Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-02
5AHY LEADER
HOsDAY January ?.
The Tnoonae u and Tax.PaYers.

MOsDAY JANUARY 2.
ne Income Tax and Taxpayers.
We publish in cur local columns this
morning complete list Of these persons,
Listing IN this Congressional District who
pay an income-tax-the special war-tax
of Ave per cent on all net incomes-of one
hundred dollars or over Our motive in
publishing it Is not to cater 70 curiosity
which Is at best idle, and may be sinister
and hurtfuf, but to aid the Government
by increasing the means and incentives for
q correct estimation of the tax. A SINH
lar course has bsen taken By the pspers
of Boston, Cinoinnati, Chicago, PittsbuTgh,
Columbus, 90, and the most beneficial re-
suits, in the increase Of the tax, are already
psrceptible.
The fact has been revealed that great
frauds are practioed ia these cities By
individuals in making returns on their In
comes, which arc moro or less encouraged
by the Indifference Of officials, whose duty
it is to sec that the law is strictlyand hon
estly enforced. The direct tendency Of
this ststa Of things Is not only to continte
present frauds, but to lose to the Govern
ment in future large part of the revenue
now obtained. Those who now paw, sec
ing how easily their neighbors escape the
tax, will bs guided 10 future by the course
Of those around them in making their taxes
as light as possible The only remedy is
the prompt and faithful enforcement Of
the law. TIE Cincinnati Commercial states
thst tho attention of tho Treazury Y
Department has been called to the
developments made in - that city
Tespecling the income tsx re-
turns, and the Assessors have been in
structed that tfey have power, under sec
tion IA Of the act of June 80, to overhaul
any return whatever when they think
fraud hss been committed. And in case
It apPesrs that there has been fraud, the Az
sessor is instructed to assess the additional
amount of income returned, and leave the
offender to the prosecution of the Collector
for the penalty. This is if the return was
made under the old law. But where re-
turn made under the new law is concern.
ed, the Assessor will assess the additional
tax, snd the penalty of one hundred per
centum, on the entire income including
the amount taxed under the first return
and the amount under the last return.
The Assessors sre further instructed that
wherever they are satisfied that willful
fraud has been committed, they shall assess
the parties to sthe utmost farthing. But
where it appears that return was made
too small, through Misunderstanding the
case is to be referred to the Office of Inter
nal Revenue Tresrury Department.
Such hss been the result of the publica-
ton of the tax list in Cinoinnsti. We do
not anticipate this result IN Cleveland, as
cur Assessor has discharged the duties Of
his ofics with most commendable fidelity
and strictness, and our taxpayer have
been, we believe, exceptionally honest
StIll, no harm can come to the innoeent
from the publication of the list while the
fraudulent can neither expect OF deserve
mercy.
In another point of view this list affords
8 most interesting study It's figures are
meat hatter1ng to cur District and especi
ally 70 our city. They exhibit thefac that
442 of the citizens of this district pay esch
an ineome-taz of one hundred dollars and
oyer--or, N other words, have reported
net etineome. after making al deductions al
lowed BY Law, Of two thousand dollars each
or over. Of these, 853 are residents Of this
city, % OF Cuyahogs county outside the
city limits, IL Of Lake county, and 40 Of
Summit county. No less than twenty-eight
residents Of this oity-the solid men Of
Clevelsnd"-bave reported their annual
incomes ct ever twenty thousand dollars
ese.h The largest income reported is
$l74O7OOO, and the three largest afford an
aggregate Of 1881, ,3I7.OO.
But We have no space to dwell furlhor
upon the statistical details suggested BY this
table, and we shall leave them to tho curl
Gus in such matters.