The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-13

one Of the largest IS
I in the country. Several concern, o.. id
/ To be involved, but the firm which was
mentioned last night in connection with
I the charges was that of A. S. Essential
/ X Co, silk importers, at - Greene Street.
/ The members of this firm are Abraham
! 5. RosenthaI and Martin L. Cohn. Mr..
/ Cohn denied last night that there was
/ any foundation for the charges. and de-
/ clared that at the proper time the firm
would be able 20 prove its innocence.
/ Wilbur r. Wakeman, Appraiser OF the
/ Port was seen this morning concerning
[ the alleged collusion resulting in the uu-
/ dervaIuation of Oriental silks.
/ This charge is being investigated now,
( said NIr. Wakeman. 81 have called in the
/ entire shipments Of one Of the importers.
( whose name / refuse to give at present.
/ Usually 10 per cent Of the shipments are
called in TO be- appraised.
Il admit that ] have heard complaints
that invoices OF silk had been held mp
/ longer than was necessary, but II Is not
true. II takes a long time to determine
the grade Of Japanese silk. as ali grades
I contain more OF less cotton. / try hard
20 put all importers on the same basis
The United States Government cares far
less for the $500 TO 5000 that 1t may re-
/ ceive from the duty on a certain ship
| inert than il does that all nrms shall be
| treated fairly and on tho same footing by
the Appraiser"
Did the complaints that some firms
were being favored by the employees IN the
Customs Service come rom other firms
/ which thought they were NOT SO favor
ed go Sir. Wakeman was asked
( Il cannot answer that question as yet
I am making my report now. which Is 10
be Judged by the General Appraisers. and
unth they give their decision il would bee
question public. When there is suspicion
lH regard 10 invoices always cali in The
entire shipment, and often md that the
suspicion is not well founded
According 20 the story told TO officials
{ Of the Treasury Department. certain OF
the examiners OF silk importations had
been for years regularly in the pay of
| large silk importing houses. In order 10
I conceal the existence Of the understand
ing between the importers and the Off
| ciaIs the amount paid by the importers
, for the favors accorded them was regu-
! larry entered on the books Of the firm
/ as salary TO one Of its own employees
I II was found that the system by which
several large importing houses are said
. to have profted involved chiefly. If not
wholly, importations Of silk from Japan
! These japanese silks are woven Of silk
/ thread and a fine quality Of cotton There
is brisk demand for them in the market,
/ and a large business IS done by the i'm
porters Of this line Of goods.
! These silks are not produced IN the
/ United States. because the operatives in
Japan who are engaged in this mauutac-
! ture receive only OF cents a day. and
I American mill owners have found IL i'm
/ possible 20 compete with them. despite
( the fact that the duty upon the goods is
| exceedingly high.
Consequently the tariff affecting this
/ class Of silks IS not a protective" tarin.
/ and it is obvious that importers able 10
/ bring the silks into the country az a less
4 cost than their competitors have an i'm
/ mense advantage over other importers in
/ the same business.
The troubles in the Appraisers stores At
/ New York multiply before the Treasury
] Department. and the officials have be-
/ come satisfied from recent information
! that actual frauds Of considerable magui-
! tuGe are going on among the subordinate
( ist-ation.
About two weeks ago. two men went 10
the Office Cf Assistant Secretary Suauld-
ing in the Treasury Building and told
him that Examiner Brown. Of the A.
pTaISers s office, was receiving s. 900 a year
] a -
York, in consideration Of a low valuation
placed by him on their foreign invoices A
| second firm was also paying Examiner
/ Brown for a similar service.
/ The meme of one Of the infOrmers was
given as Block. the other one gave his
name. but Mr.. Spaulding has forgotten IT,
[ They did not identify themselves further
I than 10 give their names and their resi-
dcuce as New York They did not let II
appear what their motives We're for in
forming the Treasury Department Of the
j .fF #FIfr
them 70 put their report in writing and
] tlgy promised 90 DO 90. In the afternoon
Of the same day they called again 20 say
that they had decided not 10 write the
I letter.
| The Assistant Secretary then asked
tn, m 10 report the matter 10 Appraiser
Wakeman upon their retdrn to New
York They promised To do SO. and the
department has learned unOfiicialy that
/ they Kept their promise and that Mr.
w N1hyuHn mas begun an investigation.
The informors declined TO give 20 the de-
parment the names Of tho implicated
firms Of importers, but whether they OBJ
served the same SCTuplcs in reporting 90
Mr.. Waksmau Is not known.
j IS regarded as significant IN this con-
nectiOu that Appraiser Wakeman. in his
recent report answering the attack made
upon him by the New York Board Of
| Trade and Transportation declared that
one Of the boards committee. an imuorfrr
had been guilty Of practices which ought
% give his signature no consideration be-
fore the Treasury Department" NTte-
making this fling. Mr.. Wak.ua said Ha
would give the name and furnish uarticu-
lars. if the department should ask for
them The department took go notice Of
this.
The Board of Trades committee on tar
If administrative act however. passed
resolutions calling for the name and de-
CiaTlHg That such an lnuuendO Boy the Ap-
praiser was a gTatuitOus reflection on 9U
the importers Of New York II is now /
suspected that Mr.. Wakemans fling was
made az some SIX importer whom he be-
/ lieves TO be implicated in the auags9
! frauds reported 10 Assistant Secrefzry-
SpauldinE by the two mysterious inform
ers a fortnight ago.