New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-17
TRAVIS WEAKENS
AT TAX HEARING
Sends Proxy, Who Makes
Faint Opposition to
Whitman Measure.
SETH LOW ARGUES
FOR REFORM BILL
Representative Of Controllers
Office Attacks Tribune'S
Articles.

from q star Corresponding Of The Td'IHsl
Albany, Feb 10 Ex-Unitcd States
Attorney General George ". wicker
sham. cx-Nayor Seth Low, Isaac n.
Selrman, Robert {. Morris and sew
,ral other we'll known men appeared
before the Senate Committee on Taxa
ton and Rctrenchmeut to-day and
urged the passage of Governor Nnt-
mans tax reform bill.
All the opposition came from seven
county supervisors and a representa-
tive of State Controller Travls's ONCE
whose powers and duties of assessing
corporate taxes will be wiped out II
the bin goes through as amended.
While Controller Travis himself dld
rot appear, he sent a letter to each
member Of the committee containing
his original protest against the bill
In this he said he would abide by the
decision of the Legislature.
The Governor Will oppose the Legs
lature if necessary. If it should either
amend his bill, as Mr.. Travis wants
il, or defeat il, fur is bound 20 fly.
Besides the contention of county
supervisors that the provision in the
bill giving the proposed State Tax De-
partment power to Cqualize assess
rule principle. the only other oppon-
ton cry came from Mr.. Travis repre-
sentative lie attacked The Tribune
for articles printed about the bill.
Friends Of the bill believe that II
the measure becomes law the state,
instead of collecting Sll,OOO,OOO annu-
ally from corporations, will collect
from $14,000,00O to 100000 600.
Mr. Low, the first speaker in behalf
Of the bill, said he represented him
self, and appeared solely because OF
his interest in the welfare of the state.
Il think this bill" said Mr.. Low,
Twill promote efficiency and fairness
in the collection and assessment OF
taxes. The Controllers repres entatlve
has said il cost only 1900 TO assess
and collect Sll,COp,OO0 in corporate
taxes last year He said there were
only fourteen clerks and one stcnogra-
pher engaged in this work. These
statements awaken the suspicion in my
mind that the corporations have been
permitted to assess themselves. That
may be a cheap. but 1t is not an eih-
Gent, method"
Mayor Low, after throwing this bomb
into the Travis camp, went into the
merits Of the bill saying that il was
move in the right direction to trans
fer the assessing Of corporate taxes
from the Controllers Bureau.
Mr. Wickersham harpcd on the fact
that fourteen clerks and one stenog-
rapher did all the work Of assessing
the 27O0O corporations in the state.
He thought this was proof Of the
argument advanced by many state
controllers that the law for assessing
taxes needed overhaulng.
Mr.. Seligman, representing the New
York Chamber Of Commerce, said tho
compensation provided for the COM
,nissioners. $4,000. was not adequate
Mr. Morris thought the term Of the
commissioners, three years, was not
long enough.
Robert Nee. Marsh, president Of the
New York Young Republican Club, said
that he was sent by the club 20 sup
port the measure and oppose the
amendment relating TO the corporation
tax. The club had recently adopted a
minute. which said:
we believe that in the proposed re-
form In the tax administration OF the
state the Governor is entitled 70 sup
port. The bill introduced in response
. to his recommendation goes none too
far in the right direction, and in our
opinion should rot he weakened by an
elimination Of the features in respect
to the assessment of the corporation
tax. We believe that the tax law
should be administered by experts and
not by politicians, and that any party
that allows these purely admin!stratWe
Offices 90 be filed by party workers at
thc bchcst Of local political leader.
will in the end lose the public CON
fdence i'm its promises to administer
the state departments in the interest
of all the people"