Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-07
NEW INHERITANCE
TAX BILL PASSED
Both Houses Adopt Substitute
for PregnabIe One Recent
Iy Signed.
RULES ARE SUSPENDED
TO PUSH 1T THROUGH
Is Sent In Accompanied by a
Message from Governor
Fielder.
Tspeeiai 10 the Evening stnr.I

TRENTON, April Under tenn
porary suspension of the rules, the
Assembly ana Senate last night
quickly passed the new direct inheri-
lance tax bill submitted by Governor
Fielder yesterday as a substitute for
the one passed by the Legislature two
weeks ago, signed by the Governor,
and then found to be full of loophoies.
The new measure was the resu OF
several days consultation by Cover
nor Fielder, Attorney General Wes-
colt and William ID. Edwards, a law
yer. 1t is a model of precision and
accurate wording. 1t was accom-
panied by a message from the COVER
nor urging its passage.
The new bill was introduced as a
further amendment to the act ap-
proved April 90 1909, and as the law
1t will supnrsede was a previous
amendment, no repeater of that act
was necessary. 1t declares that a
tax be imposed on all real property
In the State which is transferred by
Will or interstate law, as well as on
goods, wares, merchandise, shares of
stock of corporations or national
banking associations located in this
State, whether made by a resident or
nonresident
1t taxes the same when they come
into this State devised to any person
or corporation.
Exemptions Under Bill.
The exemption to churches, religious
and charitable institutions and or
CARNATIONS is retained.
Property to the amount of $1,000
passing to a father, mother, husband
wife, child or lineal descendant
brother sister, wife or widow of a
son, husband of a daughter, is also
exempted.
The bill includes property left to
widows and widowers in the same
rating with children instead of rating
them under a higher tax, and the
brothers, sisters. etc, as the act
passed previously did. The $1,000 ex-
emptions is extended to adopted
children or to those to whom the
descendant stood in the relation of a
parent for ten years prior to his
death.
Governor Fielder's message in con-
nection with the new bill was a mar
vel of careful phrasing, saying not
too much about the errors leading up
to the necessity of passing the bill.
Governor Fielder's Message.
Governor Fielder's message follows:
ITO the Senate and General As
sembly:
my attention has been called to
the phrasing of the new inheritance
tax law, under which 1t may be pos
sible that tax of 5 per cent. could
be collected upon inheritances be-
tween $50 and $4,000, passing to So
called lineal descendants. If such
might be the construction of the act,
it has escaped the notice of the at
torney- generals office, where it was
prepared, of all the lawyers who have
examined 1t on behalf of the banks,
safe deposits and trust companies
and of every member of the Legisla-
ture, as well as mine. 1t Is hardly
necessary to say that 1t was not the
intention of anyone that such tax
should be imposed, and now that the
question has been raised while the
Legislature is still in session. the
doubt had better be removed beyond
all peradventure.
Before affiXing my signature to the
bill in question, | accC rded hearing
to representatives of the banks, safe
deposit and trust companies at which
hearing | was much impressed with
the argument that the husband or
wife of a decedent should be placed
in the same class as children, for
the purpose of taxa ton, and with the
further contention that all property
of nonresidents, except real estate,
goods, wares, merchandise and stock
In New Jersey corporations and ma
tional banks, located here, should be
exempt from an inheritance tax, for
the reason that any attempt to i'm
rose a tax on other personal property
thus owned would simply result In
driving 1t out OF our iurisd' ction to
the loss of those whose business might
be benefited by keeping 1t here, with
no gain whatever to the State.
did not, however, feel disposed to
veto the bill for these reasons, or
return 1t to you for amendment and
ASSUME the risk that opposition to
such charges might defeat it's repas-
SAGE in the closing hours of the SEES
sion.
"a new bill has been prepared. en-
bodying tho chanoes here mentioned
and I shall request that it be intro
duced IN tho assembly, recommend
inc its passage"
In detail, last nights session of the
Begis' ature was as follows:
Legislative Routine.
Called to order at S:15 O'clock
Prayer was offered by Rev. Charles
w. Williams, of Elmira.
Bills Reported.
Senate 255, committee substitute