The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-08-19
AFTER LICENSE FEES
OF The CORPORATIONS
COMPTROLLER GENERAL WRITES
TO ATTORNEY GENERAL.
Says Mr. Peoples is Proper Official to
Take Initial Action to Collect
From Concerns.

Columbia, August 14.-Thar GER
tain corporations in this State have
failed to make their annual reports
and pay their license fees as reQuir-
ed by law, thereby incurring a legal
penalty, and that it is the duty Of the
attorney general to institute suits
against such companies to recover
penalties and license fees, is the be-
lief of the comptroller general as'
expressed in letter to Attorney Gen
eral Peoples this morning. The mat
ter was previously called to the at
tention of the attorney general in a
letter of July I. In the letter Of to-
days date direct request is made
that prompt action be taken.
81 investigated the records in the
Office of the secretary of State" the
letter says, which show the existence
of these corporations, and know
as matter of fact that they have
failed to make annual reports to or
pay the license fees, as stated in
my letter of July 1, hence, they are,
in my opinion liable for the penalties
and fees imposed by the act
Gen. Jones's letter says further:
when the matter is placed in the
hands of the attorney general to re-
cover the penalties and license fees,
it seems to me that he is the proper
one to take initial action, and If he
desires that the State board of asses
sors shall meet in order to remit
penalties, upon his request, 1 will be
glad to call meeting Of the State
board"
Comptroller General Jones points
out that the matter is zone of great
Importance to the State, and if the
penalties imposed by law can be col
lected it will secure the prompt pay
ment of such taxes in the future and
go a long way towards getting the
State on a cash basis
Letter to Attorney General.
The letter of the comptroller Gen
eral follows:
"Ofice of Comptroller General.
columbia, S. c., August II, 1913.
'The Hon. Thomas H. Peoples, At
torney General, Columbia, S. C.-Dear
Sir: Answering your letter of August
8, in reference to those corporations
which have failed to make the annual
reports, and also failed to pay Ii
cense fees, as provided by the cor
poration license act of 1904, as amend
ed in 1905, Article 10, Chapter XIX,
Section 361 to 373 of the Code of
Laws, 1912, request that you insti-
tute actions as contemplated by Sec
tion 371, Volume of the Code of
Laws, 1912, for the recovery of penal
ties and license fees due by the cor
porations mentioned in my letter of
July 1 to you. I investigated the rec
ords in the Office of the secretary of
State, which show the existence of
these corporations, and 1 know as a
matter of fact that they have failed to
make annual reports or pay the Ii
cense fees, as stated in my letter of
July 1, hence they are in my opinion
liable for the penalties and fees ina
posed by the act. AS to the authority
under which the attorney generals
Office has heretofore made settle
ments with defaulting corporations,
am not advised, but when the matter
is placed in the hands of the atIor-
ney general to recover the penalties
and license fees, it seems to me he is
the proper one to take initial
action, and if he desires that
the, State board of assessors
shall meet in order to remit
penalties, upon his request 1 will be
glad to call a meeting of the State
board. Anything further I can do to
assist you in the matter will be cheer
fully done. The matter is one of great
importance to the State, and if the
penalties imposed by law can be col
lected it will secure the prompt pay
ment of such taxes in the future, and
go long way towards getting the
State on cash basis.
Respectfully,
A. w. Jones,
Comptroller General"