Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-28
STATES WOULD LOSE
Why Gov. Crothers Opposes
Inheritance Tax.
NOW GETTING THE Benefit
Proposed Federal Law Would Take
Revenue From Them.
PAYNE FEATURE CRITICISED
Maryland Executive Will Ask Gov
errors Of Other States to Co
Operate to Secure Defeat.
PAYNE FEATURE CRITICISED
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
BALTIMORE, Nd, March q, 1909
Gov. Crothers will wage warfare upon
the Inheritance tax clause in the Payne
bill. He has decided to send out a letter
to the governors of practically all the
states in the Union asking cooperation in
the movement to defeat that provision of
the tariff bill. The governor will make
the point in his letter that the imposition
Of a federal tax on inheritances will
result in the states being forced to aban-
don the levy and thus valuable tax
resource will be lost to the common
wealthS.
In discussing the matter with The Star
correspondent today Gov. Crothers said
Il think it would be oppressive for the
national government to levy a collateral
inheritance tax upon the people in addi-
ton to the similar tax now collected in
Maryland and many other states. If this
tax is finally imposed it will mean simply
that the state in many instances will
simply lose this revenue, since it would
not be equitable to collect double toll
from estates.
THE principle of collateral inheritance
taxation is a good one if not abused. 1t
is simply a case Of man paying small
tax upon property for which he did not
nave to work and which has cost him
contiscate mans estate by taxation. If
the federal government insists upon such
source of revenue it will mean that the
states cannot insist upon it, and tnat
would be manifestly unfair, for this class
of property is certainly one of individual
states resources.
Would Lose Half Million.
In Maryland, for instance" continued
the governor. we will little later realize
collateral inheritance tax. Should we
later decide to levy a direct inheritance
tax we would realize an equal amount.
Therefore. the passage of the inheritance
tax provision of the Payne Ill would
probably rob the government of Mary
land of half a million dollars a year,
which sum of money is neeued by the
state to meet its internal improvement
expenditures. to care for its insane, to
educate it's deaf and blind charges and
TO take good care of the inmates of its
penal institutions. 1t is wrong for the
federal government to impose this tax
upon inheritances To add the proposed
federal tax to the per cent tax now
levied in Maryland and the even greater
percentages levied in other states would
prove burdenSome and oppressive. The
states would in that event have to repeal
their inheritance tax laws and lose this
revenue. | hope that the Maryland dele
cation in Congress will vigorously OPP
new tariff law"
In closing this interview upon the in
her1tance tax Gov. CrotherS took crack
at Mr.. Taft's predecessor, saying:
OF course 1T is necessary for the fed
eral government to meet its current eX-
penses and to take care of the deficit now
existing. President Taft is not responsible
for this deficit. 1t was the Roosevelt ad-
mlnlstration which created it. Whoever
heard of Theodore Roosevelt ever men
tiOning economy or eXtraVagauce in one of
his messages. He sent them in on every
subject from A to lizard with the
exception of economy. ne never did have
anything to say upon that subject.
Warfield Favors Tax.
Former Gov. Warfield. who proposes
to take an active interest in public
affairs through the Maryland branch of
the National Civic Federation, of which
he is a member of the executive commit
tee representing this state, favors an in
heritance tax, an income tax and tax
on bachelors. In conversation with The
Star correspondent today Mr.. Wariield
said:
I'm my last message as governor to the
made a number of recommendations,
sonle of which have been carried out and
others Of which commissions have since
been appointed to dispose of. | took up
Ut that time the question of an inheri-
lance tax and advocated the taxing of in
heritances. l recommended for this state
increasing the collateral inheritance tax
from p. per cent TO Der cent and re-
ducinS the commissions to 10 per cent
which has been done.
Il believe an income tax has been de-
clared Unconstitutional and still it seems
TO me that it would be fair to tax all in
comes, say for amounts over 5000. Just
what the amount should be | do not
know