Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-24
maine Wild LAND OWNERS
DISCUSS THE INCOME TAX.
Sense of Largely Attended Meeting on Mon
day at Bangor Is That the Fixed Per-
centage OF Stumpage Received Should
Be Basis of Tax on Wild Lands.

Bangor, Me-, Dec. 2S.-At meeting
| of the Maine Lumbermen and Land
owners Association held Tuesday
morning at the rooms of the Cham
| ber of Commerce in City hall, the fol-
| lowing resolution was unanimously
adopted
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this meeting that a fixed percentage
/ of stumpage received should be the
basis of the income tax on wild lands,
| following the precedent established
under the Civil War income tax.
Following the resolution and on the
motionof Alfred x. Ames of Machias
this motion was given unanimous
/ passage.
That a committee of five be ap
pointed to confer with Senator john
| son with a view of procuring rul-
! ing from the internal revenue depart
ment fixing a definite basis of re-
turn of income from wild lands for
! income tax purposes.
The committee appointed to confer
with Senator Johnson includes Alfred
X. Ames, Machias, Washington coun-
| ty; W. ]. Lanigan of WaterQille, Ken
nebee county; Forest H. Colby, Bing-
ham, Somerset county George Il.
Dunn, Houlton, Aroostook county; F.
H Strickland, Bangor, Penohscot
county. Hon. J. F. Bass of this city
was appointed to the committee, but
withdrew and on his suggestion Mr..
| Strickland was chosen to represent
! this county.
The meeting was called for the pur-
pose of discussing basis upon which
returns from wild lands are to be
made for income tax purposes, and
the idea as set forth in the resolve
above was favored practically unani-
mously by all those present. The
amount of the percentage of stump
age to be adopted was discussed to
some length, and the meeting was an
/ important one for the owners of tim
berlands in this State.
There were present Col. Fred H.
Strickland, Hon. Joseph p Bass. Hon.
I. x. Stetson, NJ. C. Peirce, Frank
C. Hinckley, Irving G. Stetson, George
w. Banton, ]. F. Philippi, Charles j.
Webber. Charles H. Small, Hosea B.
/ BUCK, - II. bdTtiGlt VI A1AhASNii -
est Fl. Colby, Bingham; Lewis A.
Rurleigh, Augusta; Alfred x Ames.
Machias; Henry NJ. Shaw, Greenviiie,
and Charles A. Patten.
In the absence of the president, r.
H. Appleton, Esq, of this city, Col.
F. H. Strickland, the clerk OF the
association, acted in the capacity ,of
chairman, and the meeting upon con-
fveninr at 1880, proceeded to the eiec-
.tion of three new members-Lew1s A.
Rurleigh Of Augusta, Frank c. Hinck-
lev and Irving G. Stetson OF Ban
ger.
The discussion Of the relation OF the
wild lands to the income tax law was
then opened This matter was taken
I'D by several of the land owners al
a meeting held about a week ago In
this city, and had been pretty well
talked over before Tuesdays session.
Mr.. Burleigh of Augusta read an
opinion by the late Wilson CROSBY
of Bangor which was prepared by MIN
at the time the income tax law OF
1895 was passed. This law was al
terwards declared unconsututlonai
but the letter dealt with the same
proposition that confronts the timber
land owners of today under the law
now in force.
Hon. l. K. Stetson said that the
letter was in line with the telegraphic
report sent out from Washington
which indicated that the income on
which the tax is to be paid would be
based on the valuation and growth OF
the timberlands and be paid by per-
centage of the amount received from
the stumpage. Unless the land was
cut upon there would be no tax to be
paid. He did not feel that there was
much to be gained from further dis
cussion of the matter at this time, as
he said that the owners varied con-
siderably in their opinions of wha'
would be the proper method of arriv-
ing at the income.
Hon. J. P. Bass said that he believ-
ed it better for all the timberlanc
owners of the State if the association
should agree upon a definite recon-
mendation in regard to the tax.
THE situation is different here in
Maine, than it is in other timberlanc
BELTS" he said. "The southern bell
has mostly hardwood that once cut
over ends it's value as the trees grow
slowly. 1t the western belt, in Ore
gon the large trees are cut off. In
Maine there are growing forests thai
continue when not despoiled by cut
ting the small trees.
Il wrote to Washington some time
ago and. stated at that time that
would be satisfied If the tax be based
on the stumpage as it was in the wal
times, when 25 per cent. of the income
from the stumpage was adopted.
did not think that we would get II
any less.
Il believe that the ordinary timber
land owner in Maine is willing to pay