Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-12-10
STAMP TAX CHANGES.
Amendments Proposed for the
War Revenue Law Are
Quite Numerous.
goME ARE TO SAVE LITIGATION.

Congress Asked to Say Who Is to Pay the
Tax on TeIegraphic Dispatches and Ex-
press Orders and Packages-Tax on the
Sugar Trust and Standard Oil To he
Collected Monthly AnglO-American
Reciprocity Commission.
Washington, Dec. 1O-The following
amendments to the war tax measure
have been recommended by the treas
ury department to the committee or
ways and means:
In paragraph l. section ., relative to
bankers, insert in the proper place the
following: Undivided profits shall be
considered as surplus in estimating the
tax due from banks. the amount to be
estimated by taking the average for the
preceding year; provided. that the word
capital shall rot be understood to mean
money borrowed or received from time
to time as deposits in the usual course
Of business from any person not a part
ner OF nor interested in the bank, asso-
citation or firm"
Matter of Commercial Brokers.
Relative To commercial brokers'"
the supreme court held in the case Of
Slack VS.. Tucker. % Wall 321 that per-
sons who receive into their possession
any goods or merchandise and sell them
on commission cannot be regarded as
commercial brokers. This relieves many
persons who would otherwise be liable.
There is no tax imposed on commission
merchants. auctioneers or real estate
agents or brokers. There seems no spe-
Cial reason for singing out commercial
brokers ard requiring a special tax from
them, especially as the tax falls. in the
main. on poorer class of people. 1t is
recommended that the tax on CONNER
cial brokers be repealed. or that other
classes of business such as commits
sion merchants and real estate agents
be also required 70 pay special tax.
Covers some Bank transactions.
Add to the paragraph in schedule 4.
relative to bank checks. the following
Provided thar Papers. in the nature of
receipts or otherwise. used as bank
checks or orders for the payment of
money. shall be taxable as checks. en-
cept in the case cs withdrawal Of funds
from savings banks by Gepo5itor on
presentation OF his bank book" or eIss
impose tax on all receipts. Provided
that any instrument purpOrtinE on its
face to he a statement Of weights or
rates Of merchandise. when Cashed as i
check or order FOX the payment OF mon
ey. shall be he'd liable to stamp tax. the
same as n check
To Settle "a LitiGsted Point.
Under the head Of express and
freight amend by providing distinctly
who shall affiN and pay for the stamps
required On Te-ep.s S or bills OF lading.
The stamp tax on mortgages or
pledges. schedule y, should 4. removed.
also. on the assignment or transfer Of
mortgages. leases. policies Of insurance
renewals Of agreements. etc. As there
IS tax on promissoTy notes the tax on
mortgages il double taxation and fails
on the debtor class.
Strike out under the head OF Con
tracts" the provision taxing brokers'
note or memorandum Of sale OF goods
or merchandise. stuc'.s. bonds. ex-
change. notes OF hand. real estate. or
property OF any kind or description is
sued by brokers or persons acting as
such. 10 cents. II brokers pay the spe-
cial tax required. that should be deemed
sufficient