The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-17
JOKER IS FOUND
IN TAX SECTION
------------~
No Money Available for Publicity
Feature of Tax on Cor
porations.
LEADERS ARE AT SEA
Disconeerted by Discoveries Made
BY President, But Corpora
ton Folk Happy.
LEADERS ARE AT SEA

WAShfNGTON, Feb. 1T.--Fclks at
the capital ere wondering to-day
whether the newly discovered joker
In the corporation tax section of the
Aldrich-Payne tariff law just hap
pened" or whether some one slipped
It in when the president wasn't
looking.
AS matters stand now the publicity
feature of this measure Is dead
letter. Unless congress shall make
special appropriation Of 10000,
which the Treasury Department es-
Inmates as necessary for the pur-
pose, the returns OF the more than
100000 corporations of the country
which are subject to the tax, will
remain in the archives Of the depart
ment az secret documents. Both the
president and Acting Secretary Nor
ton. In their correspondence on the
subject, make II clear that in their
opinion the department has no funds
which 1t would be authorized to ex-
pend In indsxing and arranging these
documents for public inspection. The
$4,000 appropriated In the Urgent
Deficiency bill was limited to ex-
pensss 1or the collection" of the
tai.
Cosn1potion In Congress.
ThIs unexpected development Ii
bound to create commotion in con-
gress. One OF the strongest argu-
nefts advanced by the admatnistra-
ticn when the corporation tax amend
ment to the tariff bill was under
consideration was the publicity fea-
ture. Congress apparently accepted
the presidents view of the desir-
ability for publicity OF the business
Of the great corporations, Since
the passage of law, however, the COR
porations have been besieging the
whereby publicity might be limited
to an extent that would prevent rival
corporations from learning each
others business secrets and -preiitihs
by them
Discovered by President.
The presidents discovery of the
anti publicity joker was hailed with
much glee, therefore. BY the cor
poration representatives who have
been watching the progress of events
In Washington. They are freely
pNedtcting to-day that congress viii
not grant the $4,000 additional APP
preparation which the administration
regards az necessary to carry out the
the publicity feature OF the law.
Leaders In congress are somewhat
ut sea. They vera totally unpre-
pared for the discovery made BY the
president. Undoubtedly all effort will
be made to provide the desired funds.
but the Indications sre thai 1t win
be fought vigorously by the special
interests that would be most affected
by the passage Of such an appro-
prtation.
VIII Dig Up Money.
The administration Is In a peck of
trouble over this affair" said Champ
Clark. leader of the House minority,
to-day. 1T has reached point where
II will either be obliged TO repeal the
law or dig up the money. They'll
dig up all right, because they don't
dare do otherwise: they have got to
carry out the provisions Of the law,
no matter what 1t costs them In votes
or money. No matter which way the
thing turns out, l imagine that II will
make very good material for the
Democratic party next fall"
Against the Tax.
II hope the Republicans can't f1nd
the money to enforce the taw,s said
Representative Richardson. OF Ala
hama. I have been against the cor
poration tax feature OF the tartfY law
fran the outset, for I think It Is one
of the most ubiquitous pieces OF legis-
iation ever put on the statute books .
The official request for $4,000
needed to carry out the law reached
the Capitol to-day In the form OF q
iettAr written BY the internal revenue
Commissioner to the Secretary Of the
Treasury and transmitted by him TO
the Appropriations Committee OF the
House. The letter follows:
Wants More Funds.
'.Eir.-I have the honor 10 trans
init an estimate calling for an APP
preparation Of t50,0o0 to be made
available for use In the
Internal Revenue Bureau within the
District OF Columbia for carrying into
eject paragraph 6 Of section IS Of the
tariff act Of August 5, 1909. relative
to throwing open 10 general inspec-
tiop the returns made under this act
by corporations. etc. To carry out
what appears to be the Intent Of this
section will neoessitate rental Of guar
ters outside OF the Treasury building.
eantpping them and organizing . force
Of clerks, messengers and laborers for
properly handling for public use the
great numheF OF returns that will he
made.
III II was the intent Of Congress
that the returns made under this Sec
tion al the tariff act were not to be
opened to general inspection. this APP
need not be granted,