Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-12
CORPORATE TAX
CHANGES PROPOSED
SECRETARY MAC YEA is WORK.
ING ON PLAN TO REMOVE
PUBLICITY FEATURE FROM
PRESIDENT TAFT's MEASURE.

Washington, Feb. 11.--A medal of
honor instead of promotion to rear adj
miral for Peary, discoverer of the
north pole, is proposed by the sub
committee of the house committee on
naval affairs. The subcommittee to-
day unanimously disapprovedS of the
bill passed by the senate making
Peary rear admiral
Mandamus Case Continued
Justice Wright today in the supreme
court of the District of Columbia
granted an adjournment of two weeks
In the mandamus proceedings against
the joint congressional committee on
printing, instituted by the Valley Pa
per company of Ho!yoke, Mass This
| is the case in which members Of the
committee were threatened with con-
tempt proceedings for refusing to obey
an order of the court which congress
men considered was exceeding the
courts Jurisdiction.
1 After a brief session during which
1 the future conduct of the case was
| informally discussed, tue. Ballinger-
| Pinchot congressional Investigating
committee today adjourned until Mon
day
The Bennett White slave bill passed
the senate today practically i'll the
some form as passed by the house.
Plan Corporation Tax Change.
An Interpretation Of the corporation
tax law which will insure secrecy for
the business details divulged to tha
government will be recommended to
President Taft by Mr.. MacVeagh, the
secretary Of the treasury.
The secretary, it is stated on good
authority, has worked out a plan
whereby the teeth of the publicity pro-
vision OF the statute will be drawn as
desired by the Illinois Manufacturers
association and other corporations.
With the aid Of Attorney General
Wickersham Mr. MacVeagh has sue.
ceeded in determining when publicity
is not publicity.
This plan contemplates the treat
ment of the affldavits filed by the cor
porations exactly like the returns
made to the internal revenue office by
the collectors OF taxes on liquors, to
bacco, etc. These records are held
confidential
The rule is that the concern payin.
the tax or the representative of such
concern may have access to the rec
', ords bearing on it's own case, but can
) mot examine the records pertaining I'd
the business of other concerns. Thus
the records are not disclosed at ALL
Secretary MacVeagh Is confined to
his residence by cold, but he is al
work on draft of the tentative treas
ury regulation that will accomplish
2 the secrecy Of records desired by tha
corporations. He expects to be able to
present form Of regulation to the
president by the first of next week,
and then Mr. Taft will announce his
!. decision on the policy to be pursued.
Attorney General Wickersham is aus
thority for the view that the publicity
provision Of the law may be admins
tratively interpreted In such wise that
the commissioner of internal revenue
will be the only part Of the public to
s whom the business affairs of the cor
O. porations are revealed.
4 Mr.. MacVeagh has sympathized al
% along with the position of the corpor
l. alton officials on this point. He ap
peared to be particularly impressed b,
E. the argument that publicity of the af
T. fidavits returned by the corporation
Us would diyllge business secrets to com
u petitors.
Mr.. Taft told Mr.. MacVeagh and AT
lg torney General Wickersham to worl
ia out regulation based on their inter
~ probation Of the provision and that h.
q, would hold himself open to convic
ot tions until 1t should be presented II
or him in concrete form.