The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-12
CUSTOM HOUSE GOSSIP.
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WANT
CONGRESS COMMITTEE HERE.

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS UAN1
A CONGRESS COMMITTEE HERE.
Some Repubiica.s Say They win speak Out
and Tell the Truth About the Goinss On in
the Servise-No More "Courtesies."
| With the assembling OF Congress and the
| election Of Speaker Crisp the customs service
here Is agitated over the possibility OF the
Democrats sending on Congress committee
to investigate the Republicans who have been
In charge. The Chamber OF Commerce. at a
meeting last May declared that such an in
vestigation was necessary for the benefit OF
merchants. The special committee OF the
Chamber then said. after preliminary in
| vestigation OF the conduct OF the Treasury
| Agents and others: 1T Is evident that no
thorough investigation can be had except BY a
Congressional committee empowered to send
for persons and papers and compel witnesses
to testify. Il is certainly to the interest OF all
well-meaninR parties that the truth should be
known. and your committee recommend that
the Chamber. when Congress again convenes.
nsk that an investigation OF the administrn-
ton Of the collection OF the revenues at this
port. with special reference to the action Of
special agents. be had"
Tho demand Of the Chamber in this matter
is significant when 1t is recalled that tho DOM
iuuut eieilleuC Ill tu0 CnhIuU0C 10 hopuUlcbu.
The President. Charles Stewart Smith. is o
Republican. and other eminent citizens Of that
party are Cornelius N. Bliss. Col. George Bliss,
William Brookheld. Chairman Of the Republic
can state Committee Henry W. Cannon. An
drew Carnegie. H. 0. Armour. Henry Clews,
Jesse Seligman. and R. NJ. Galloway. Among
the eminent honorary members are Senator
John Sherman and ex-senator Evarts.
There arc certain Republicans In the service
who are decidedly averse to the appearance Of
any investigating committee with Demo-
cratic major ty. There are also certain Demo-
Gratis in the service closely affiliated with Re-
and elsewhere and provided with snug berths
for life who do not want to see Congress
sssss ii %srcan s.H that esoE
their RepI5lican brethren unite with them il
mony Sf many inside tn, lines a Copgress
aenced BY " Personal eonsideration a" Of any
Kind whatever. would unearth MANI. things
w hat the SGna &C. e Of f sss
startling; number Of those WHO know about
these things say unrsseryealy that IL e., such a
zeal nothing whatever. but will impartially tell
the truth.
crept out cencernins the Short Of the Treasury s
Mr.
one very CLOSE to Secretary. Foster Only
IN he
Mi KIM =. ssHa 81
straisht out from the shoulder that NJ. Ste.
Of Mr. Foster. but he ' could do nothing.
M r . e. 81 as
NY Fl S and sSd NJ sss$s ot sSc
the he ala not want
pers and other documents belonging to him in
his nftice In the Laght street stores and sent
to hs 1es M hx nGs and MS
ness and the Secretary's order to Mr.. Foster
er's friends. though. will stick to him to the
Certain representatives Of the Hebrew i'm
porter. 90 not 70 Ike Appraiser Cooper They
and to nss o4
testing against #: Cooper As = matter q
importers. and he doesn't seem to care how
many meetiSgs they get up. II he has said
tain importers it has nothing to do with their
religion and he stands by it.
A compliment has Just been paid to Chief
Clerk Thomas Jefferson Dunn OF the Marine
Division in the Custom House by Assistant
crat and one OF the most efficient employees
In the service. .Lattcrly he has been engaged
In developing the new system OF regulations
to be enforced by the Treasury Department |
and Gen. Spaulding has lust sent for him to |
come to Washington to help the Washington |
people In the matter.
=, 1t Is rather amusing. but 1t is nevertheless |
the fact. that those contracts. one for carriage |
and the other for labor. which were the imme- |
diate causes Of Collector Erhardts retirement, |
have not yet been signed.
A wave OF apprehension has gone over the |
OF the "courtesies OF the port in the |
fashion of recent years. It has |
been very clearly demonstrated that Mrs. Min
hicks friends obtained q document which |
her to abuse the courtesies. and |
possibly to put her friends In a very peculiar |
that the dresses were found in Mrs. Mlnnick's |
trunks Is Q nut that Treasury Agent Cum |
mings Is attempting to crack. Pending that in |
yestgntioD the Collector IL very loath to grant |
courtesies to anybody. These 'courtesies"
consist only IN expediting the examination OF
that their baEgaHEe X not to be examined It
on the line OF passengers and In other why's IL
heir baggage to be hurried along But all
the same. the baggage must no examined, and
this fact. together with the other one that Mr. |
!3lelin protested against the examination of
Mrs. Minnlck's trunks and his vel! -known ia
BY Mr.. Cummi nes:. Meanwhile tbs
y cOurteSioS" of the mort will bs axtandad tn