The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-18
TO TAX BANK RECEIPTS
Internal Revenue Commissioner
Recommends Change In Law.
CHARGES AN EVASION
RECEIPTS BIGGEST ON RECORD,
BUT he WANTS MORE.

Washington, Nov. 1.-THE annual re-
port of the commissioner of internal
revenue for the fiscal year ended June
80 1900, shows collection exceeded but
once in the history of the bureau. The
receipts were $295,916,1O7, being S10.316,-
107 in excess of the estimated amount
and 81. S31, 534 more than during the
previous year. The percentage of cost
OF collection was 1.5S, as against L6S
for last year, being the smallest in the
history of the internal revenue service
Commissioner Wilson estimates that
the receipts from all sources of inter
nal revenue for the current fiscal year
viii approximate S295. 900, 000.
A number of amendments are recon-
mended to be made to the war revenus
act. The clause of the law which per-
haps has given more trouble in its
administration than any other is that
which requires "A tax of 10 cents on h
certificate of any description required
by law not otherwise specified I'm the
act" 1t is recommended that this par
agraph be abolished.
Bank Receipts May Be Taxed.
Receipts given for withdrawing de-
posits from banks other than savings
banks, says the report, should be taxed.
Receipts do not require stamp under
the law and it was found impossible to
rule that when a depositor went to d
bank personally and Withdrew his de-
post or a portion of it by rendering a
receipt for the same that such receipts
was any more taxable than any other
receipt. AS d result the use of receipts
in lieu of bank checks in this manner
is constantly increasing.
"Of course, says the report, this is
an exasiOn of the tax. but to evade the
tax in lawful manner cannot be pre-
vented.
It is recommended that where any
one instrument combines the character
isticS of two or more instruments it
shall be subject to but one stamp tax
and that the highest imposed upon
either of the Instruments.
There have been found upon the mar
ket a large number of medical prepare
tons which have been held by the
United States courts to be exempt from
taxation, under the clause exempting
uncompOunded chemicals, which are
nevertheless put up under a patent or
trademark and for which proprietary
rights are claimed. 1t is believed, says
the report. that congress intended 10
tax all patent, proprietary or trade
mark medicinal preparations alike and
it is recommended that the law be
changed so as to effect this end.
Fairs Hay D. Exempted.
1t is recommended that the law be
changed in regard TO legacy taxes so
as to reach the estates of alien property
holders who reside abroad. Agricultural
fairs should be exempted from taxation.
1t is advised that either the tax on
commercial brokers be repealed or else
others in the same class of business be
included in its provisions
The receipts from the various sources
during the year were: Spirits, S109, $685.
81 an increase of SO, ,2S3.
Tobacco. $50, 300 OS4, an increase of
1851. $50.
Fermented liquors, $40. $50, 754, an in
crease of "a, 906 1876.
Oleomargarine, $2,543, 7S5, an increase
of $5S7, 1856.
Filled cheese, 81. O64; decrease, s., 033.
Mixed flour. S7.439; decrease, s40I.
Other special taxes. including the
aires, $4,155, $40; decrease, S405, 952.
Legacies and distributive shares of
personal property, S2.8S4, 491; increase,
81. 649. O56.
Schedules A and B, $40. 964, 455; an
increase of S2,ST3.45S
Miscellaneous. 1891; decrease, s., 795.