Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-05-21
THE NEW REVENUE BILL.

The new Internal Revenue bill before the
House contains many important improvements
upon our present system. The enactments
now in force are condensed into one Ia w. intel
lightly arranged; and the endless number of
anomalies and contradictions prevailing have
been cancelled. Mr.. Schenck's committee have
evidently given intelligent labor to the work of
revision and condensation. In the plan for
recognizing the Revenue Department and in
the proposed methods Of collection, there are
alse features Of value
The feature, however, placing such enor-
nous powers in TIE hands of the Commits
sioner Of Internal Revenue, as Is proposed by
the bill, meets with less favor, and we presume
this portion of the bill will be materially moii-
fed. The confidence felt IN the present Com
missioner, MI. Rollins, would enable n bill to
go through, doubtless, considerably enlarging
has powers; but the principle in volved here is
too serious to allow personal considerations to
have weight. If this bill becomes law, the
Commissioner Will be- the head Of a depart
ment Of the Government, independent of
the President, outside of the Cabinet. and
with powers tar more arbitrary and ex-
tensive than any President has ever had
All the collectors and assessor of internal rev.
enue, and the Assistant Commissioner and
deputies in the Department itself, are to be ap-
pointed by the Commissioner alone. The same
Is true OF the supervisors, one of whom is to
preside over the revenues in each judicial dis
triet, the storekeepers gaugers, assistant asses
sors, the clerks of the department. the inspec-
tors and detectives. the stamp agents, and even
the counsel Of revenue officers. The whole Of
this immense patronage it is proposed to give
to one man; far more than has ever been pos
sessed by the President; and. indeed, constitut-
ing the greater part of that now jointly pos
grther, with perhaps two-thirds of that
now welded by The Secretary OF the Treas ury
But not only are the appointments To be- made
by hun; he is to have the power of removing
any OF these officers, thus making them de-
pendent on him every moment. Section 10
authorizes the Commissioner to divide the
States into collection districts; and TO soon
uLue, modify or alter, as he may deem best, the
districts heretofore constituted" Under this
authority, Ne can not only turn man out of
once without any notice, but abolish the office
itself, AT his pleasure. His power (section 53)
to refund taxes and TO remit assessments
penalties and fines, is practically unlimited
and gives him a direct control over
the purse Of the private eitzan, such
as has been vested by law In no officer of
the Government before. In fact. the only pro-
vision Of the act which could, under any cir
cumstsnces, be felt as check upon the power
OF the Commissioner, is the Office of Solicitor of
The Revenue. But this is utterly inadequate, if
Intended to prevent the abuse of power in the
department. for il has no relation whatever TO
the great features of the Commissionership
above described. On the other hand, if the So
heitor should be in accord with the Commits
sioner, immense additional opportunities to
exercise influence are afforded them by section
s. II the unlimited power to compromise suits
al aW