The Republican journal., 1876-09-28
Tilder's Taxes.

All the fuss and Juror of the attack OF
the New York Times on the income re-
turn of Gov. Tilden yaniShes before the
exhibit made by Judge Sennott. The fol-
lowing is 4 synopsis
Judge Sennott says he was in Tilden's law
office during the whole period covered by the
allegations Of the Times, and was more fami!-
lar than any other person, even Ilden himself,
with his professional services and the earnings
of his office, it being his duty. among others, to
keep such record as was preserved. He de-
clares the Times's statement false in every i'm
portant particular. He takes up in detail the
Timcs's statement which charges Iilden with
fraudul eutlv concealing $S1 $50 of his income,
and declares that the first seven items which
he particularlZes were mostly fees and mort
gage deeds, railroad services, etc, amounting
10 500 900; no such charges or fees were ever
made, rendered or collected by T!lden. The
eighth item for service to the second mortgage
bondholders Of the st. Louis, Alton and Ierre
Haute Railroad Company. $4,000. he says no
bill was ever rendered in form as stated by the
Times, but the money was paid for services
running through five years anterior to 1857,
TlIden having during that time been counsel
for the bondholders Of the road NO apprecla-
BILE part, if any, of this item can therefore be
apportoned to the year 1862.
| GENERAL DENIAL OF TIE TIMES'S STORY.
The ninth item, which, with the eighth. fur
| nish the only basis for the Illness charges, Is
! for services to the first mortgage bondholders
/ of the st. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute Rail
| road Company. The 10000, he says, was for
| services rendered in the foreclosure proceed
| lug. in 1853. 1859, 1860 and 1861, and decree
| was rendered in August, 1861. so that no CON
| siderable part of these services belong to the
| wear 1862. The tenth item, for fees during the
! year 1862 from the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad Company, SO 900, he pronounces to-
| tally false. Tden received no compensation
or fees from that railroad in 1862. The eeN-
| enth item, for fee during 1862 from the Toledo
! and Wabash Railroad Company, $4,000, he
pronounces false, for the road never was eli
| ent of Tdcns and he never at any time re-
ceived any fees or rendered any compensation
to that corporation. Regarding the twelfth
| item, for a share of bonds retained for services
during the wear connected with reconstruction
of the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company
S25 900, he says no bonds were retained or re-
| ceived for such services in 1862, nor was sc
| large an amount ever received, including eX'
penses and disbursements. Services were rem
| dered and no doubt taken into account in com
putting the gross earnings Of that year.
ONLY ONE CHARGE CORRECT.
The thirteenth item for salary rs trustee an(
| President of the Balance Dock Company, $1,000
| he saws is correct and is the only one of the
thirteen of which that can be said lie ais
says, regarding the charge that Tilden in 1s6-
received from the st. Louis. Alton and Ierrt
| Haute Railroad Company $33 900 in first mort
gage bonds is unqualifiedly false. In concu
sion, he says: 1t seems proper to say that the
return made under oath must be assumed TO
be correct unless it can be shown to be false
This attempt has been made by the Times. and
growing bolder from day to day, its efforts have
finally eliminated in the specification of thir
teen items. twelve of which are wholly on
mainly fictitious While the Times was thli>
making excursions into the regions Of fiction
it seems to have found it convenient to over
look the possibilities Of lawful deductions
such as expenses, rent, interest and losses
The simple fact Is, the amounts returned were
the net result of his income after taking on
lawful deductions. For me. it only remains t
assert that every fact within my knowledge
confirms the good faith and adequacy of the re
| turns which were verified by the affidavit o
one. who ior more than half Il generation, haC
lived a life so pure and blameless that The
breath of calumny had failed to touch him until
| by the general voice of the great party, he hat
| become their candidate for the highest office il
the gift Of the people, In respect to the aega
ton that after two years of income tax Mr. Til
den made no return, but left that portion of hi
tax which was in excess Of payments for his
| account made by the corporations whose BOND
| and stocks he held, to be assessed under thu
law by the estimate of public officers, the an
swer is simple: the statute gave the taX-paye
option to take that course, and good and hon
should accept that option. Mr.. Tilden re
ceived no favor from the Government offices
and sought none he did nothing but pay al
they imposed on him. Nearly all bis income
from investments paid tax through the corpo
rations whose bonds and stocks he held, with
out allow ance for lawful deductions on the res
idue. After lawful deductions were made h
believed at the time instead of paying less tina
he oftener paid more than would have been tn
result of full, but troublesome accounting. Ii
.1,l
difficulties incident to attempting the specti
statement of the affairs in which he was inter
ested, and of the corporations and business il
which he was an investor, and also he exempt
ed from the responsibility of adjudicating o.
facts and the law applicable to uncertain an
calculating elements during rapid and violen
changes of fictitious values. The law was IN
settled; questions Of real difficulty existed
bic of Il Just or safe application, and it was no
agreeable to make return on Il doubtful o
disputed theory or in contradiction to even I'll
meritorious claims made in behalf of the GOV
| eminent Respectfully yours.