Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-05

in the different counties. At the be-
ginning of the year 1914 meeting Of
the registers and the judges from the
different counties was called at Au-
gusta and large number responded.
At that time an understanding was
finally reached as to the method Of
procedure. Many Of the probate courts
had been lax with reference to the
forwarding to this office Of the infor-
nation required by law, and the meth
Cd Of procedure for determinirl the
tax varied considerably In the different
counties.
Finally system was evolved by
which an effort has been made to get
this department in cloer touch with
the probate offices in each county, and a
docket or record is now kept showing
the condition Of the various estates in
every county in the state from which
an inheritance, tax may be due.
In the month Of May Of each year
each register Of probate is required by
law to furnish this Office with a list
Of all the estates in which it appears
at that time tax may be due and in
which administration has been taken
out during the year. Previously notices
were Immediately sent out to all these
estates and the result was that many
estates were notified which had not
been under process Of administration
but g. year, and were not in a position
to settle the inheritance tax, if any
were due. AS a result great deal Of
useless correspondence was carried on.
1t has now been arranged SO that the
estates are separated into classes ac-
cording to the length Of time they
have been in process of administration
and notices are not sent out from this
department until after the expiration
OF 90 months, and only to the then de-
Enquent estates, when the estate
should be ready for settlement and in
heritance taxes ready to be paid.
In the past when estates were set
tied in court, and 20 tax was found
to be due, no notice was sent to this
Office and the result was that the
names Of many estates were left on
our records in which no inheritance
tax was due and notices were contin-
ued to be sent. Arrangements have
now been made by which registers Of
probate notify this office in all such
cases so that they are stricken off our
docket.
1T has been the aim of this depart
ment to have the resident taxes col
lected through the probate courts in
all cases and inventories filed in
every estate. A lax practice in this
particular has grown up in some of
the counties, and in one, at least, this
department has had to proceed for
the removal Of the administrator or
executor in large number Of cases,
by which procedure adjustment has
been secured and a considerable
amount of money collected.
However, / am Of the opinion that
the collection of the inheritance taxes
should all be under the treasury de-
partment: and clerk with sufficient
legal experience should be employed
there to look after this work. Any
special legal assistance that might be
required could be at all times obtained
from this department.. but the cler-
ical work could be better done in the
treasurers Office.
THE law itself should be revised
as it has become piece of patchwork
and there are several features Of it
that are not clear and in one or two
instances inequalities result.
This work has been in charge Of
the assistant in this department and
the fact that during the past two
years the sum Of s453,571.57 has been
collected from inheritance taxes which
is the largest amount collected by any
administration since the law was en-
acted, is a high compliment to the
faithfulness and ability Of the gentle
men who have served as our assistants
during the past year and half.
Messrs. Harold H. Murchie and Roscoe
7. Holt
Corporations.
From examination of the certifi-
Gates of corporations that are forward
I'd, here for approval. we have become
strongly impressed with the view that
our corporation laws are subjecting
our state to we'll deserved criticism.
Maine is now being used by incorpor-
ators from all parts Of the country
who desire to obtain liberal provis-
ions in their so-called charters, and
in most cases Of the corporations that
are now organized here the real incor-
ators have no intention OF ever
transacting any business in this state.
On the face Of it there does not seem
to be any reason why the state OF
Maine should create corporations to
transact business in other states ex-
cept for her own citizens; especially
does 1t seem to US to be unnecessary
and questionable practice for this state
to organize public service corporations
to do business in other states or corpor-
atoms which are nothing more or less
than mere holding companies and are
being used in many cases for the pur-
pose of perpetuating or creating mon
opolies and trusts.
Another Objectionable result of
this practice is the difficulty Of OBJ
tanning Jurisdiction where wrongs to
stockholders exist A so-called hold
ing company organized in Maine may
control the stock Of q New York cor
poration and that OF an Arizona cor
poration and unless adj the corpora
lions come in voluntarily, jurisdic-
ton in the case Of suits by injured
stock holders in either Of corporations
may become impossible. and as pre-
scented in one or two instances that
have been brought to our personal
attention, serious complications may
arise.
THE State Of Maine has now reach
ed a point when the income from the
organization Of what nrere termed
tramp corporations cannot, be upheld
ON the ground Of her heading. the rev.