The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1899-06-29

Of this country are collected through
the custom-house Of New York. An
honest administration Of the service
is chiefly dependent upon the appraiser
at that port.
An enormous evil. with which the
customs service has been amicted un-
der both Democratic and Republican
administrations, has been undervaiua-
ton. It was Daniel Manning, secre-
tary of the treasury under Mr.. Cleve-
land, who said the government was
losing 40,000. 600 year by reason OF
the enormous evil Of undervaluations
at the port of New York. The loss OF
money to the treasury is not the only
consequence, but a more important con-
sequence is the reward secured to dis
honesty to the direct injury OF
honorable business. There are those
who have been so. long engaged In
the fraudulent work OF undervalua-
tions that they have come to believe.
apparently. that an attempt to com
pel them to make honest invoices Is
an infringement upon their rights-an
unwarrantable interference with their
business.
The present appraiser at New YORK,
Wilbur F. Wakeman. appointed Dy MI
Mckinley, undertook the serious task
of correcting these abuses. and he has
pursued his work zealously and Win
rare intelligence. The assaults upon
him. as a result, have been fierce, and
that he will continue to meet the vlo-
lent opposition of those whose bust
ness he has interfered with Is to be
expected.
The Providence News, published In
an important industrial center, and cog
infant of the facts, commenting upon
this matter, says:
without fear or favor the apprais
er set out to secure to the government
its lust dues. In spite OF resistance,
evasion and personal abuse he secured
convincing proofs and compelled Old
time offenders to obey the law. Lead
ing importers and merchants in diff
ferent parts CT the country rallied to
his support because they desired that
honest methods should prevail.
The consul-general at St. Gall, James
T. Dubois, in a recent letter to APP
praiser Wakeman, says:
Men who by the new order OF things
have been compelled to give the ac-
tual market value in their invoices
take Measure In coming into this Of
flee to show me the newspapers IN
which YOU are reported to have re-
signed, or in which you are charged
with various shortcomings. When
they tell me that you must go, my re-
NV is: When the time comes that
faithful public officer can be forced
from such an Office as appraiser at the
mort of New York by men compelled
to nav the lawful amount oil
duties to the government regularly for
the first time in many years. then l
shall be quite willing myself to re-
fire from the public service, for no
honest man will know when he is
SAFE"
And again:
"The st. Gall exporter is as honest
and respectable as most exporters. But
a peculiar condition Of things has ex'
listed here which threatened the true
interests of this great industry and
made honest and fair competition in
our markets impossible, and many ex-
porters were forced by circumstances
into a wrong and unfortunate attitude
toward the laws requirements. Your
attitude, your courageous insistence
your rigid application of the law, have
changed this unfortunate and injuriou;
| condition of things and helped to res
| cue the St. Gall trade from trying
and dangerous condition that wal
| growing worse and worse and more
embarrassing every year."
| It may be granted that in contend
ing against the artful frauds Of Ger
tain importers the appraiser has mad'
some mistakes. 1t would be singular
enough if he had not. The point is
however. that he is striving to en-
force an honest and impartial collec
, ton of the customs revenues; that h
is sustained in his work by his chief
in the treasury department, and tina
he is encouraged by the cooperation
of reputable merchants and importer
throughout the country.
The temptation to some men to ro
the government is about irresistible
and the success of these men, and tn
maintenance of their standing in bust
ness life, involve other men, througl
what they deem business necessity. t
follow the pernicicus example. Thu
the integrity of business methods
assaulted and polluted beyond wha
can be known to the general public.
Many importers contend that thi
corruption is inseparable from the sys
tenn, but just as many men feel tina
honest dealing with the tax assesso
is impossible. Therefore free-trad