Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1912-02-08
LECTURE GIVEN ON
INCOME TAX LAW
Supervisor K. K. Kennon of
Madison Addresses
Mems Club.
SAYS LAW IS EXPERIMENT
Fifty-Two Countries Have
Adopted This Plan of
Taxation.
SAYS LAW is EXPERIMENT

AT meeting of the Mems club at
the parish house Wednesday night K.
K. KEENAN,, supervisor of income tax
and member of the Wisconsin COM
mission, was the speaker of the even
ing and his address was on the subject
of income tax.
The speaker was introduced by Rec
tor G. A. Wilson. MIR. KEENAN, opened
his talk by saying that taxation was a
rather dry subject, but he said it was
remarkable the amount of interest the
income tax has created in Wisconsin.
Nearly every civilized country of the
world has an income tax law. There are
So countries which now have this law
and the average date of the adoption is
1883, but aside from England, which
adopted it in 1889, Germany and few
other countries which have had it for
a long time, the average date Tor the
remaining AZ is 1899. These figures
illustrate the fact that it is recent
growth all over the WOrlO.
In 1903 the first bill for an income
tax law was brought into the legisla-
lure which resulted in an amendment
of the constitution and a passage of
the bill by small vote in favor of it.
On account of the affair not being
properly advertised the law was de-
clared null and void. In 1905 it was
again brought before the legislature
and this time it passed by large ma
jority. 1t was again brought up and
passe the legislature for the second
timei n 1907 and was advertised and
placed before the people in 1908. The
result Of the vote OF the peop'e
was 70 per cent in favor of the law.
One advantage of the law is that it
leads to the abandoning of a personal
tax law which has proven to be unjust
in Wisconsin. The returns of the per-
sonaI tax in Wisconsin are much less
than the returns of the general tax and
it is believed that they should be about
eQual In d SJaGe Ike GuLS'
The income tax law can be improv-
ed in many ways and it will be I'M
doubleday attended to after a trial of
wear. This will be an experimental
year and there Is nothing definite as to
the amount of money the law Will
bring in, but 1T is hoped to be at least
ST, OOO,OO, The state of Wisconsin bas
probably the best taxing system in the
union and it Is the result of a growth.
We have reached the point where
every state in the northwest is watch
ing us and if we make a success of the
new tax law others will adopt it.
The greater share Of the receipts of
the income tax go to the immediate
locality, the percentage is as follows;
10 per cent-To the state.
20 per cent-To the county.
70 per cent-To the locality.
The three objections which are
brought forth with the law by the
the people are:
L udb III 10
2. Trouble arising over the rental
value of house.
g. The fact that husbands wife
and children should be assessed. The
misunderstanding Of the rate of tax
alton also has caused much trouble.
The method of collecting the tax
will be brought about by means OF
blanks issued to the individual which
on one side be must fill out to show
his income and profit and on the other
he will show his expenses and de-
auctions. The assessor will set date
when the blank must be returned
which is governed by law.
Mr.. KEENAN, said the story had been
circulated that state officials would
not come under the income tax law
which is not true. He said he knew of
no reason why they would not pay in
come tax the same as general taxes.
The main things which are not
exempt from personal taxes on account
of the income taxes are merchants
stocks and farm stocks.
There were about fifty of the bust
ness men of Baraboo present and the
talk proved very interesting. A
sumptuous chicken supper was served
by the ladies of st. Margaret's Guild.
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