The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-07-31
LOOK TO PROTECT THE STATE
Efforts Made to Provide for a Tax on
Property Transferred Shortly Before
the Death of Holders of Estates-No
Change in Apportionment of Taxes.

- = AoOoloiH a. Inc itSu1G VI the WUIh
of this legislature Probably the most
important change is carried in a bill
which has already become law and
which was one of the late measures
introduced into the senate. The bill
provides that every transfer of prop
erty by deed, grant, bargain, sale or
gift made within six years prior to the
death Of the grantor and in the nature
Of final distribution Of his estate,
which is made without adequate con
sideration shall be considered practical
~ as devise within the meaning Of
the law and be subject to an inheri-
tance tax
This measure was passed to meet a
very common practice Of avoiding in
heritance taxes. 1t has been custom
airy since the inheritance tax law went
into effect for wealthy men who de-
sired to escape an inheritance tax to-
divide their estate during their life
time and to make large gifts to heirs
in such way as TO escape the tax. If
made Immediately prior to the death
Of the testator the Wisconsin court has
held that the gifts were taxable, but
if made some period prior to the death
of the testator there was question if
the tax could be enforced and the law
on this question which has been passed
by this legislature has been passed
with the idea Of leaving no doubt
on this point
That the inheritance tax laws have
come to stay can be seen by the fact
that other states in the union are
copying the Wisconsin law and that
quite number Of states now have
such a law on their statute books.
This fact is going to compel, in the
near future, the passage of a uniform
inheritance tax law by all the states.
Tax commissioners Of states generally
recognize this fact, and as matter of
fact some steps have already been
taken along this line in the adoption
at the general convention of the tax
commissioners of the various states
held not long since, Of recommends
lions which they desired should form
basis for a general inheritance tax
law and which will be SO worded that
the part of an estate which can be
taxed by each state will be plainly de-
clared. More will be done along the
line of such a taxation law by the tax
commissioners during their convention
between now and the sessions of the
after next, and it is more than prob
able that by the time the next legis
lature adjourns a very perfect uniform
taxation law will have been arranged.
The question of the taxation Of in
heritances is now prominent one in
the United States and by many
authorities on the subject Of taxation
it is believed that the inheritance tax
offers very competent medium for the
prevention of the large Capitalization
Of wealth and method by which
better distribution of wealth will be
obtained. The argument in favor of
large inheritance taxes is that it does
not prevent the accumulation of large
fortunes during the lifetime, but does
say that the man who has accumu-
lated the fortune with the opportuni-
ties which the country has given him
must return some of the fortune to
the state after he has finished with
its use.
Other countries are recognizing the
value Of the inheritance tax and sew
eral of the European countries, notably
among them England, are now impos-
ing very large Inheritance taxes. Wis
consin was one of the earliest states to
pass an inheritance tax law and in
fact with the exception Of New York
and one or two other of the eastern
states was almost pioneer on the
subject. AS a tax collector also Wis
consin has been a strong enforcer of
the Inheritance tax and several thou
sands of dollars have been added to
the treasury of Wisconsin by the col
lection of an inheritance tax from mil
lionaire non-residents who have left
property which was subject to taxa
tion under the Wisconsin law
In fact, one Of the main duties of
the department Of the attorney general
for several years past has been the
collection Of the inheritance tax
against the estates of non-residents
Former attorney General Levi Ban
croft and his assistant, Russell a.
Jackson, who were the leading officials
in that Office during the last admins
tration, made trip to Europe last snnl-