, 1872-12-03

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allude to hereafter Meanwhile, the document
itself should be attentively perused by all.
REDUCING INTERNAL REVENUE EX-
PENsES.
At the last session OF Congress, an act was
passed providing for the consolidation OF United
States Assessors Districts. limiting the number
in all to eighty, but delegating to the Commits
Bioner OF Internal Revenue the process Of con-
solidation. TO bring the number Of districts
within the limit Of the law, it would be neces-
sary to unite two, three, and, in some cases,
four, districts in one. Commissioner Douglass
says, in his report, That it was found that an
Immediate reduction, in the manner prescribed
by Congress- could not be made with
out danger Of losing large amount Of
revenue. As an illustration Of this possible
loss, he points to the fact that Congress-, last
June, estimated the whols amount Of internal
revenue for the fiscal year at s11o, ,o0o, ,o0o while
the collections OF the first quarter Of
the current year were at the rate Of
S125, ,000,0 900 per annum. The difference
is accounted for in back taxes due under the
laws that had subsequently been repealed, and
the Commissioner is Of the opinion that this
difference would have been largely sacrificed by
suddenly taking Off the officials who, familiar
with the affairs Of their respective districts,
knew how much gas owing and who owed it.
This comes in the shape Of IN excuse for de-
ferring an application Of the new law but IS tho
law has not yet been applied, Commissioner
Douglass suggests another plan for reducing the
expenses Of the Internal Revenue Department,
which is much more likely to accomplish the
purpose Of economy. This plan is briefly the
abolition of the offices Of Assessor and Assistant
Assessor in the Internal Revenue service. He
believes that all that is left for the Assessors to
do, under the notifications Of the Internal Rev.
enue law, can DO done just as we'll by the Col
1ectors and the Washington Bureau. Ho finds
but three duties Of the Assessors, at present,
which could not be discharged with equal pro-
priety and safety by the several Collectors, and
these three duties he proposes to have remanded
to the Washington Bureau. They are
the assessment Of the deficiency
taxes of distillers; the special or license
taxes, which are levied but once q year; and the
tax on banks and bankers, payable only twice
year, and being the only taxes on corporations
that are now levied. As most OF these taxes,
which are the only ones Of special or isolated
character, are usually taken to the Burean OF
T-4 - Fnr 4
there seems to be no good reason why they
should not be sent there directly and certified
back to the Collectors Of the several districts.
1t one time, the tax on corporations, whom it
was much more general and complicated than
now, WAS collected directly by the Washington
Bureau and the entire business WAS disposed Of
by fifteen clerks; in it's present limited shape,
there ia no doubt that it could be handled by
smaller number of employees.
The recommendation of the Commissioner
will be received with favor by all classes who be-
1ieve in the true spirit Of Civil Service Reform,
which is tho economy OF the public moneys. It
ia vast improvement upon the law Of Congress,
looking to the same object, and reducing the
number of Assessors districts In still keeping
eighty Assessors, and the game number Of AS
sistant Assessors, two distinct Departmental with
the separate Offices, organizations. and expenses
Of each, are retained. The number Of subordi-
nate employees is about 1900; and, while
the Congressional 1av recommends re-
duchon Of these as rapidly as consistent, it
leaves the matter to the discretion OF the As
seasors themselves. It is not easy to displace
moro than Thousand plaee-holders, and, as the
Commissioner says, tsnothlng short OF unequiv-
ocal, inexorable law can surely do it" The plan
which he suggests summariy disposes OF 23o As
aeasors, $50 Assistant Assessors, and 600 subor-
dinates. The Assessors salaries, at S., 900 each,
amount to 81 Isl, 900 per year; the salaries Of
,3o0 assistants, at an average Of IS each per
day, would amount to 81, $50, ,000, counting 100
working days i'll tho year. By doing away with
would thus be q saving Of s3o0o,000 an
nually. The Increased subordinate service in
the Co1ectors' Offices would not amount
to more than 81 100000 q year, at the outside,
officials instead Of two sets, one set Of ofice-e1-
penses, more work, and less idleness. It is thus
possible to make an annual saving OF Mt least
72ooo 600 in the internal Revenue system alone.
Mr Douglass plan will be likely to meet with
oppositionfrom certain Congressional politicians,
who will see in it reduction Of the Offices which
they expected to.parce1 out as rewards for their
retainers, their strikers and blowers.' Its con-
however, will be 3 tolerably good test
IT the disposition Of the present Congress in To-
gard to the practical support OF the Civil Service
Reform measures which President Grant has al
:eady inaugurated
Miss Mary Nolan, Of the st. Louis Central
Magazine, has applied for patent &or porta- 1
Die reservoir, OF her invention which is to be