The San Francisco call., 1898-07-21
WAR TAXES
 SHIRKED BY
 WELLS.FARCO Merchants Condemn the Company. SCORED BY ANGRY PATRONS POINTED LETTER SENT TO PRESIDENT VALENTINE. District Attorney Foote Informed That the Federal Law Is Now
 Being Openly Vio-
 lated.

The Merchants Association, composed of nearly a thousand business men and firms, has come out in no uncertain terms and made a protest against the express and transportation companies in general and Wells, Fargo 6 Go. in particular compelling it's patrons to pay the war revenue tax on all receipts and bills o1 lading. The law passed by Congress for the purpose of raising funds to carry on the war with Spain, among other things provided that such companies must affix a 1-cent stamp on all bills of lading and receipts With a nerve, which in its au- dacity implied about the same as the re- mark of the late millionaire Vanderbilt with reference to the public, the wealthy express corporation mentioned proceeded to ignore the law and made its patrons pay the tax which the Government in- tended 1t should pay.
 Protests were raised again st the injus- tice from all parts of the land. but in stead oT having the desired effect they only caused the express companies all over the United States to draw closer to- gether and combine to defeat the law. Such Is the patriotism Of wealthy cor porations which have for years made for tunes out of the Government whose trou- bles are now the means of putting thou sands of dollars into the pockets of ths stockholders. When Wells. Fargo Co. began to pile on the additional charge of cent for every piece of paper in busl- ness transactions with It's patrons thc merchants Of this city rebelled but to no purpose: If the extra l cent, that the company should stand, was not paid the patron had but one thing to do, walk out
 Being unable to make a fight againsl so powerful corporation single handed the local merchants turned to the asso- citation, one of the most conservative pup hc bodies, for some relief. Since the first or the month the complaints have been pouring into the office from such mer- chants as Benjamin Newman, of Newman Levinson; Frank Maskey; Mack 6 O., wholesale druggists; j. c. Winans, of 22u Front street; Ii. M. Heinenan, of 105 San some street; Joseph b. Grant, Of Mur- phy, Grant & Co.,; ". R. Sherwood, Of Sherwood Sc Sherwood, and many others They assert that they have no objec- tons to assist in the payment of tnelr portion Of the taxes, regular or extra for the support of the Government in time, or peace and war, and they are doing so, put they do not see why they should pay others taxes as well.
 At the regular meeting of the Mer- chants Association held yesterday the subject was taken up and handled with out gloves. Director D. V. Kelly asserted that there is no question as to the mean ing and wording of the law, which de- clares that the express companies shall pay their proportion of the war tax, and not the company,s patrons. He said that the members of the association should use every effort to compel the transportation companies to comply with the law.
 w. R. Sherwood, also a director, came to the point and said: "The express com panies should not shirk the obligation intention of those who framed the act is so clear as to leave no room for doubt" Director J. D. Murphy made a patriotism Of Wells, Fargo & Co, and added that he believed that the associa- tion should begin an action against this proceedings should be begun just now, now, because the Merchants Association has already begun action against this com pany to compel it to stand its part of the war tax by attachinO the little one-cent stamp to receipts and bills of lading free Of extra charge to the public. The New York Association has gone into the fight to win. and knowing that the contest will be a bitter one, for the express com pany Is determined to shirk its share of the general responsibility Joseph. H. legal authorities in the United States, and the New York merchants have en- gagged him to conduct their case.
 Others spoke in the same line of argu- ment. and although Wells Fargo & Co as bank and as an express company is a member of the association, the board ton to President Valentine Of the com pany mentioned as we'll as to the repre- sentatives of any other companies that are violating the law:
 
 of the member. of the Merchants Association the board of directors hereby protests and cb- 1.cts
 First-To the issuance by you of any bill Of ladns or other evidence Of receipt and forwarl- there shall not have been duly atta slsd and cancelled an internal revenue stamp of the value of 1 cent.
 Secopd-To any requirement. on your part that the shipper or consignor should. dire tly I or indirectly pay for such revenue stamp as portation by you. We hereby fur.ner n2t.1y you that any payment which may now or here after be made by the shippers or consignors. directly or indirectly. for any such stamps IT pursuant to such requirement.. is and will be consicnors expressly reserve the right tn con test the legality Of such requiremel It and ac- tion on your part in such manner as they may be advised.
 Some consideration was given to the matter of the association taking active steps toward prosecuting Wells, Fargo & Go. for violating the law because of the association in New York having the same matter in hand, as shown by communi- cation from that body. The letter stated that legal proceedings had been begun there to compel the express companies to body had engaged J. Fl. Choate as spe- cial counsel to assist the regular counsel of the association in this matter and re- quests a contribution of $25 toward the ex- pense of the suit. The local board ordered that amount to be at anc- forwarded to the Merchants Association or New 1OTh TOT the purpose of testing the legality of the action of the express companies.
 The board also decided to send the fol- lowing communication to United States District Attorney Foote:
 The board of directors of the Merchants, Association respectfully calls your attention n the clear violation of the provisions of the war revenue law Of 1928 by certain express and transportation companies doing business in this city. We respectfully reuest that you nsti- tute such prompt proceedings against said com panies for the failure to comply with the war revenue law as will bring this matter to a speedy determination. Please consider inc ofA cers of this association at your service
 It is believed that District Attorney Foote will advise that no action be taken against the company here pending the de cision of the courts Of New York. How ever, the letter will be sent to him SD as to give him an opportunity to show how he stands on the matter