Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-17
USELESS CUSTOMS OFFICES
A Proposition to Discontinue the Col
leotor at Many Ports.
Assistant Secretary Hamlin Favors
the ConsolidatiOn of Some Districts
In the Interest of Economy.

Some legislation is probable during the
present Congress looking to the abolition of
the offices of collectors of customs at a
number of the smaller ports, and the trans
ferring of the business transacted by them
to the larger offices. 1t is asserted that the
expense of maintaining the smaller GUS
tom houses Is unnecessary and may at
times result in actual loss of revenue on ac-
count Of the inexperience of officials at the
ports where they are employed. A bill on
this subject is now before the House COM
mittee on expenditures in the Treasury De-
partment, and has been given some consid-
Grafton by the committee. 1t proposes to
discontinue the office of collector Of customs
at the following ports. to wit Albemarle
CEdenton) North Carolina; Alexandria, Vir-
ginia; Annapolis, Maryland; Barnstable,
Massachusetts; Brazoa (Brownville), Texas;
Burlington, Iowa Burlington (Trenton)
New Jersey; Castine. Maine: Chattanooga,
Tennessee; Beaufort, North Carolina; Bris-
tol and Warren. Rhode Island; Cherrystone
Cape Charles city,. Virginia. Corpus
Christi, Texas; Eastern (Crisfeld), Mary
land; EdSartown, Massachusetts,; French
mans Bay CEllsworth), Maine; Galena, I'LL
nois; Georgetown, South Carolina; Great
Egg Harbor (Somers Point, New Jersey;
Humboldt (Eureka), California; Kennebunk,
Maine; La Crosse, Wisconsin: Little Egg
Harbor CTuckerton), New Jersey; Machias,
Nantucket. Massachusetts,; Natchez, Mis-
sissippi; Paducah, Kentucky; Pamlico New
Bern). North Carolina; Rock Island, MI
nois; Saco, Maine; Sag Harbor, New York :
Mary's, Georgia; Southern Oregon Coos
Bay). Oregon; Tappahannock. Virginia
Teche Brashears). Louisiana; Vicksburg,
Mississippi; Wiscasset, Maine; Yauuina.
Oregon, and York. Maine.
The bill was referred to the Treasury De-
partment for opinion, and Assistant Secre-
tary Hamlln, in a letter to Chairman Bar
wig. reports that. with the exception Of
Brownville and Corpus Christi, Tex there
appears no objection to the discon ntinuance
OF the ports named. The assistant secre-
tary also favors a more comprehensive
measure, authorizing the consolidation OF
some of the districts In the interest of
economy The total receipts for the fiscal
year 1893 at all the ports named in the bill
excepting Brownville and Corpus Christi
were S5.037 and the expenditures $50 col an
excess or expenses over receipts of S55.5O
The following extract from the annual re-
port or A. K. Tinge, then supervising spe-
cial agent OF the Treasury Department, for
the fiscal year 1888 Is Interesting in con
nection with the bill under considerable
The extension Of the immediate trans
portation system by the creation of new In
terror ports at almost every session of Con-
sresS Is subject worthy of serious consid-
Grafton. When an interior CITY or town 10
thus made port II is usually done at the
instance OF one or more merchants for their
convenience IN the entry of imported mer-
chandise. and is not of especial heneft 70
the people who buy and consume the goods
The customs system differs In this re-
spect from the postal service, which is for
the benefit of all people, and for that rea-
son must be extended to all towns and VII
iases, regardless of expense. Economy and
good administration would seem to demand
that the custom business be confined TO the
great distributing centers. where the volume
or importations tustifes the employment of
corps OF experienced officers, competent
70 protect the interests of the revenue in
the appraisement OF foreign merchandise"