The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-29


carry 1t to the head OF the family itself
). u have also met the Prince Of Wales, once
in tho fall Of 1874. but II was not in any ia
miiiar way. but in quite Informal way. being
casual and was. Of course a surprise to ua
both. 1t was in; Oxford street just where you
come out Of Oxford into Regent Circus. and
Just as he turned up one side Of the circus at the
head OF procession went down the. other side
on the top OF an omnibus. He will remember
that wore. as = xa. the only person D ON on the
omnibus that had on that kind Of coat:
remember him. Of course. as easy as would
comet He looked quite proud and satisfied.
but that is not to be wondered at he has
GOOD situation. And once called on your
Majesty. but you were out
But that IL no matter: It happens with every
body However. have wandered little away
from what started to write about 1t was this
way. Young Bright wrote my London pub
fishers. Chatto Windus-ther place IL the
enc on the left az you come down Piccadilly.
about block and half above where the min
strel show is-he wrote to them that he wanted
some foreign authors namely Miss de Ia Rame
fOuda), Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Francis
Bret Harte and Mark Twain. Well. Mr.. Chatto
diverted him from the other authors and tried
to divert him from me- but In this case he
failed. And not only that, but he sent me
printed document that the more you study the
more II undermines you; and so. while In that
condition and not really responsible for my acts
I wrote Mr.. Chatto to pay the tax and charge
IL to me. or course my idea was that 1t was
only one year and the tax would be only about
l per cent or along there somewhere. but but
last night met Professor Sloane, OF Princeton
you may not know him, but you have prob
ably him every and then. for he goes
to England good deal a large man and very
handsome and absorbed in thought; and II you
ter the train is gone that Is the one: he gen
orally gets left like all those specialists and
other scholars who know everything but how
TO apply it-and he said 1t was back tax for
three years. and not 1 per cent. hut 1-2
That gave what had seemed little matter
new ascept. I then BEGAN to study the printed
dor nenta on in n aaa nd ANYTHING
It that might modify rov case. and had what
seems to me quite promising success For tn
way those English Government documents al
are: / do say that to hear myself
talk It is just the fact: and 1t is credit:
To Mr.. Mark Twain: In pursuance of the
Acts Of Parliament for granting to her Majesty
duties and profits etc.
II had not noticed that before. NV IDEA had
been that 1t for the Government and SO
wrote to the Government but now I that
1t private matter. and that the proceeds
went to yourself. not to the Government
would always rather treat with principals and
I am right glad noticed that clause. With
PRINCIPAL one can always get at fair and right
understa nding. whether It Is about potatoes or
thing entirely different: for the sire nature
Of the thing does not affect the fact. whereas
rule subordinates are more or less trou.'"
them but the other way. They have their dr.
ties o do. and must be harnessed to rules and
not allowed any discretion. Why, II your Maj
estv should equip young Bright with discretion
II his own dscretion--it Is even
guess that he would discretion you out of house
and home in two th-ee He would not
mean to get the family into straits. but that
would be the upshot just the same.
Now. then. with Bright out OF he way this is
not going to be any Irish question: It is going to
he settled pleasantly and satisfactorily for all
Of U.s. and when 1t is finished your Majesty IL
going to stand with the American people just
| monarch REQUIRE better than that OF an
alien nation. They do not all have British
income tax. but most OF them will In ting. for
have shoals OF new authors coming along
every year: and Of the nopuiation Of your Can
ada upward OF four-hfths wealthy Areri-
cans. and more going there all the time.
We'll another thing which I noticed In the
document item about deductions
will come to that presently. your Majesty And
another thing was this: that authors are not
mentioned in the document at all. No. we have
quarrics. mines. iron works salt springs. alum
mines, water works. canals. docks. drains. levels.
fshIngs. fairs tolls. bridges. ferries and so
forth and so forth and SO on--well. as much as
yard or a yard and half OF them should
| think-anyway very large quantity or number.
I read along down, and down. and down the
| list. further and further and further. and as I
approached the bottom my hopes began to rise
| higher and higher because saw that every
| thing In ENGLAND. that far. was taxed by name
| and in detail except perhaps the family and
maybe Parliament and yet still mention OF au-
thors. Apparently they going to be over
| looked And sure enough they WERE My
| heart gave a great bound. Rut was too soon.
There was a footnote in Mr.. Brights hand.
which
| Section IA turned to that place and found
these three things: Trades. offices. gas works
"Of course. after moments reflection. hope
came up again and then certainly. Mr.. Bright
was in error and clear off the track for author
ship is not trade. It is an inspiration: author
ship does not keep an office. Its habitation is
all out under the sky and everywhere where
the winds are blowing and the sun Ii shining
| and the creatures of God are free Now then
since have trade and keen no ofIice, am
not taxable under Schedule d Section II. You
Mriesty secs that. am not taxable but am the
victim OF an error of a clerk who mistakes the
| nature Of my commerce. so 1t only remains for
me to beg that you win Of your Justice anrnl
my letter that spoke OF. so that my publisher
car keep back that tax money. which. In the
! c ,ntusiol and alteration caused by the d"cu-
/ m-n-, ordered him to pay. You will not miss
the sum. but this In hard year for authors:
and rs Tor lectures. do not suppose your Maj
esty ever saw such dull season.
WITH always great and ever-increasing re-
spect hes to sign myself your Majestys rer-
want to command,
MARK TWAIN"
sST New York Sun.