New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-12
SPECIAL TREASURY AGENTS.
FULL TEXT OF SECRETARY FOSTERS
LETTER.
He EXPLAINS THE VALUE OF THIS BRANCH OF
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.


Some dissatisfaction has been expressed by those
Interested In the present controversy the duties OF
Special Treasury Agents that only portions OF the letter
cent by Secretary Foster 10 Mr.. Thurber were gwen
to the public. Friends of the Secretary declare thas
this hardly fair treatment, and publication OF the
fuI text Of this letter has been requested Here 1t Is
Mr. r. B. Tlmrber Post0nlce Box 5,452, New-York n 4.
Sir: have received soqr letter OF the vth instant
with which was enclosed copy Of resolution OF inc
Chamber OF Commerce Of New-Iork instruetng IT'S
Cornni,ttee on Foreign Commerce, Of which committee
You are member to propound certain Questions s 10
for their employ men authority for their appointment
the utility Of the force, etc . A.. 1,,o. 81.
Commerce. 70 interrogste me as 70 the management Of
affairs of the department. over when preside YET ~
tbe snb,ect repiy 10 the inquiries made as follows
In report 10 the House OF Representatives, dated
February II, 1870, Of the Hon. George S. Boutwell,
Agents OF the Treasury Department have been empyea
and the By law the sxehon Of the eto
OF tho United states the nereasc Of its commerce ara
s nS Rave rendered the services special Agents
inspectors Of customs, Indispensable 70 the coecuo
in the aggregate tho rrsit Of their services Is saving
directly and Indirectly, to the Treasury Of many mios
Under the present organization of the Special
Agents Service they are twenty eight IN number and
are assigned 70 duty at yao1s points oqsn9ut fRs
the terms of the law under which they are employed
act Of May IT, 1870 eeneed as section n sStg ks
Of the Secretary Of the Treasury To examine the BOOKS
papers and accounts Of Collectors and other officers
Of the customs. and to be employed generally under
the direction of the secretary In the prevention and
detection of frauds on the customs revenue. They
TONS and are kept actively employed In aiding tho
Secretary In supervising the transaction OF business
no authority over Collectors Of customs but II Is their
duty to advise with and instruct all customs officials
the notice Of the local Customs officials such frds
abuses, Irregularities or other defects as they may
discover and do not interfere with the regular trans
action Of customs business by Collectors and other
local officers
ports made at irregular intervals by the Special
Agents is Of great value in securing correct uniform
and orderly methods Of business and is ndispensaby
necessary TO aid the Secretary In controlling the
pcnses for collecting the syenSe from ,s
mIS of the time Of the Special Agents is occupied In
investigating irresgar practices IN the importation
For plumber Of years past the Special Agents have
schemes Of foreign shippers and their aSents IN this
this dnty they would seem to be entitled TO the sup
port OF al honest men engaged in The importing bus
the work Of these officers submitted 10 me since en-
tered upon my official duties here t. justify The opinion
administrator Of the custom laws Several Of my
predecessors have testified their appreciation OF the
vices Of these officers by assigning them 20 impoFtanr
discretion integrity and exceptional ability and in
number OF instances by reason OF the capacity shOwn
they have been advanced TO petitions among the most
important in this Department. They not detectives
in the sense in which that term "a ordinarily used.
as is sometimes assumed. but are employed upon tho
same class OF inspection duty similar officers In
other branches OF the Government All railways and
other great corporations ind II necessary 10 have
skilled able to inspect the details Of the work
OF their employees In order 70 correct abuses and Sc
cure faithful and efficient service. and II Is CHS class
OF work upon which the Special Agents chiefly en-
ployed In the customs establishment
In reply 10 the inquiry as 70 the cost Of the service
and the results Of the work DONE So far Il can be
shown by figures, have 10 say as follows:
For salaries and travelling expenses for FIVE years
ended Juno 80 1890, there expended 1921 40 ~.
There was paid into the Treasury daring the eamo
period as direct result OF the work Of said officers
the sum OF S2133 s3o o.
The indirect result Of their abors cannot be stated
but Is safe 10 say that much larger sum than that
mentioned has been secured 20 the Treasury By means
Of increased tolncs growing out OF investigations by
them. CHARLES FOSTER, Secretary.