New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11

| that leaves a trail OF fire behind and every spark
| flashes with bitter denunciation.
Then the tax-dodgcr appears upon the scene eau"
| and serene as a midsummer and OVERLOOKING
| with confidence and wisdom lie Is the anti.hes'S
! Of the man who ignorant Of the tax law. Tor ne
| is apparently loaded for bar lie is as full OF Jaw
| and logic of wise and modern precedents' as
a yellow dog is Of feas He has already on nuihe'-
! Gus occasions discussed the important questions
| involved with himself, end he had ead-ppe
| cinch on both ends of the. controversy he nad no
difficulty in securing the unanimous opinion OF MIN,
| self that his Judgment was undeniaby correct and
| that he should be exempted from taxation
NO REPRESSION OF ELoQUENCE.
| The tax-dodger is an enlarged. revised and up-to-
| date edition of the ghost In Hamlet for WINE
| the klngy Dane asserted that he could taie
| unfold" he from a fear that he might be con-
| sldered pedantic withheld his knowledge from the
| world. The artful dodger. with no such idea 10
| control his conduct not only declares that he can
| unfold a tale but unhesltatingy and loquaciousiy
| proceeds TO do the unfolding.
| These tales are as numerous and varied as the
| tales I'm the Arabian Nights" and most. of them
are quite as truthful lie Is bristling with points,
like n hedgehog. and he proceeds to clnch them
| with assurance that seemingly anticipates no
| opposition from any quarter
Assurance even II 1t is doubly sure cuts no figure
In matters. The tax-dodgcr. when ne enters
the portals OF the tax office. leaves nope De-
|
| weapons OF the Commissioners cannot penetrate
! Wealth and social position count for naught there.
for once he has placed himself within that circle
| he stands equality with the poorest ana
| humbest in the land. There al men, at least, are
| equal.
| If judgment be given against him. and his at
| tempt to eyade taxation be a dismal failure ne
| wakes wroth and denounces the decision as a re-
| Fiction upon his honesty How can such men
| prevaricatc endeavor by dishonest means 10 de-
tire city of Its Just " he n honest
! then Is doomsday near, IT,, -.
| When he hears the decision he SEXES his hat
and threatens to bring dire destruction upon the
| office; his words are lightning hash"s delivered III
TO vulgar epthets yet there is an atmosphere sur
rounding him that is blue. darby deeply 9eanti IT,
suitable expressions that might Adequately portray
| his feelings.
| SOME KNOCKOUT" LAW.
II is In vain that the Tax Commissioner quotes the
| aw relating to debts contracted for the purpose Oh
| cvading taxation and that other law, so interest
Ing to tax-dodgers. which defines what constitutes
a legal change of residence. There is no one 50
| blind as he who will see; there is no one so
| deaf as he who will not hear; and he departs In a
the SLOW music Of the haIf-suppressed sigh Of the
| Commissioner, for such turbid scenes. when oftei,
repGa nrye as II tfey c are IN 'na' ONCE VI" Tat"
The tax-dodger is the most astounding character
that appears in official tax circles; In every other
| relation In life a general rule. he Is man
without reproach and enjoys the confidence OF the
| business community. He would view with horror
and dismay any suggestion that he might deiEaud
t fhf@ nis songs Yet is that
in matters relating to taxation he will not hesitate
he NAV deprive the City of his share OF the taxes.
But even the successful tax-dodger has his day.
hm sr pn the e"s Shoulder cries follow me- and he
| passes away into the silent land His VIII Is duy
dsc tes large amount OF personally subject to
taxation. although he had regularly ana persist
,ff'' for
In the history of the Tax Department such cases
are mpS 70 give rise to saying among Of
fcials that has almost assumed the nature OF q
| lust dues until death steps In TO help him
A HoRRIFYING SUGGESTION.
| II ie related Of wealthy resident of fashion
abIe avenue whose mansion furnished with
rugs from kitchen to roof. and who was an uncon.
scionabe x-dodger. that his wife, whose eyes mao
become weary of the sight OF rugs suggested 10
| him the eppropriatcness OF charge In the moor
coverings She thought carpets would be nice Tor
the parlors. He objected. , 49,.
MY DEAR pleaded the woman. surely you have
no darling he replied, with some show of as
perty the carpet is all right DOM op} bee n NJ
down without tacks and | object to the tacks
the " tax dodger. stricken with conjunction wishes
TO make restitution to the city tnat ne ma, mas b hi
mansion in the avenue he is anxious TO SECURE an
everlasting life tenancy In mansion IN me sk kHa
| II
| not desire TO have his pockets crammed with the
city tax in of having to put down carpet
lie does not however, appear openly In the mar
ket place or in the public square to announce ms
erson IS good for the s soul Of theory
but matter Of practice he prefers 10 m h re-
ness OF cloudy night. Accordngly h. RENTS EN- &c
Controller some part OF ire Money o %r nto tb
! conscience fund Nearly all the money received IN
No How much nobler II would have been If he had
acted the part OF an honest citizen through Ire anu
did not wait to 'let his tormentor' conscience h'o
him out
MANIFOLD DUTIES.
This IL only small sample OF the daily oficia
| life of a Tax Commissioner. and when 1t Is taken
into consideration that the cases herein cited are
multiplied In number every day. almost eXnausths
| tho nationce torturlng the brain and nearly de
stroying the system 1t can be realized no"
unenyiable arc the duties OF those public servants
There il not a man who works at the trade OF rock
| blasting a labor that has been immortalized In thai
popular song Drill. Ye Tarrers. DILL but goes
to his humble fresde at night when his days worn
is done feeling less fatlgued both mentally ant
| nhvsicaily than the tax-Gatherer .
~ lie has a double duty to perform, for it Is his
bounden duty to protect the honest citizen VINO 10, i
to defeat the Vaccinations of those who are liable
but who seeking eyas1n me ho arc 9i liza
thereto and II dishonest citizens escape me DurueI
| that they should bear IT must be borne by others
The amount TO be raised by taxation is fixed eaci
| wear and somebody must pay II, .
' rh,s Inc Correction and revision of the tax lis
, goes on from the second Monday of January t,
June in each year. with all its cares. annoyance
and anxietes and at the latter date the revision Il
finished and the books are prepared Tor the ne
cever OF Taxes. The tax is collected and the none
TO pay the expenses of the city government Tor TN
year Is provided. IA. -, =. ..a,,o q, d,
| tho initiatory work which produces this result II
! done i'm the Tax Commissioners Department?
How few of it's citizens have even an approximate
idea Of the vast labor involved In It's preparation
from it's Inception TO it's completion. How Unite
Tho humber that realizes the tolls and troubles
a Tax Commissioner No slave who writhed be
noath his masters lash In the days before the wa
ever looked forward with greater pleasure 10 tn
day that would give him his freedom than the Ia
"Reminiscences looks forward TO the day when tn
correction OF the tax list ends by law and the book
are closed $1,000, :, ,,. 49,.
To the words or w ordsWcrth' u "'s"' ''e'
he said TO the Commissioners: