New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-06


TO the House and was concurred M.
EXTRAORDINARY MEANS NEEDED TO COLLECT TIE
REVENUE.
As 10 its policy It is always a question OF doubt
whether extraordinary means should be taken TO collect
the revenue Is is however, matter worthy OF eonsid
Grafton whether large OF money due from power
ful corporations or wealthy individuals, should be
allowed 10 escape going where they belong-into the
Golfers Of the Govcrnment-whct the poor men are made
pay all their And 1t IL also matter VI uop
whether revenue olhceI VINO IS pa 10 ' rf "t
way, and who should attempt to MAKE n1It astl9t
powerful railroad or other corporation Would very
great while keep his head It ~ true that no part "a
these taxes which we're collected under tne S1looIn
contract should have been omitted 10 nave Decn W
lected by the proper officers OF the Government lnaI
Is secyldeDt proposition, looking at tIe stictest anu
most complete fuhment OF the duties OF inc revenue
officers 1t l., however quite Obvious TO me oom,eS
and to men In general, THINK, tDat Iof tne olunds
compensation men do not make extraordinary contests
Aud such contest win p9werH raroaa COZ cor or
ton, such rs IN some OF our states uohI,uaSs ~
the local Legislatures but every political man
he OF IL nOtl, would not De sdte one LOT
the officer These corporations WOui. 10 ld,sS "a
tent nave influence enough TO take OH the neau OF any
man poking his INTO their AFFAIRS without thclf
consent IT. therefore, you propose TO colect llese
taxes, requires extraordinary men and EXTRAORDINARY
cent or go per cent or some large salaries matter
for the Committee TO judge, not for me.
THE AssIsTANT-sECRETARY ALSO SIGNS AS MERE
MATTER OF ROUTINE.
have signed, doubtless, check for good many OF
those papers that have gone through In reference 10
that contract but have done so as matter OF routine
these papers all CO. according to their character to the
proper officers Of the Treasury Department; a con
tracts and everything reference TO contracts includ
ing the spondenee are referred, matter OF
course to the Solicitors ghatever letters the Solicitor
writes and sends for the signature OF tue secretary
would naturally be brought TO me Tor check reau
them as to know that have read them, and PUT my
initials the corner and then they 20 70 the secretary
his signature il the papers are made for the Assist
ant Secretary to sign sign them as do all other
tiers made IN that way where tue ASSISTANT oecrey ~
intended TO sign them. 1 have nothing speciai 70 say
further unless to answer questions.
The CHAlRMAN-You Say that you did not introduce
this amendment in the Senate do you know VINO dlui
Mr. sAwYgR-I do not believe that the amendment
introduced In the body OF the Senate nave
looked at The GLOBE Ito ascertain who ana introduce
but do not any auson TO 1t until II appears IN the
body OF the bill when the bill was reported DacK from
the Committee on Appropriations i presume that II
went into the bill the same az oOdmany other amend
ments which never offered IN tine Senate pu are
sent to the Committee on Appropriations ana aa on ~
the Committees table and read for Information, ana II
tile Committee fit TO adopt them 1t does so. -
The CHAIRaAN-You think that this amendment was
adopted the Committee aud was inserted III the Dill
one of its amendmentsf Ar,
record IN The Globe and IN the Journal shows that
The CHAIRMAN-ABd you are unable to tell rom your
recollection through whose agency IL was zone q,
was done L remember the conversation In regard 10
what the amendment meant, and that Is all 10 re-
Tho CHArRMAN-Have yOu any such knowledge Of the
practical workings of the law as to enable you to give
the Committee your opinion on that subjecti
Mr. SAWYER-Pretty much all that l have learned as
to the practical workings of the law have learned
since this investigation commenced; my attention hau
never been drawn to 1t before.
MR. SAWYER NEVER READ THE CLAIMS.
MI FosTER-I notice that in the first case where rules
and regulations made to cover these matters, Mr.
Secretary Boutwell,, in general order IN the Kelsey
case SAYS "and provided that said Kelsey shall, to my
satisfaction set forth in written statement under oath
to be filed in my office. the character and detail OF the
claims Of the persons, firms, and corporations
latv hV he
which the money mas been withheld and the evidence
by which the claim l. to be supported"
Mr.. SAwYER-l think tnat thdt Is substantially uo i1n
MI. FosTER~Have you examined these contracts and
the filing OF these statements suflcentiy To answer
whether or not claims were filed III detail -
Mr. sAwYER-I have never read one OF them IN any
NJ. Eos TfR-Can you state whether Secretary Bout
wells order complied with
Mr. SAwYER-I presume that these things went 10 tne
Solicitor and that he 10 Them lie Is tile proper one
to do that; never read one OF them IN my me.
Nh FosTER-So that you cahhot ans"er tna' qieS'1ou
Mr. FosrER-You notice that long list OF railroad
COMMUNICATED VI them--bas been just thrown IN ana
added to sanbOrns contracts do you consider that was
a proper detailed statementf
MIR. FosIER-Well for Instance, .ake one case. MT.
sanborn writes from Boston. July 1873, that he has the
honor OF lac losing list Of corporations Indebted Tor Tue
government tax dividends and interest ana that ne
respectfully asks that they DC included III his list THIS
list is lndursed Respectfully referred TO tue solicitor
Of the treasury william A. Richardson" 1t is further
Endorsed by MI Banleld 81 recommend tnat r,, the
"Approyed, W. A. Richardson"
Mi SAwYER-The details in that case are simply that
these railroad companies withheld taxes Que On tAe
MIR. FosrER-The list includes names o, railroad
Organizations that have never issued bona OF spen'
MIR. sAwYER-Are they railroads that never have had
"" Mr. FosTER-They never have had any dividends and
have never expended any money beyond money spent
~ Mr.. sASYER-I do not know how the Secretary could
know that fact. The list was accompanied by an AM
Mr. FosrER-It seems to me that the spirit OF that
provision requiring detailed statement has not been
fulfilled in this 1 want TO know whether you
tLiuk detailed statement would have been proper III
the administration Of tue lawi -,s.,. -
under when it claimed that the m0ney was WIN,
held should have been cited; that Is only matter OF
ptter naturally intrusted to the Solicitor; he give
better evidence on the subject than can. =,
san6orn anu Mr. Hawley in reference TO the Delaware
ana Llckawanna Railroad Co, ami hnd that you, as
January 1874 with this Endorsement respectfully re-
red 10 solicitor of the Treasury Tor an expression
of mis- views as the pr0prety OF payment to Mr. san
born Of one half the amount OF the WITHIN named draft
why did make that reference!
Mr.. sAwYER-Because 1t was proper question 10 20
MIR. FosIER-Dd you have any doubt about the pro-
prety VI III .,u,.,o
about il never saw the untll 1t was brought 10
with nd0rsement ready Tor signing ana Win tLc
check OF the proper officer upon IL.
MIR. SAWYER THINKS MR.. BOUTWELL, KNEW WHAT
HE WAS ABOUT.
Mr. FosTER-Who do you think are the proper Off
GERS Of the Government" that referred to in the Law
Mr. sAwYER-I suppose the law refers to the ordinary
internal revenue officers the customs officers or ans
other officers Of the Government whose business it is to
collect or aid in collecting the revenue.
Mr. FosrER-I believe the law reads that those per
sons who receive contracts to assist the proper
officers OF the Government IN discovering and collecting
Mr.. SAwYER-That 10 SO.
MIR FosrER-Do you think that il would have been
ANYTHING ore than ordinary prudence and toretbough
ON the part the Secretary OF the Treasury or OF tie
officers administering this law, to have consulted WIN
the Commissioner OF Internal Revenue before contracts
laf