The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-03-09
\ A MILLION PER YEAR
inheritance Tax Produces
Steady Stream Of Revenue.
Due to Perfeeting of Assessment
Machinery by Attorney Gen.
eral and His Activity
Law Aid to Treasury

In a. steady stream more than
million dollars a year riow INTO we
state treasury from the enforcement
OF the inheritance tax law.
Owing to its liberal exemptions 'he
law imposes no unjust burden ana az
fects only those individuals VINO can
well afford TO bear it. hence there Is
no sentiment in the legislature or 10
the public in favor Of its repeal
Most Of the work Of perfecung the
collection machinery Of this law mas
fallen upon the attorney generals de
partment duEng the incumbency oil
Mr. William H. Stead. VINO Is no"
standing for denomination upon ms
record in this office.
The law ia not automatic nor ~ y
self-enforcing. Its administration, es
pecialiy in counties outside oil COOK
has been far from perfect and there
yet remain many defects which must
be removed.
Has,Asked for Relief
Mr.. Steadshas frequently called the
attention Of the legislature 10 the IN
adequacy and inefficiency OF the Legal
machinery for the enforcement OF this
law in these counties, but so lar inc
supplementary legislation desired mas
not been granted, and the attorney
general has been forced upon MS OWL
resources and ingenuity 70 get "na'
has been gotten,
Immediately after his Induction lhtc
Office he began systematic search o'
the probate records in all the coHhties
outside Cook. Many estates suolee'
10 this tax were in this manner dls
covered and proceedings Instituted "
enforce collection Hundreds OF thou'
sands OF dollars as result OF tHese
proceedings havetbeen turned INTO tne
state treasury,
Their cost hasibeen paid out OF the
regular appropriations Of the depart
ment.
During the twosyearst ending june
30 1910. through these proceedings
sl,4o2.71s was assessed from COON
county estates andss231, lstfrom coHn
ties outside Cook
His TotaIt Collections
During his service in this office, tins
total assessments on account oil Ns
activity have been s5377,399.
Out Of bis Office appropriations ne
I has spent less than "a per cent o.
the taxes assessed through proceed
( ings instituted by him
In Cook county the machinery tc
collect this tax is fully equipped anC
! adequate
/ In 1901 the general ASSEMBLY pro
| vided for an Inheritance tax for Coof
/ county to be named by the attorney
general. but made no provision for th'
expenses t'his office. Heidi not have
| the money TO buy even pens and I'M
and II was impossible for him to pro
! coed at law against those estates
which failed 10 make voluntary re
| turns. The consequence was that al
| assessment Of 5000. 900s or $4,000
year was large.
When Mr.. Stead became attorne.
/ general he at once made provision on
OF his Office funds for a, stenographe
| and such Office expenses as were i'm
perative. aggregating $50 per month
The office had only plain kitchen
table. two cheap rugs and kitchei
chair loaned from thej state house a
Springfield
Crude Outfit Profitable,
This crude outfit was profitable an
the first year increased the coileC
tons by 100000.
Four years later the assembly mad
an appropriation to give this otfic
more facilities and the increase pc
year in assessments vast $4,000. ia
ter another increase in facilities wa
followed by still further, gains in co
leotions.
Iii 1909 strong power twas given I
tie attorney general bysa law whic
prohibited the transfer OF persons
property Of decedent by'a trust CON
pany. safe deposit company, bank, II
sErance company or corporation WIFE
ont his consent
Chicago Office Pays, Well.
Since July /, 1909, to the presen
tune, this Chicago office has exam
ined, tried and disposed Of $4,000 Ell
tates, whereas in 1905, 1906 and 1870
4 the annual number Of cases did nc
j exceed 300
In those years an assessment {
500 900 was large. During the yea
ending December 81, 1911, this Coo
county inheritance tax Office produce
5 for the state treasury approximate
100000.
Natures Never-Fatins Law.