The New York herald., 1870-04-15
MEETING OF EXrRESsMsH.
Muddle Over the Internal Revenue Lnw-No
Additional Taxes to be Collected from Hack
men and Cartmeu.

Muddie Over the Internal Revenue Lnw-No
Additional Taxes to be Collected from Hack.
men and Cartmen.
Last evening meeting OF large number OF the
city expressmen was held to discuss the policy OF
charging tax Of three per cent on all tho gross re-.
ceipts OF the business. Already o gentleman has
been sent on to Washington to interview the Com
missioner OF Internal Revenue and learn from him
whether such tax was compulsory. At the meet
Ing last evening telegram was received from this
gentleman saying that the Commissioner had de-
cided IN favor OF the expressmen.
IL appears that when the law was originally
passed great opposition was offered thereto, be.
cartmen and hackmen should be dealt with IN the
same manner the consequences was that petition
was sent TO washington, and the following decision
was rendered, directed to an assessor OF internal
revenue in this city:-
he ali the attention WHICH has been pob
which imposes duty upon the gross receipts Of
ships barsss canal boats, or other vessels or Of stage
@ s nesss q
TO the business of cartmen and hackmen ordinarily
The phrase 'oher vehicles" the one upon which their
% IS that the S aas Sa a.s sv are are
usually employed Is the transportation of property and pas
canal boats stage Coaches and omaSasss are sm
s 81
and hacks to gather up property and persons deliver
using their carts, hiring Others ex
cusivcy for their use, liable to tax; while
those less Fortunate who obliged to solicit business
MARKET and whose opportunities for profit less favora
bic, liable.
The principle upon which imposed the pre-.
sumed ability of those who made liable therefor either
to them out OF accrued profits, them
others by making the addition to the pce of goods
TO the charges for specific This view is sustained the
provision Of the section referred to- which authorizes per-
their Of fare charge for service In tho rail-
roads, steamboats, and stage coaches, this addition
easily made, but In the of cartmen hackInen
almost impossible to do and instead of being able
cover from their patrons they must held liable tn ereor
subtract II from their wages which will rarely
dmnuton for tax without making appear oppressive, by
rendering tho business Improbable.
Where the law plainly imposes tax Ii must be collected
without regard to Its being polite just but where the
majority Is merely inferred, and exist for
doubts ss TO tho intention Of ths Legislature, will be ad
especially IT, In the present case he belongs class
whose alleged taxable receipts the moderate wages of
unskl.ed labor.
OF opinion, therefore, that II is mpolc require
further returns and payments from the persons engaged
the business under and all and their
assistants will be instructed accordingly
But OF late, spite OF this decision, the tax has
been revived ana many OF the assessors OF tns city
insisted upon It's being paid while others passed 1t
by. This created dissatisfaction and was the cause
OF the meeting held last night. The expressmen are
hopeful that the Objectionable law shall be abolished
altogether or made universal and applicable 10 all
persons making business OF public traffic.