and
the day finally agreed upon is August l.
Under the law a radical and highly advantage
Gus and beneficial reform in the administration OF the
customs is confidently expected. The bill. as the
Conference Committee will report IT, is much the same
that framed in the last Congress by the subcom-
mittee Of the Senate Finance Committee. OF when
Messrs. Allison Aldrch and IIiScock were members
Ninety two separate changes made by the -ennte
the House bill, but most of them merely verbal
and acquiesced in by the House conferccs without
difficulty. The first amendment OF importance related
TO penalties for differentiation in invoices. Tho
House voted that in every case where the appraised
value of goods should be found 10 exceed the entry
value more than 10 per cent an additional duiy elha
90 per of the total appraised value should be
collected. The senate changed the proposed law so
to graduate the penalty and made II read that for
each per cent that such appraised value exceeded
the value declared in the entry additional duty
equal 10 per cent of the total appraised value
shall be imposed. An differentiation OF 90 per cent
by the House bill subjected goods 70 coniiscation
The limit raised iu the senate 70 40 per cent
Both these changes agreed TO In The conference
amendment engthenng from one day 20
two days the time within which dissatisfied importer
may ask for reappraiscment as TO value. Tho
House bill allowed an importer. the review Of the
original appraement to value by board of thTc'
general appraisers be present with counsel. This
was stricken out by the senate and the House con
ferees against whose protest the provision was forced
into the bill in Committee of the Whole readily
acquicsoed in tho amendment.
Section 10 provides that appeal a question
Of rate classification may be taken first from thc
single appraiser TO board of three general appraiser
next, within thirty days, 10 Circuit Court Judge,
and finally, If the Judge allows it. 70 the supreme
Court Of the United States. Evidence additional 10
the record sent up by the board Of appraisers DC
ordered taken by the Circuit Jndge and the case Is
then TO be decided on the law and the facts The
House section much rfg1d IN IT, intention.
but the cOnferees Welded being convinced that the
Senate provisions would not have the effect OF pro
longing litigation undulv. The House section impJS-
ing penalties for refusal 10 appear or answer questions
and for perjury stricken out by the senate was re
stored by the Conference Committee. The other
charges adopted discarded technical verbal.
except the one requiring the law TO take effect on
August l. The section, however. authorizing the
appointment Of tho nine general appraisers will take
effect on the signing OF the measure and The Fresl
dent will bc called upon accordingly within the next
weeks 10 select these nine officials. Five OF them
will be Republicans and four Democrats.
secretary Window has Informed the conicrecs. I'm
response u all Inquiry on the subject that IN his
opinion the provisions oi the bill could properly be
put into effect sixty days after the date OF its passage