Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-02
THE TAX ON EXPRESS PACKAGES.
Efforts Being Made to Force the
Company to Furnish ami

Company to Furnish stamps.
The Richmond Chamber Of Commerce
is just in receipt of an article on the
attitude Of the express companies In con
nection with the war revenue law. pre-
pared by the Merchants Association OF
New York, which is published In part be
low, as II may prove OF interest TO ship
pers by express.
A letter had already been addressed
from the Chamber to the local represen-
tative OF the express companies nere'
calling his attention to the various phases
OF this matter, and Directing to what
was considered the arbitrary and Illegal
attitude OF the express companies, with
the hope that they would see fit to aban-
don their position. The publication OF
this letter is. however, withheld until q
| reply can be received from the superjn-
tendent, to whom II has been referred,
with the request for an aswer as early
as possible. No further action will be
taken by the Chamber until a reasonable
time has elapsed for the receipt of a re-
ply to tho committees letter.
The article OF the Merchants Associa-
ton reads, I'm part, as follows:
The papers have been prepared In the
suit being brought under the direction OF
the Merchants Association of New York
against the express companies for the
| purpose Of testing In the broadest posi-
bic the question as to where the
responsibility lies for the payment of the
warrstamp tax on express receipts, as
provided for in the war-revenue bill.
This tax the express companies refuse to
pay, claiming that under the act they
were not obliged 10 do so, their duty
being merely TO see that the stamp was
affixed and cancelled. They forced the
shippers 10 pay the tax, and large num-
bers Of the latter protested through the
Merchants Association, that association,
as a body, having flied protests with the
express companies on the day On which
the act became operative.
THE Merchants Association then in
structed its counsel to bring such action
against the express companies as was
necessary TO get this question before the
courts for a judicial Interpretation Of
the working of the statute. Mr.. James
b.. Dill, of the law firm of Dill, Seymour
e. Kellogg, is the counsel for the Mer-
chants Association. The Hon. Joseph
H. Choate was retained as special coun-
sci in the matter. A number of legal
questions arose as TO the best method
Of bringing the contemplated suit; but
these have finally been settled. and the
papers have been submitted to the coun-
sci for the express companies, who have
agreed to expedite the matter as much
as possible. The suit will be pushed TO
a speedy hearing.
Referring to the position of the ex-
press companies in this matter, Presi-
dent William +. King, of the Merchants
Association, said:
The letter OF Internal Revenue Com
missioner Scott, addressed to United
States OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Ludington,
which was recently published in the news
papers,, reads as follows: I'm case Of
persistence by agents OF the Adams Elk
press Company IN their refusal to ac-
cept government goods offered for trans
portation by express, / suggest that
stamps be affixed 10 the receipts by those
who offer the goods and that accurate
account be kept OF all stamps applied;
also. that the facts be reported to the
Auditor for the War Department, with
the request that no more payments be
made on account to the Adams Express
Company for services performed by il on
behalf of the government, until an agree
ment shall be reached for the future dis
charge of it's obligations TO this respect"
This is additional evidence confirm
Ing the opinion OF tho officers of the
Merchants Association OF New York,
that IL was the intent and purpose Of
the war-revenue law that the express
companies should pay for, as well as afix
and cancel, the 1-cent stamp on express
receipts and bills OF lading as provided
for under that law. and the officers OF
the Merchants Association were right in
commencing legal proceedings for the
purpose of compelling the express COM
thus TO pay for and afix and can
cei these stamps, instead of throwing the
burden of such payment on the mer-
chants and shippers"