The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-16
TO REDUCE REVENUES.
Cabinet Agrees to Recommend
the War Tax Be Amended.

Chicago, Nov. 16.-A special to the Rec
ord from washington says:
1t has been decided by the cabinet to
recommend congress to reduce the reve-
nues about SIS, 200, 900 year, which VIII
be done by the amendment of the war
tax act The committee of ways and
means will decide the details, but the sec
retary of the treasury Will suggest
certain taxes that may be repealed
either because they are onerous to the
people or difficult to collect or do not
yield enough revenue to pay for collect
ing. Some of the provisions OF the war
revenue bill are so ambiguous that their
enforcement is impossible and the internal
revenue bureau is all tangled up In lltl-
cation. For example, the clause reaulng
HCertificates of any description required
by law not otherwise specified In this act,
10 cents by strict construction may De
applied to a Sunday school card of merit
or q testimonial Of any kind, and the
commissioner of internal revenue has been
una BILE to decide what papers We're lntena-
ed by congress. There are other ProNlslOhA
equally ambiguous.
1t is proposed to recommend an amend
ment to the tax on inheritances 50 as 10
exempt charitable and educational insti-
tutions which under the present law have
to pay a. larger sum than ordinary helrs-
The patent medicine tax is complained
of more than any other, for 1t requires a
cina1 preparation made by a private lorln-
ula- There are 10000 men having these
formulae in the United States and al
most every one of them sells his own hair
oil or tooth powder or specific OF some
sort. upon which he has to pay tax
equivalent to about one-fourth of his
profits The clause requiring a 1-cent
stamp on every telegraph dispatch is also
irlxsorne This was intended a tax
upon the business of the telegraph COM
panies. but the phrase was framed 50
awkwardly as to compel their patrons TO
pay it. Another Objectionable prOvis on Il
that which taxes life insurance This ts
intended to be paid by the companies. but
under the construction of the law by the
department the money comes out of those
who are Insured The tax on conveyances
Of iG
that on mortgages must be paid by the
borrower. 1t is considered an Injustice to
tax any evidence of debt. Under the law
at present Commercial brokers' have t.
pay a license and the commissioner of
Commercial broker is. The courts have
construed the clause to exempt commits
sion men, but the department is of the
opinion that every man who buys and
sells goods for another person and re-
be Included and Will ask that Il be amend
ed or repealed. Another exemption [ a.
is considered unjust provides that no tax
shall be imp sad upon any Ipcomp9uno-
ed medicinal drug or chemical This ex-
emption has been utilized extensively for
the benefit of German drugs and chemi-
Gals, and the government has been COM
peeled to refund a consider Bile sum OF
money that had been collected on coal tar
and other extracts.
There will be no reduction of the duties
on imported goods although several
clauses in the Dingley tariff law need cor.
rection. The most offensive feature of
that law is that which prohibits people
800 worth of wearing apparel. 1t can not
be enforced, but any attempt to repeal it
would call down upon congress the an
athemas Of all the tradesmen in New
York, for it was the Merchants associa-
ton that secured the enactment Of that
provisi n originally.
The brewers of the country are coming
here to make an earnest effort to secure
a reduction of the tax on beer. but that
will not be recommended by the president
The beer tax is one of the least onerous
and most easily collected in all the list.