Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-03-01
LETTER FROM Mr.. GARNER
PLAINS ATTITUDE ON THE PRO
POSED CUSTOMS DISTRICT CON
SCLIDATION AND PRESENT SIT
UATION.

UATION.
As announced i'll yesterdays Herald
special from Washington the treasury
department today gave hearing to Tex
as representatives in the matter of the
proposed consolidation Of the Brazos
Santiago and Laredo cuStumS districts.
Ii is not known vet whether the presi-
dent will carry his plan itno effect or
not. In learing the matter was about
tC be pressed the Herald wired Con
gps ssman Garner lind also Senators
CulbersOn and Sheppard, urging them
tC do what they could to prevent the
wiping out Of Brazos Santiago district
and the reduction Of Brownsville to a
SUPPORT. This was on Feb. 81 Assur-
ances were received by wire from Mr..
Sheppard that he would do all he could
i'll the matter, while Mr.. Garner stated
that he with over 200 other members of
Congress, had already protested against
the move, but that the matter was en-
tirely in the hands of the president. A
letter just received by the Herald from
COngrCsSma Garner gives the following
information in regard to the cOnsolida-
tiOn movement and his action in connec-
ton Herewith:
Washington, ID. c.
When L first aScertained that the
BrazOs Santiago and Corpus Christi
districts were to be consolidated. T
visited the Treasury Department and
expressed to them what | believed
to be the views Of the people in that
-wit-OppOsitiOn to such
program [ pointed out that both the
BrazOs district and the Corpus
Christi district were paying dis
tricts; that is to say, the money col
lected was in excess of that cxepcnd,
and that it was my impression
when the Treasury was authorized.
by provision in the Sundrv Civil
Bill year ago, to re-adjust the dis
tricts it was the intention to ONLY
abolish such districts as were unnec
csaary to the efficient and cnOnomi-
ral administration of the Govern
meats business and especially would
where only few dollars were col
lected and a collector was paid from
$500 up as a salary.
| dare say no one, not even those
who framed the provision antici
pated that the Secretary Of the
Treasury would cut the districts
from 100 odd, to less than fifty. but
the discretion was placed in the
Presidents hand, and there it is at
present.
The opinion here is divided as to
what the president will do. If moth
\ ing is done before the fourth of
March nothing will be done | hope
YOU will make my position clear to
the people interested.
Weeks ago the Corpus Christi
people were expressing their views
which were in line with those cx-
pressed by you, and I have been in
touch with the matter ever since,
but YOU can hardly expect me to
succeed individually when nearly
every Republican Senator and men,
Der oI congress, as well as demo-
Gratis, have entered protests where
1t has affected their districts.
] think the districts should be re.
adjusted and useless Offices abol-
iShed.. but knowing the section Of
country embraced in the Brazos and
Corpus districts, and their prospect
OF future development. | would not
Obolish either place; however. the re-
adJustmest does not contemplate the
adjustment of the ports but that
they shall all be ports-that is to
say, Brazos, Corpus Christi and Lar
edo, with headquarters at the point
where the most business is transact
ed.
Very truly yours,
JnO. n. Garner.