The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-07
MAY NOT CHANGE
CUSTOMS SERVICE:
Democrats Likely to Hold Up
Taft Order That Wiped Out
ll6 Fat Jobs.
KEEP RICHMOND REAL PORT
If McAdoo Plan Is Approved by
Congress Collector Will Stay
in Charge Here.

News from Washington of Secretary
McAdoo's interference in the redistrict.
ing of the United States customs ports
all over the country. as authorized Nv
the last Congress and President Taft
TO take effect on July l. has given
ground for the belief I'm the Federal
Building that the proposed abolition of
ll6 fat Jobs i'm the shape of collector
ships. Will never be effected by this
administration. On the secretarv,s
recommendation, the Senate Commerce
committee on Thursday voted to report
favorably bill to defer until January
/, 1914. the proposed reorganization
IL is taken for granted that the com
mittee & recommendation will be adopt
ed by Congress and the redistricting
and reorganization put off another six
months. In the Richmond district this
arrangement will have the effect of
continuing Collector p. Il. Arnold in
office until January l. 1914. He had
prepared to resign on July l. and his
Office was impatiently awaiting the ap.
pointment of the deputy collector who
was scheduled to succeed him under the
scheme OF reorganization II Mr..
Arnold Is allowed to continue in Of
nee until January l. 1914, it is probable
that the Democratic administration Will
permit him to serve out his commits
sion. which expires March l, 1914
II the reorganization of the customs
ports is carried out the port of Rich
mond, now In the s1.0O0.0OO class, will
be dropped to port of entry under
the collector ct the port of Norfolk
with only n deputy collector in Rich
mond.
Last year Richmond collected twice
the combined collections Of all other
Virginia ports. Norfolk. Petersburg,
Newport News and Portsmouth includ-
ed. Collector OF Customs Floyd Hughes.
the reorganization scheme as the col
lector for the district of Virginia He
Will have deputies at Richmond. Pc
tersburg. Norfolk, Newport News.
portsmouth and other Virginia ports.
Deputy Collector Here.
John K. Lowery. special deputy col
lector at Norfolk. has been recently
named by Collector Hughes as deputy
collector in charge of the port of Nor
FOLK when the reorganization takes eff
feet. While there is no little specu-
lation as to who will be placed in
charge OF the port Of Richmond by Col
hector Hughes 1t Is generally under
stood that Special Deputy w. G. Smith,
who has served under Collector Arnold,
will be given this honor
me Dill TO reorganize the customs
service was passed about a year ago
by Congress, with the understanding
that S35O000 would be saved annually
by the substitution of forty-nine ports
for the present 1856. This action pre-
ceded the November election. On March
3. just before relinQuishing the reins of
office, President Taft announced the
/ reorganization scheme, whereby 116
| fat patronage plums would be snatched
/ from the Democrats. Since the new
! administration came in Secretary Nc
Adoo has been deluSed with protests
against the proposed reorganization
and Congress appears to have seen
the light.
Cities similarly situated as Rich
mond resent being reduced in rank
| from full ports to the supervision of
the collector at other ports. The
| Chamber OF Commerce and commercial
bodies of many cities have entered Wig
orous protest against the proposed
scheme. 1t now appears probable that
! the last has been heard of the reds-
trictinS; that Congress will first defer
the day from July l to January l. 1914,
and then determine that it is better
deferred forever.