The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-12-02
WAR TAX
NOW in
..saa . hIE AWA

Washington, Dec. 2.-Thousands of
persons in many cities who spent
hours yesterday rushing the offices of
internal revenue collectors, alarmed
over. their inability to obtain, revenue
stamps to comply with the war rev.
enue tax law, were needlessly fright
ened over what might happen if they
We're not on the minute with their
stamping. The internal revenue bu-
reau in the treasury department, it,
self much worried over the task Of
getting the law into smooth working
order, found time late in the day to
send steieRranls to collectors making
it plain that the government has no
intention of prosecuting anybody sub,
iecr to the tax who shows that he is
i'Hilling and ready to buy stamps and
pay. = ue4 t-...,as.
Frantic calls from collectors in near
by cities telling of crowds besieging
them, demanding stamps resulted in "a
telegram tonight, signed by Commits
sioner Osborn and sent to all collec-
tors, to clear. up the difficulty 1t
said 49,. - .7.s' '@ e 3 g.
Date all. special tax returns No
vember 80 until you are able to handle
applications promptly, unless YOU
have information that no effort was
made to file same prior to that date.
If unable to supply demands for fdocu-
mentary stamps for bills of lading
permit shipments to go forward, have
record kept and affix or cancel stamps
when received. Notify railroads"
BY this notice the commissioners
office expected to relieve situation
which promised to become embarrass-
ing to thousands of individuals and
might have resulted in much con-
fusion to the railroads and shippers
or the country. n t ST.
Officials explained today that every
thing possible had been done here to
get ready to enforce the law. The
bureau of engraving and printing has
worked night and day since the law
was passed, turning out the new
revenue stamps and they have been
shipped away, from Washington many
tons at a time. The problem of fur
nishing stamps to all applicants has
been complicated. however, by the
failure in some instances of collectors
| TO regard suggestions from Washing
\ ton that all applicants be given suf-
ficient supply to last few days, and
mot be permitted to load up with large
| quantities. Information here. is to the
effect that in some cases applicants
have secured supplies to last a month
while in the same communities others
have been unable to get any stamps
at all @ Us ..a
| AS an illustration of the vast num-
/ ber of stamps required and the enor-
nous amount of work necessary here
lit was pointed out that practically
levery article in dcug stores is subject
Ito the stamp tax Many drug stores
carry possibly 100000 such taxable ar
lticles, and there are thousands OF drug
stores throughout, the country.
i Officials say congress did not facili-
i tate the work of the revenue bureau
tbut rather hampered it by failing tc
lgive any additional appropriation to
/ permit 1t to prepare for carrying out
/ the new law.
The bureau tonight made public q
Iruling that certificates issued by Of
ficers OF a state in the interest of the
state are not subject to the tax. Ger
lificates issued by officers OF the gov
ernment at the request Of private per-
sons solely for private use are to be
lstamped.