New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-02

that the law be somewhat amended, 20 as
to allow no goods entered for export or
bonded warehouse to BE- withdrawn there
from for consumption until payment of tax
bonded. By limiting the time for with
drawal, no goods will be entered except
such as are actually needed for export; and
the privilege Of withdrawing for cOnsump-
ton after twelve months will relieve many
parties who having entered goods for export
fail afterward to export the same. Should
it be deemed inexpedient to limit the time
before which permits for the withdrawal of
goods On the payment of tax are not to be
issued by the collector, then l would suggest
that further authority be given to the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue to establish
bonded warehouses at other places than
ports of entry, giving like facilities for
bonding and equal time before payment OF
taxes to wholesale dealers and jObbers III
other large cities.
The Commissioner calls attention to the
defects and contradictions in the act OF July
IA, 1870, incident to the closing labOrs of
the session. 1t is believed to have been the
intention to retain all taxes imposed upon
sales of distilled spirits, wines aud malt
liquors by the act of July 70, 1868, aud the
acts a%mendatory thereof.
Section two of the act of July Ia, 1870,
nevertheless, repeats the tax upon the sal s
of malt liquors. 1t was evidently the par
pose of section five to empower the collect
ors to remit at any time prior to August l,
1879, all penalties for issuing instruments
unstamped, unless the omission of the
stamp was with fraudulent intent; but, ow-
ing to the change made in the bill as re-
ported by the Senate Finance Committee,
the letter of the law is such as to postpone
until August, 1871, the relief which was de-
signed to lie immediate. 1t is believed to
nave been the intention to continue the i've
per cent tax until August, 1870, to sub
stitute a tax of two and a half per cent
therefor on and after that date; but owing
to the peculiar language of the statute, no
tax can be withheld from coupons falling
due during the last five calendar months OF
1870. According to recent decision OF the
Circuit Court in Pennsylvania, in the case
of Philadelphia and Reading Railroad COM
pany VS.. Barnes, collector, no tax can be
withheld from the dividend coupons on in
terest payable during the first seven months
of 1870, and it is further maintained that
corporations can not be required to pay any
taxes upon dividends payable during the re-
manning five months.
The right to withhold the tax from the
salaries Of persons in the civil, military or
naval service of the United States during the
first seven months of $40 turns also upon
the points involved in the case. The amount
Of the tax indirectly involved in hisIuestiOn
is six millions. 1t is of such Importance
that / have not felt at liberty to acquiesce
in the decision of the Circuit Court Until it
shall have been affirmed by the court of
last resort. Steps have been taken, there
fore, to have the opinion of the Supreme
Court of the United States pronounced on
the question at issue. The repeal Ofthe tax
upon the receipts of money includes, prac-
tically, a repeal of the tax upon demand
and sight drafts, bank checks, etc. A person
who has money on deposit, instead of draw
ing by check, receives the money and gives
his receipt which is retained by the bank
as a voucher. This practice is increasing
and seems likely to become general. Whileit
is an evasion Of taxes, it is one for which the
present law provides no remedy. The re-
peal of the special tax upon apothecaries
takes effect May l, 1871. After that time they
must either abandon the dispensing and
sale of wines and spirits ~Officinal upon physi-
Clans prescriptions or otherwise, or pay
special taxes as liquor dealers, unless there
should be additional legislation on the sub
ject. So far as they are concerned the act
OF July IA, 1870. increased the tax.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
The law of August Is, 1861, appOrtiOning
the direct tax Of twenty millions per annum
among the States and Territories has been
complied with by all except Delaware, the
territory of Colorado and the eleven insnr-
rectionary States. Subsequent legislation
DIOvIucu " SVllCNtAhS tAAC a IA
and Colorado by the internal revenue Off
eer, and in the eleven insurrectiOnary States
by the appointment of United States Com
m~issiOners. While the quotations of the
| eleven insurrectiOnary States was S5,153,-
79l 80, there is still uncOllected $2,66l,-
1872 62.
The Commissioner suggests the expedi-
ency of Congress making provision for the
| final disposition of all lands which have
| been acquired and are now owned by the
| United States under the direct tax laws at
an early day.
The number of cases compromised during
| the year ending June 80, was Az, for which
| there was received $a26,274 %. During the
year the whole number of suits commenced
by the government attorneys was 6743; the
number of suits decided in favor of the
United States was 1855; against the United
States, gal; the number of suits pending
July I, Abb; amount Of judgments recOv-
cred, 81, 1885, l4 80.
Estimate of the annual receipts in each
State and Territory from internal taxation
after the act of July IA, 1870, shall be in
O62, 444: Illinois, SIS, So, $40; Pennsylvania,
9,SO9. 265 Kentucky. &c. 100, 345; Virginia.
S4,969,O S3; Missouri, $4,4S! $50; Massachu-
setts, $4,444,l79; Indiana, $4,0S7 100; Mary
land, S3,756, 445: California, $3,O36,8l7; New
Jersey, $2,O2l pa Michigan, $2,OO9, S32 ;
Louisiana, 81 ,902, 0S7; Wisconsin, 8 1880. 13;
North Carolina, 81, l9S, 434; Connecticut, ST.
623,2O7; Tennessee, $780, 9 Iowa, $685. 96;
Rhode Island, $s46ss, 1872; Delaware, .$3l4.-
l7S; Maine, $2o,665;. New Hampshire,
$685., 3Ol; Minnesota, 1927 ,663 Alabama,
$2l9, $50; District of Columbia, $2l7 $50 !;
Texas, $l73,47O: South Carolina, $149,-
249; Kansas, $l55, l56; Oregon, $139,281;
Mississippi, $122, l56; Arkansas, $ll4,S95;
Nebraska, 1895; Vermont; $S6, lab; Ne
vada, $84,5S6; Florida, $70,2O8; Montana,
$52,935; Washington Territory, $40, 9Sl; Col
3 ooo: sI Utah i sss'4ss; TWO Wyoming, Si5.5sS
Arizona, Ss46i; Dakota, sls55; total, SILL
1859. The foregoing table exhibits the
amount which it is estimated will be an
nually realized from all sources of internal
revenue except stamps after the law of July,
1870, shall have gone into full operation.
The total amount is Sill, 4l8,O34. Estima-
ting additional receipts from stamps at 3d.
OOO, 900, there will be. a total of Sl26, 41S,O 900.
The table is arranged according to the reve-
me value of the States respectively. The
total of this estimate may be increased
yearly in proportion to the increase Of
population, business and worth, but
probably not to exceed five per cent.
On the basis of this estimate the States of
New York, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and
Kentucky will contribute $7O,7O6,222O 80 or
60 per cent of the entire receipts exclusive
of stamps. The COMMISSIONS gives a COM
parative statement showing the receipts
from the several general sources of revenue
for the period of q year and q half. The
total from September, 1867, to February %,
1869, eighteen months, was $241 $50, 765, and
from March l, 1869, to August 81, 1870,
eighteen months, was $29l ,492,827. The
Commissioner adds that, from this Estate.