Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-16
THE LAW VERY EXPLICIT.
State Agents Only Ask a Reasonable
Sum for Time and Expenses.
LIQUOR DAY In THE LEGISLATURE.
The New Wholesale License Bill Causes
Lively Session.
PROSPECTS FOR ITS PASSAGE BETTER
rrRoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !

HARRISBURG, April 15.-Governor Pat.
tison transmitted to the Legislature to-day
papers relative to the direct tax due the
State under the recent act of Congress.
They consist of copy of the law, cor
respondence between Secretary Harrity and
Secretary Foster, and the report of B. NJ.
Mead, State Financial Agent at Washing
ton.
Under date Of March IS, Mr.. Harrity
wrote Mr.. Blaine inquiriug whether ii
would be necessary for the Legis lature to
take any steps toward obtaining the money
due Pennsylvania under the direct tax bill
'prior to the receipt of official notification
and information through your department
or otherwise Of the passage of said act. "
The inquiry was evidently made to the
wrong department, for on April Secretary
Foster replied to the letter sent TO Secretary
Blaine, informing Mr.. Harrity that no
money can be paid until the Legislature
shall nave accepted, by resolution. the sum
appropriated snd the trusts imposed by the
act, in full satisfaction Of all claims against
the United States on account of the levy
and collection of said tax, and shall author
ize the Governor to receive said money for
the use and purposes described in the act. !"
Goes Into the State Treasury.
The amount due the State was given as
81 ,654, Ill. Financial Agent Nead's report
details the manner in which the direct tax
was levied. and shows that, as the State was
at that time creditor of the U nited States
Government in the sum OF over S., 900, 600
advanced for the equipment of troops, ETC.,
the amount due from Pennsylvania was
simply deducted IRON the sum due to her by
the National Government and, as no levy
for this tax was made upon individual citizens
no trust is therefore created for the return OF
the tax to those persons from whom it was COL
lecied, or their legal representatives. Con-
sequently, the money refunded goes To the State
Treasury. whence it was originally paid out.
So far as the paying of comm MISSIONS for the
collection of the direct tax due the State under
this bill as discussed in q Washington letter in
to-daN's DISPATCH Is concerned, section oil
the direct bill would seem to settle the
matter Conclusively. 1t reads: provided
further that no part of the money hereby ap-
propuated shall be paid out by the Governor of
any State or Terri DRY. or any other person, to
any attorney or agent under any contract for
services now existing or heretofore made be-
tween the representative of any State or Terri
tory and any attorney or agent"
Judge Lewis S. Wells was State Financial
Agent at Washington for some years prior to
1888, when Governor Pattison appointed B. VI.
Mead, OF Harrisburg. Mr. Mead served until
1857, wien Governor Beaver reappointed Judge
Wells Upon the statement of member of
Governor Beavers Cabinet ii may be said that
il, the authority given to Judge Wells to act
State agent, Governor Beaver expressly stipu-
lated that he should have no right of compen-
sati0n for money recovered on The claim for
direct tax.
New appointment Already.
Under these circumstances it is hard TO see
how Judge Wells could expect to receive Sl70,-
600 or any compensation al all for the collec-
ton of the money now coming TO the State un-
der this bill. The appointment of a successor
TO Judge Wells is not under consideration, as it
has been made already. Governor PattIson,
few days after his inauguration, reappoInted
Mr.. Mead TO succeed Judge Wells, and he is
now serving in that capacity.
The compensation is matter left by law to
the Auditor General and State Treasurer.
They nX il, and the Governor has nothing to
do with il. All contracts heretofore made
with the State agents have fixed a graduated
commission, beginning at 10 per cent for the
first amount collected and descending until in
some cases but per cent has been paid. THIS
would prevent eXorbitant fees, even If large
sums were collected, which has not yet been
the case.
Mr.. Mead said to-day that neither he nor
Judge Wells had any idea of getting any eX-
trayagant Tee for their services as Stale agents.
All that Mr.. Mead expects is reasonable COM
pensation for his time and expenses. Thus far.
Tor almost five years service, he has received
less than $500 His expenses have been about
$1,000 part of which WAS for the printing of
paper books there in the direct tax matter.
bills for its repayment having been intr oduced
at several. sessions of Congress.
The Senate Finance Committee met to-day
and reported affrmatively the Ritter resolu-
tlpn. passed by the House six weeks ago,
To- receive the money due the State and pay it
into the State Treasury. HENRY HALL.