Year: 1874

,a,r ANTI. .MOIETY BILL REVISED.


-. ov rur CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON THE DIS


...rr,yc VOTES OF THE TWO HoUsEs-REcoM-


,,xSnAuoSs OF rHE COMMITTEE ON IMPORTANT


porrrs-BEsr FEATURES OF THE BILL PRESERVED


ms PASSAGE IN IT'S PRESENT FORM CONSIDERED


CERTAIN.


IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSr.l


WASHINGTON, June l6.-The Conference Com
mittee on the Moity bill closed its labors after l.
o'clock this morning and Its report was made 10 the
Senate to-day and was ordered to be printed. Inc
report is signed by all the confeeres except senator
Howe whose appoin tment upon the Committee by
Senator Carpenter was parliamentary tOulrage
upon the importing merchants OF the country.


The votes in the Senate on the Moiety bill showed
three distinct parties. The majority were in favor
of the bin as il passed the Senate, and were there
fore entitled to a majority of the conferees on the
part of the Senate. large minority, including all
the Democrats and many of the best Republicans of
the Senate desired to see the reform thorough
than that effected by the Senate bill,
and would have preferred to have the
House bill prevail with some amend
ment and they were of course entitled
10 the third OF minority member OF the Committee.
Lastly there was a minority. consisting OF three
men-Senators Howe, Flanagan, and Pease-who
voted against the bill altogether. Now Mr. Carpen-
ter could do one of two things. He could give the
majority two members of the Committee, the
large minority one, and ignore the three
men who had never heard of anything
wrong or he could give the majority one
member of the three, and so make place for Sena-
tor Howe. He chose the latter. Howe of course
acted as an obstructionist in the Committee. He
opposed every important feature of the bill, while
had every amendment he proposed been adopted he
would have refused TO sign the report or to vote for
the bin as amended


Taken altogether, although the bill as finally
agreed 70 by the Committee has some Objectionable
features, il is much better than II was feared IT
would be. The section allowing the production of
books and papersin court essentially like that agreed
10 by the Senate with one two new safeguards
thrown around it. The examination must be made IN
court in the presence of the owner of the book or
his agent must be confined to the particular items
described in the preliminary affidavit, and must be
made by the District-Attorney person. and not by
any riyal merchant or expert who may be employed.
When not in the actual possession of the court
they are TO be il the custody Of the owner or his
agent.


rae general conviction that the case or package in
which undervalued goods are contained should be
forfeited instead of the sin gle item of merchandise
caused the retention of the Senate amendment
effecting this. The submission of the question or
fraudulent intent TO the jury as distinct and sep
arate proposition in all suits for penalties or
the forfeiture Of goods will give TO the mer-
chants an opportunity 10 vindicate themselves
whenever they fall into unintentional errors In re-
gare TO the omission Of the cost of cartons, &C. the
provision of the bill is that if the invoice does not
contain charges for inland transportation, commits
sions port entries other incidental expenses that
fact shall not work forfeiture OF the invoice; but
~ a cha Ualu ar
such prce as he may deem reasonable and just, and
collect the duty thereon accordingly. All suits for
penalties or forfeitures must be begun within two
years after the entry of the goods.


The last section Of the act, fixing its effect on
pending cases. was greatly improved but stu has
some Objectionable features. 1t provides that
nothing in the act shall affect the existing rights of
the United States This clause makes the forfeiture
IN all cases of differentiation where suits
have already been begun extend to
the whole invoice, and the legal
anestIon will no dOubt arise whether
the existing rights of the United States do not
extend 10 forfeiture of the whole invoice even IN
cases when suits have not been begun provided the
incorrect entry was made before the passage of
this bi although the irregulaTity may not be dis
covered until some future time The section also
guarantees 10 customs officers in pending cases a
share of the spoils which cannot. however, amount
to more than $500.


There was great pressure upon the COMMITTEE
from inspectors appraisers &c. but the Committee
did not consider wise at the present time 10 increase
the salaries Of those whose compensation will not
be materially reduced by the bill in consequence of
moeties. The compensation Of the Collector Of
New-York IS fixed at $4,000; Naval Officer $500
Surveyor. $500 At Boston and Philadelphia, the
Collectors salary is 6xed at $500; the Naval
Officer 5000 aud the Surveyor. 5000 The passage
of the bill may now be considered certain, though
an attempt NAV be made IN one house or the other
TO send the bill back another conference for fur
ser change.
RECOMMENDATIONS UPON THEI POINTS OF DIS |


AGREEMENT


GENERAL PRESS DIsrArcH.l
WASHINGTON June 16.-The Conference
nmittee repor; on the Moety bill makes the follow


arrangenent OF the points Of disagreement between
. House aud Senate. The repeal Of moietes Is con-
ed 20 those arising under the Customs Revenue Laws
- provided by Senate. Section OF the House DILL
An pasaed by the Senate. authorizing The production
al any book or paper Court motion OF the DISTRICT
Attorney with the provso that the owner or agent
should be present retain their custody during the
examination which must be confined 20 the specific
pcint al issue is recommended for retention. Defend
ants are 70 be allowed appear aud testify IN their own
behalf in order 10 uniformity in this respect IN all
N ne imprlsOn-