The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-21
RICHMOND LOSES
COLLECTORSH|P
Customs Service to Be Rcorgan-
lied on July |, Congress Being
Unable to Delay 1t.
NORFOLK MADE CHIEF PORT
Collector Arnold's Office .Abol-
ished, Hughes to Put Deputy
in Charge Here.

The announcement made Yesterday
In Washington by Majority Leader I'm
derwood that the House will not take
up at this session the Scnate's bill to
uelaE until January /. 1914. the sweep
ing reorganization of tho customs dis
tricts scheduled to go into effect on
July ]. 1913, dealt a death blow to the
nope entertained by the Chamber OF
Commerce OF saving intact the port
OF Richmond and the colcctorship OF
customs. Although Collector Hughes
at Norfolk who has been appointed
collector OF customs for Virginia under
inc reorEanzation. has designated no
officer TO take charge of the local office.
collector Is, Is. Arnold automatically
loses his position on June 30.
The effect of the Reorganization plan
not only means that Richmond with its
annual customs collections of $1,000
wv, VIII be reduced to n SUPPORT under
the supervision of Norfolk. with only
100000 collections, but 1t means that
the Woodworking aspirants for Col
iector Arnold's office are left out In
the cold After June 30 there will he
! no collector of customs at the port OF
Richmond: Collector hughes of the
| present Norfolk Custom House. has
already been appointed collector for
the district of Virginia, with hcaduuar-
tiers at Norfolk.
Smith To Bc Deputy.
AS the reorganization plan is under
STOOD by the local curtonis men, Collcc-
tor Hughes will have in his hands the
appointment of the special deputy coll
lector in charge of the Richmond port.
4 Ar Arnolds presidential Office ceasinc
| 10 exist As matters now stand. it is
generally predicted by those familiar
with the situation that the present
\ special deputy under Collector Arnold.
| w. g. Smith, will be continued in office
by Mr. Hughes. and placed in charge
J an ctY nt-..., -, .,
cation of the appointment Of a spe-
cial deputy collector for Richmond will
he forthcoming in the next ten days.
| w. y. Crenshaw was leading "A field of
a dozen applicants for MIR. Arnold's
! job before the reorganization blow fell.
BY the terms of reorganization
plan signed by President Taft on
March 3. 1918. 113 collectorships were
abolished and all the present ports
combined or discontinued to reduce the
number of headquarters ports TO forty
nine. The redistricting. it is claimed,
VIII mean a saving in economy OF adj
ministration OF 100000 annually The
bin providing for the rcorGa nization
was passed more than eighteen months
ago, but the scheme OF reorganization
was only announced on March by
President Taft, When the present Con-
Gress discovered that the retiring Re
publican President had succeeded in
cutting on is fat political plums there
was a scurry TO block the rcoreaniza-
/ ton a bin delaying the rcorganiza-
! tion until January /. 1914 pa sscd the
senate two weeks ago. but is destined
/ never TO reach n vote in the present
! House
Norfolk Got Jump.
By getting the jump on Richmond.
| Norfolk was successful in having itself
designated the headquarters port for
/ Virginia. despite the enormous dis
n ri IN oct f.f
and Norfolk. When the local business
| organization took up the fight they
! found they were late in the field. and
| although tho outward trade committee
| of the Chamber of Commerce made a
valiant effort, il never was allow ed q
| n bafore tine Serrai..rv Of