The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-09
Seven Big Trusts Make Com
binatiOn
To Resist Features of the War
Revenue Bill.
LOBBY AT CAPITAL
To Influence the Conference
Committee.
Failing in That They Will APP
peal to the Courts.

New York, June 9.-The great trusts of
the United States, with their centralized
wealth representing almost uncountable
millions of dollars, are preparing to join
hands in effort to evade the payment
of their share of the financial burden of
the war. The corporations have decided
to fight the gross receipts and stamp tax
clauses of the war revenue bill approved
by the senate
The list includes the Standard Oil COM
pany, the sugar trust, the Pullman Pal
ace car company, the Wagner Palace Car
company, the Great Northern Railroad
company, the Chicago, Milwaukee 81 St.
Paul Railroad company and the Boston
& Albany Railroad company.
These rich corporations will undoubted-
~ be Joined by many others, and all the
skill and persuasion that money can COM
mand viii be invoked to defeat the eff
forts of congress and the administration
to oblige those most able to pay and who
have received the greatest benefits, to
bear their share of the burden. Advices
from Washington say that representative
are already on the ground, and that the
agents OF other interests will arrive this
week, $1,000 -, ,-, ,,oou
amended by the senate, is now in the
both houses so that the various points
OF difference may be reconciled. The first
nre OF the corporation lobbyists will be
directed at this committee.
1t Is understood that the activity of
the Lobbyists IN enUeaNOr1nS TO reaCn the
conference personally and through the
congressman and senators they influence
will be largely discounted by the secrecy
to be observed. To avoid the trust agents
the committee meets downtown.
The keynote of the disposition of con-
sress in the matter of the war tax is very
well set forth in the expression made by
Senator Spooner of Wisconsin:
What the government wants is money,
not litigation"
The Inference is that whatever legal
weakness may exist at present in the war
measure, 1t viii be air tight when it
comes from the hands of the men cOmpos-
ing the conference committee. If the COM
S GItISe GOES rs, us WORK IN TINS spirit the
OF It's lie TO escape taxation.
IN framing the war revenue bill the
legislators evidently did not feel that the
giant corporation would resist so fair a
division of the burden that must be borne
by all the people The refiners of petro-
leum and sugar are asked to pay tax of
business above $4,000 annually, The
Standard Oil company paws more than
$3O.0o0,00o yearly in dividends to the oil
kings who control it This it does on
not represent an investment of more than
poraton would not go on record unpatri-
otically as attempting to evade such a
sLIlalt exactlon IN the interests of the
country-s success at arms. That is why
now, in the face of Developments the bill
may hope TO be amended.
Inc STANDARD Oil company and the su-
gar trust will contest the tax on the
argument that the gross receipt provision
imposed upon them is Observation-Disclosures
The stamp tax clause apn1ies re The ei
ing car companies and the railroads con-
oucqng sleeping car system, and it has
10 defeat the collection.
The magnates of the Standard Oil COM
pany are still silent and viii neither affirm
nor deny the statement of Mr.. Dodd, their
counsel, that the proposed tax is regarded
as as unjust and unconstitutional, and that
the great trust will resist the attempts of
the government to collect it.