The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-27
TO RAISE A WAR lax,
SYNOPSIS OF THE WAR REVENUE
BILL.
How Funds Arc to BE Raised 10
Keep the Men at the Front.
Some Special Taxes.

| winch 10 carry on the war are Interesting
but completely aside from that fact comes
the personal interest with which every mar
In the country, from the poorest laborer to
| the millionaire, will have In it, the schedule
having been so arranged that all classes VIII
be reached, and everyone made to contribute
| "a mite or muckle" towards the support
OF Uncle Sans army and navy at the front.
| Even the tramp, with his can OF beer. must
leave fraction OF cent. and the small boy,
WIN ms clandestinc cigarette, Will be an un-
| conscious contributor.
| with business men. however the trouble
VIII be to avoid pitfalls. aud many will
,,yn i IN IN lear ana trembling OF lines Inc that
will make careful stuoy Of the bill, with
complete list OF items attached and
these VINO do not Will have unpleasant
experiences with deputy marshas who VIII
come to summons them TO appear before
the Federal courts to show why they have
neglected to do thus and so. as prescribed by
| The older generation remembers the
stamp tax feature in vogue during the
last war. by which the Federal govern
ment compelled tho private citizen To pay
4 lax every time he drew check on q
bank, but 1T VIII be novelty now, and
there viii doubtless be no little complain
ing and objection when it is brought homo
70 them. some may get around 1t by
Keeping noney1in private safes and pay
ing all expenseE in cash. bpt the majority
VIII regard II as too small matter TO
trouble about and in the ena the govern
ment VIII derive considerable revenus
from it.
,. II is. Of course. impossible to say as yet
from what source the government VIII de-
rive the largest income. as the record.
OF the past afford no index to the future,
PUT, taking into onsideration the greatly
increased volume of business since the lata
war, 1t Is reasonable to presume that the
gross receipts will multiply those OF that pc.
riod many times over.
among the existing items In the bin are
those OF interest to brokers, pawn brokers.
theatefs and pool rooms.
Lie insurance policies arc a most important
Item In the bill which provides for Il tax
OF cents for each hundred dollars OF life
insurance In limo insurance and 80 per cent
on me first weekly premium taken on the
t"uuhtrlai ana weekly plan, and one-half Of
PET cent Is charged on premiums, casualty.
fidelity and guarantee risks. It is estimated
that between 30,0O0.000 and 40 600 600 OF peo-
pie are protected by Insurance In America
today, and that there are in force | be-
tween fourteen and fifteen billions of dol
lars Of life insurance. which will pay an
slo,ooo GOO. The insurance companies will
pay this tax, but In the end 1t will be
taken from the policy holders BY being
1eunctea from surplus and contingent
FUNDS, On that account the policy holders
wlll be deprived Of the amounts applied
py Tue companies to the payment OF thu
tax from these funds, which are varlously
used for the payment OF dividends. sur
render values aud various returns None
OF the companies are complaining. and It
Is thought az the tax is temporary and
urged by tho policy holders. In fact, 1t Ia
small matter to the individual. while it viii
yield millions to the government in tho ag-
gregatc.
The tax of one-half of / per cent on fire
insurance premiums is another important
ITEM ana should amount to several thousand
uoilars from Houston, though no close esti-
mate can be reached to the amount
The following are some OF tho Items upon
which taxes are levied.
Lease land or tenant, not exceeding one
exceeding mn
eNeeeding three, so cents, exceeding three
Then comes the tax on real estate trans
iers and mortgages. the law providing that
the tax shall be % cents or each thousand IN
to SAOO and % cents on each $500 in excess
of that.
Men who use proxies for voting I'm ,b,
stoci holders and directors meetings of cor
porntons and all that kind of meetings cx-
cert those of charitable or literary societies
and public cemeteries, are taxed 1t is a prac-
tlco In corporations, for example for ONLY a
feN men to be present at stockholders meet
ing, and sometimes one man holds proxies
Tor more than majority, and In such eases
ne or the owner OF the stock must nay 10
ecGntr for the privilege Of voting each vote
ION the power of attorney to sell, rent or
collect there is placed tax of % cents hut
thus does not apply to those attorneys who
are working for the collection of ox -soldicrs'
claims against the government on account Of
the military or the naval service.
one OF the most important items on tho
nst Is the patent medicine item. which will
cost houston between five and ten thousand
dollars year. according to the most con
stTNatiNe estimates, the tax In the end com
ing nom the consumers though the dealers
VII have to hwy the stamps in the first in
stance Tho bill says If this item.
Medicinal proprietary articles and pro-
paiRnuns; upon every packet, box, bottle
pot or phial Or ether enclosure CONTAINING
any my pills powders tinCtures. trochcs, or
loEehSefs, syrups, cordials, bitters, ano-
nyn.s. ton'es, plasters, linimcnts, salves
ointinents, pastes. drops waters Except nat.
ura' spring waters and oarbonated natural
sirlhi watersl, essences, spirits, oils and All
medicinal preparations or compositions what
sceNcr made and sold removed for sale
by any person wherein the person making or
ny prNate formula, or any exclusive right.
where such packet, etc, does not exceed al
tne retail price cents, y of cent; when
the price is between and 10 cents " ~ /
cert: between 10 and 10 cents. q Of / cont.
between II and % cents ~ of cent and for
eaeh anditional > cents in value q OF / cent
tieies used as an application to the hair
mouth or skin or otherwise used, where the
npartet, box or bottle does not exceed al Tho
retail Price cents. X of cent tnX: when
the lrice is between ( and 10 cents. /. ~
cent between 10 and Is cents a OF cent. ne
tween i" and . cents. x of | cent: each
acditional p cents in value, ss of cent
IN. .heMing gum each package OF not more
thnn 81 retail value, cents and for each
additional dollar cents
Another important feature is the mher-
nl
provision it will be impossible 10 estimate
even approximately what Houston's share
VIII pc Tho tax is GA inheritances OF per-
sonhi property exceeding $40 000 and the
provisions are as follows:
On sums between $4,000 and SOS OoO.
l. On benefits to the lineal issue or lineal
ancestors, brother or sister OF the deceased
NJ the rate OF - cents for every 800
q To the descendant OF brother or sister
at the rate OF Sl.50 for every sl00
J, To the brother or sister of the father ar
moth'r or descendant of brother or sister
OF the father or mother at the rate OF So Tor
To the brother or sister OF the grand
father or grandmother or descendant Of
the brother or sister of the grandfather or
srandnother, 81 for every 800
o. ~ those OF any other degree OF col
lateral sonsanguinity or strangers In blood
OF bcdy petite or corporate, at the rate ot
~ ior every 500 All legacies or p-onortv
passing by will or by the laws Of any sisie
or Territory 20 husband or wife are evenIn,
~ from NJ tax Ct duty. On sums ranging between
5000 and $780, oo the rates of iaS are To 10
multiplied by Que and cne-half; on those
ranEins from Sl01o00 to $500 200 the rates arc
% De multiplied 10y twO; on those ranging
from $500 600 TO 81, 900 the rates are IN he
multiplied by two and one hull, aud on those
by three. ""heu
tne Tax is made lien upon the property