Year: 1877

WASHINGTON, May 2S.-The Custom
House Commission made partial report
to the Secretary OF the Treasury of their
investigation OF the affairs OF the New
York Uustov House. The commission
find that the force now employed in the
Custom House, the naval office and sur.
veyor's Office, numbering together
l,048 men, excluding for the pre-
sent the appraisers depart
ment, may be safely reduced in
number by about twenty per cent. The
Commission propose the abolition of the
Office of Deputy Collector at large, which
Is now vacant, aid the Office OF other
Depsty Collectors aud acting Deputies,
the sus pension of the Office OF Deputy
Collector Ut jersey City. the continued
vacancy in the office OF assistant
collector and discharge of deputy sur
veyor. They furthey further report that
The hours OF employ which commence
nomlnslly at 9 o'clock, but in practice
generally at 10 o'clock, should be in all
departments from 9 A. N. until p NJ,
except where longer term is prescribed
by law. A further reduction can be
made should measures be adopted by the
department under the present law, or by
Congress IN future legislation tor the
consideration of separate departments or
the simpiifcatIon OF the general system.
The fact that as appointments are made on
political influence, 1t Is clear that appoint
ments have been made 10 great part under
political pressure, from party considera-
tions and with insufficient regard to the
6tness OF the appointees. The commis-
sion report as their conclusion from the
evidence given and from their own OBJ.
servation that q part of the force now en-
plOyed IN the service are deficient in pro-
per attention to business as we'll ss in busl-
ness qualifications and integrity OF char
acter. A few of them are employed
more or less in private business TO the
possible detriment IN some cases OF
the interests Of the service, and SOME
iraudulently accept moneys for services
rendered in their official capacity. For
these reasons the Commission think that
the proposed reduction of forces should
be made IN the various divisions and
classes after careful scrutiny and ex-
animation in each divisioa, in such u
manner as the wisdom Of the department
may determine, so that the government.
may retain the most faithful s1d efficient
OF It's present officials. Men are appoint
ed TO positions requiring often the skill
and experience OF experts, generally at
the request of polititiaDs and political as
sociatlons In this and other states, with
little or no examination into the fitness
OF the appointees beyond the recommen-
dation OF their friends. The Commis-
sion pronounced this mar ner of appoint
ment to be unsound in principle, danger
GUS in practice, demorsllzlng in its in
fuence on all connected with the customs
service and calculated to encourage and
perpetuste official ignorance and corrup.
tion. The Commission believe there can
be no adequate protection In the customs
service for the honor OF the government,
the rights of importers and the interests
of the nation until the service is freed
from the control of party and organized
on q strictly business basis, with the same
guarantee Tor efficiency and fidelity in
the selection OF the chief and subordinate
officers that would be required by pru-
dent merchant. Under the present sys-
ten, officers appointed through political
influence are expected to make their
offices contribute in turn to the support
of party and that the amount OF con-
tributions asked from the men are fixed
by per centage on their salsries. Most
of tie officials thus assessed sccede to
the demand and some OF them repair
their diminished salaries by exacting or
accepting from the merchants unlawful
grstuities. The result of their inquiries
IN the appraisers Office is reserved for
future report, but it is stated that grave
irregularities seem to exist there.


Appended to the report is letter of
Secretary Sherman to the President,
asking tor Instructions as TO appointments
on political influence. The President
replied that it was his wish that the COL
lection of revenue should be free from
partrzan control and organized on q
strictly business basis.