The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-15
100000 ADDED
/ TO TAXABLE LIST
BY SPECIAL JURY
Investigation Covering Period
Of Four Months Reveals
Much "Dodging"
no PROSECUTE THREE
FIRMS FOR EVASION
Grand Jury Returns No Indict-
ments Because State Tax
Laws Are Vague and
Unintelligible"

Adding nearly $1,000, 900 In assess.
nents of Richmond property to the
commissioner OF revenues hooks az
he result OF it's labors, the special
Grand jury of Hastings court, charged
with The investigation of tax
lodging" yesterday completed practi-
ALLY a continuous session of nearly
four months and was discharged by
Judge d. G. Richardson with the
hanks of the court.
The grand jury returned no tndict-
nents because the State tax laws are
vague In their meaning. and In some
instances impossible of intelligent con-
fruction." but 1t issues instructions 10
he Commonwealth attorney TO pro-
iced against the Standard Oil com
pany, Armour Co and Morris &
20. for repeatedly Withholding infor-
nation and seeking to evade their Just
axes.
No Fault of Commissioner.
The jury, in its official report. makes
t clear that in no sense were the cor
Eections in the assessments due to any
aerelicrfon OF duty or laxity on the
part of the commissioner of revenue.
1n the contrary the jury takes pains
o extoi Commissioner Henry +. Tres
hon as a capable. efficient and IN
-aluahle officer, and goes on to say
hat If the State loses in revenue ii has
.eniy the legislature TO thank for fall
|gre to give IL workable, business
hike laws" Throughout the report the
ury goes for the vague. unjust and IN
Equitable State tax laws, hammer and
longs. nor does it lnince words I'm the
fcosiing.
THE successive legislatures, Il
bays. seem to have created al ram
Born new subjects for taxation. GIVING
little thought to any basinessllke ssss-
BASEMENT or collection OF those taxes
BIN the subjects already created" The
personal property interrogatory u
Billed with giittering trtvialites which
produce no revenue and should be
eft off.
~ Mortgage Tax Tn just
The grand jury falls in line with
the Richmond Real Estate Exchange
BIN the subject OF the tax ON mortgages
Ind bonds, which II characteristics as
boubIe taxation, pure and simple, UNI
ist and inviting deception, wnicn
MOULD he abolished, and IL recon-
.nends the New York State law of l-2
he / per cent The jury refused 70
|uake a literal Interpretation or the
AK ON capital I'm business. declaring
{har to do so would mean the indict-
|nant of all business men in Virginia
|xho borrow money for the conduct OF
Its industries, and. therefore, put
tomrnon sense construction on the law
Ind taxed only unimpaired capital In
business.
Present Methods rnbusinessbkc.
The Jury declares that the methods
IN assessing and collecting the taxes
|,y the State are thoroughly unbusi-
aesssike~ and sssssssbersess1aey and q ha
hurry suggests. among ether remedies
That commissioners of the revenue De
kiven power beyond simply accept
| ng" or refusing" return. a tax
Commission turned loose on the state
with full authority to enforce the
present antiuuated laws. the jury SAYS.
would he the worst calamity that could
I9efan the people of the State.
The grand Jury brings out one start
ling fact in it's findings-that Is. that
Ihs sfty of Richmond. with per cent
kf the population of the State OF Fir-
|Einia, was paying more than 20 per
kent of the net State revenue before
hose found assessments were
| aid.
Following is the report of the jury
f n full:
The Ofiiciai Report.
10 Hon. u. C. Richardson. Judge Hust-
ings Court OF the City OF Ricn-
mond
The special grand jury empaneled
hi the October term of your honorable
snurt and charged with = special eS-
srnfnatipm of the IAN returns. EeesAStse'
he charge, and after months OF M
Hesitation begs leave to report as TOT
ows:
The Jury held it's first session on
October Z. 1919. and since that Time
mas had almost continuous sessions
soing carefully into the tax returns 81
made by the taxpayers TO the COM
missioner of the revenue IN February
1919, carefully examining thousanus
Iof the returns 1t has summoned and
Examined a large number OF witnesses
Ind has had before 1t q great many
persons whose returns were thought 70
be Inaccurate. oil. who the jury though'
Gould shed light on the assessments
5lnder consideration. The Jury has re
urned no indictments because they
nave found the inadequate returns
which have been made, were often the
result Of a. failure to understand the
hague and badly constructed tax laws
|bf the State, hut we are of the opinion
hat the Standard OH company Of New
Jersey, Armour g. Co. and Morris II
! 20, successor to National Packing
company, Of Chicago, who have re-
|peatedly withheld information and
PROGRESSED ignorance of their own ar
Fairs through their managers, are
seeking to evade their just taxes. We
have, therefore. instructed the Com
3nonweaith's attorney Of Richmond to
proceed against them according to law
We have found Il great amount OF
inequality In the taxation due almost
Entirely TO the tax system OF the state
knd this will be taken up further on
III this report. The Jury begs TO re-
Continued on Third Page.)