Valdez daily prospector., 1914-04-23
CONGRESS MAKE .'.. LAWS EFFECTIVE
 q 4:4t .~', -Ht
Will Give Acts of Alaska Legislature Sanction of conaress-Comn1is-
 sioners Can Collect Taxes.

WASHINGTON, April 1O.-The House Committee on Territories has decided that legislation is necessary to make effective the taxation system of Alaska, and it has just submit ted. to the House the following in teresting favorable report on Delegate Wickersham's bill, which has that purpose in view.
 Text of the Report.
 "It appears that section 2 of the organic act of Alaska, approved Aug ust "A, 1912, provides that No per son holding a commission or appoint ment under the United States shall be a member of the legislature o1 shall hold any office under the gov ernment of said2territory.'
 "It also appears that chapter 54 of the territorial session laws, i'm posing a pole tax upon male persons in the territory, making the con- missioner of each precinct ex officio poll tax collector, and providing that he shall furnish bond to the territory and receive as compensation for such services 15 per cent. of all taxes col lected. Also that chapter 52 of the territorial session laws, imposing a license tax upon trades and occupa- tions conducted in the territory and providing that the licenses shall be issued by the clerk of the district court, who shall give bond; that such taxes shall be covered into the territorial treasury; and that United States marshals and fish commission CTS, and their deputies, shall be li- cense inspectors under the act.
 'The question presented is wheth- CT the provisions of chapters 52 and "A imposing duties upon commission CTS clerks of the district courts. mar shals, fish commission ITS, and dep- uties are in violation of the provis- ions of the organic act above quoted
 "In a letter written by Hon. J. c. McReynolds, attorney general of the United States, to John Rustgard, Un- ited States district attorney at Ju- neau, Alaska, after setting out the clause in the organic act and also the clauses in chapters 52 and 54 of the territorial session laws and citing decisions of the supreme court of the United States. he concludes with the following paragraph: ''
 "It follows that the legislation in question attempts to impose official duties under the government of the territory upon persons holding con- missions or appointments under the United States; and in so doing it vio- lates both the letter and the spirit of section II of the organic act and to that extent is void and of no eff feet
 "This letter is set out in full on pages 13, IA and 15 of the hearings before the House committee on the territories on H. R. 11,740. Said hear ings contain also letter from the governor of Alaska requesting that legislation be passed by congress to cure the dilemma in which the ter ritory is placed by this act.
 Tt appears that the officers which the territorial legislature have di- rected to collect the taxes in Alaska can not perform such duties of the inhibition in the section of the or |ganic act above referred to. It is necessary that they be empowered by act of congress to perform these du- | ties in order that the territory car by said officers collect the taxes. an6 your committee deems it wise anG economical for these officers to per form such duties, and the passage oj the bill herein recommended will en- able them to do so."