The Springfield herald., 1909-08-13

FOreiSn-Du1lt yacnte are SUBJECT TO
an excise tax of seven dollars per
gross ton, which Is to be collected an
nually on the first day of September.
In lieu OF the excise tax the owner
of foreign built yacht or pleasure
boat may pay duty of So per cent.
ad valorem on his yacht. This will
entitle him to American registry. The
excise tax provision was adopted be-
cause OF the fact that some question
has been raised about the ability OF
the government to enforce collection
of import duties.
Corporation Tax.
Every corporation. joint stock com
pany or association organized for
profit. and every insurance company
Is required to pay annually an excise
tax OF one per cent. upon Its entire
net income over and above $1,000.
This feature was put into the bill to
raise additional revenues to apply on
the treasury deficit. The section was
prepared by Attorney General Wicker
sham. assisted by other able lawyers
in the administrative circle. and great
care was taken to guard against
uoupie tdAatiOu II piuNlueS d lOElu
Of publicity which will enable the gov
ernment to exercise supervision over
corporations. The form of returns
which must be made by corporations,
and other features of the corporation
tax law were made public In detail
during Its consideration in the senate.
1t Is estimated that from $20,000,000
to $30O00,000 year will be collected
under this form of federal taxation.
The secretary of the treasury is
authorized to issue Panama canal
which sum. together with that already
expended. equals the estimated cost
of the Panama canal. 1t is not intend
ed that the bonds shall be issued ex.
cept as needed to provide money to
carry on the work of canal construc.
tion. The bonds are to be payable SO
years from the date of issue, and will
bear interest at rate not exceeding
three per cent. When the bonds are
sold the secretary of the treasury will
restore to the working balance the
$5O,000.000 paid originally for the
canal property and the canal zone.
authorizing the issuance of treasury
certificates for money borrowed to
meet public expenditures, increases
the amount of the authorization from
100000 to $2O0.00O.OOO. A large
number of other provisions that are
in force under the existing tariff law
are included in the conference bill,
with a few changes In phraseology in
several cases.
The drawback provision OF the Ding
ley law is incorporated in the confer.
ence bill in lieu of the drawback OF
the house bill which intended to per.
NIT the substitution OF domestic ma.
terial In the manufactured article for
export to the same quantity that the
imported material, upon which a
drawback was obtainable, was used In
the manufacture Of similar articles
for domestic consumption. An add.
tional provision was adopted emitting
users of domestic alcohol in the man.
ufacture of perfumery and cosmetics
to secure a drawback OF Internal rev.
enue tax to the amount of alcohol
used in an exported article.
oenato IoeAo accepted.
Practically all the administrative
features of the bill which were adopt
ed in the senate were accepted by the
conferees. They include a new maxi.
mum and minimum feature. corpo-
ration tax law instead Of the inheri-
tance tax adopted by the house, au-
thorization for a bond issue to raise
money to build the Panama canal, as
well as numerous other features.
The maximum and minimum provi.
sion prescribes duties in accordance
with the rates named in the dutiable
list until March 81, 1910. when 25
per cent. ad valorem is to be added
automatically as the maximum duty.
The president is authorized to apply
the minimum rates, however. to i'm.
ports from country which gives its
best rates to the products OF the
United States and is made the Judge
as to whether foreign country &C.
cords to the United States treatment
which is reciprocal and equivalent.
When he finds that this condition ex.
lists he is to issue proclamation put
ting in effect the minimum rates and
maximum rates will apply.
The president is empowered to en-
ploy such persons as may be required
to secure information to assist the
president in the discharge of the du.
ties imposed upon him and informa.
ton which will be useful to the off,
GERS of the government in the admin.
istration Of the customs laws. The
reciprocity treaty with Cuba Is not af.
fected by the maximum and minimum
provision.
The president is empowered also to
abrogate those reciprocity treaties
which can be terminated by diplomat.
ic action, 1t is made his duty to give
10 days' notice after the bill becomes
a law of his intention to bring those
treaties to an end. All other treaties
which contain no stipulation in regard
to their termination by diplomatic &C.
tion shall be abrogated by notice OF
six months from the president to
those countries. the notice dating
from April 80, 1909, on which date
Secretary Knox notified foreign gov
ernments that the United States
would soon ask them to enter into
pou tarid relations