Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-02-11
THE INCOME TAX.


The List Of Heaviest Payers secured-Hov
In talking about the income tax, as
it relates to this district, the Peoria
Herald reports the collector Of this
revenue district as saying:
.sAll that we have done so far is to
gather a list of the heaviest taxpay-
ers throughout the district. This
work is in the hands of the travelling
deputies, who report to me. The
total names reported are ], 4sO in the
IL counties, viz: Henderson. Mer-
Ger. Rock Island, Henry. Knox, War
rem, Stark, Peoria. Bureau. Putnam
and Marshall. Peoria has 500; Knox
16O; Stark 1875; Bureau 1856; Marshall
80; Putnam 25. This is the first d.
vision of the district. The second
has reported 2S5.
1--WE do not regard this as an &C.
curate list at all. and expect it to be
greatly increased. This is only the
preliminary measure. We have no
increase of force as yet. nor any
special instructions as to the method
of securing the desired information.
The regulations of the department,
when fully executed, are very search
ing, and so framed as to enable the
Office to make thorough investigation
Of all incomes within the district.
The number of application blanks
that are already pouring into the
Office warrants the conclusion there
is not to be a disposition upon the
part of the taxpayers to evade the
law. The department has so SIM
pliiied the regulations governing the
gathering of this tax that notwith-
standing the short time intervening
between now and NJ 4rch !, we appre-
bend no difficulty An accomplishing
the work in this district.
Ways Of Ascertaining Ones Incomc.
There are good many WAYS Of as
certaining the amount of mans in
come. The other fellow is a prolific
source of information. If one man is
required to pay he is afraid his
neighbor will escape. so he makes it
a point to inform the collector of the
fact that he knows of another who is
equally fortunate in the possession of
an income. Then there are a few,
and all too few, who are conscien-
tious enough to demand that they he
taxed according to their incomes.
This class is not large. but it is
strictly honest and never lied to an
assessor in its life. All persons de-
string absolute Information on the
question can receive blanks by send
ing for the same to the collector"
The Instructions.
| The instructions to collectors of
internal revenue sent out by the
treasury department relative to the
collection of the income tax are as
follows:
Under the provision of the act of
congress entitled, ''An Act to Reduce
Taxation, to Provide Revenue for the
Government. and for Other Pur-
poses," in effect Aug. 90, 1894. there
shall be assessed. collected, and paid
upon the gains. profits, and income
received from all sources in the cal
endar year ending Dec. 81, 1894, by
every citizen of the United States,
whether residing at home or abroad,
and every person residing in the
United States, tax of 2 per centum
on the amount so received over and
above $4,000; and a like tax shall be
collected and paid, on the gains and
income from all property owned and
all business conducted in the United
States by non-residents.
There shall also be assessed. COL
lected, and paid tax of 2 per centum
on all the net profits or income for
the said calendar year, above actual
operating and business expenses. OF
all corporations, companies, or asso-
Citations doing business for profit in
the United States, no matter how
created and organized.
Returns to be made to collectors
on or before the first Monday in
March, 1895.
1t is the duty of all persons of law
full age having an annual income Of
more than s., 800 to make and render
q return. on or before the first Mon
day in March. 1895, to the collector
of the district in which they reside,
of the amount of their gains and in
come for the whole of the calendar
year 1894. And all guardians, trus-
tees, and persons and corporations
acting in any fiduciary capacity,
shall make like return or their
wards or persons for whom they act.
Every corporation. company or as
ISOLATION, both resident and foreign,
doing business for profit in the
United States, shall make and render
q return to the collector or deputy
collector of the district in which its
principal office or place of business
is situated, on or before the first
Monday in March, 1895, of all its
gains and profits for the whole Of the
calendar year. 1894.
Returns of persons shall be made
on form No. 365, and of corpora
tions on form No. Soc. Said forms
may be procured of collectors on ap.
plication.
Penalt;es-If said returns are no,