The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-13

nd natural resources OF our nation, concentrating
he ownership and control of American corporations
n the hands of FEW, and by marking up thu
rices of commodities that they nearly Ion
er cent higher than in 1896 have drained into thc
wn Golfers the results Of Americas unparalleled
productive capacity.
THE GREAT TAX THIEVES ARE THE AMER
CAN MULTI MILIIONAIRES.
The evidence tends to show that in ne case
alone-the estate of L. V. Harkness-the pub
lished facts indicate evasions involving in taxes
and penalties more than ONE MILLION DOL
LARS.
The evidence tends to show the Rockefeller
Foundation as a device by which John D. Rookie
Teller has escaped taxation upon more than
FIVE MILLION DOLLARS Of his annual in
come.
The great frauds in connection with the theat-
rical industry and foreign steamship companies,
involving millions of dollars in taxes and thous-
ands of individuals, have been uncovered.
The evidence reveals the ineffectiveness of the
existing income tax law and shows the great
loopholes left by "jokers" in the act through
which hundreds of millions Of dollars have so far
succeeded in avoiding taxation
The utter inadequacy both in numbers and
ability of the treasury departments collection
force is clearly revealed.
Not only is there only one income tax agent for
each 1000 of the population, but $500 clerks
are pitted against the shrewdest lawyers and
most skilled accountants in the nation.
The treasury departments examining system
is defective in that it detects only the tax losses
arising from clumsiness and ignorance and is
powerless to prevent or expose summing and de-
liberate fraud.
But at the base of all the frauds lies the pro-
vision of the law which guarantees complete
SECRECY regarding all income tax transac-
tions.
Under this cloak of secrecy is concealed not
only the identity of the thieves, but the very ex
istence of the frauds, which might well have con-
tnued to escape notice for years in the absence of
such prolonged and expensive investigation as
have been privileged to make
In the dark shadows Of secrecy not only is the
tax thief concealed, but there is created certain
breeding place for graft and the corruption of
government officials.
President Wilson and Secretary McAdoo are EN-
powered by the terms of the income tax law to re
move this mantle of secrecy and make the tax re
urns public so that the tax thieves may be know
md the frauds ended
PUBLICITY OF RETURNS is the first essentia
# efficient collection.
During the civil war the returns we're publishe,
md enormous attempts at fraud were uncovered.
When reactionary congress at the end of the wa
enacted that the returns should be kept secret be
ause publicity was obnoxious to the taxpayer tn
lumber of returns fell from 94,887 in 1870 to TAI
1871, although the latter year was one of nprece
Tented prosperity.
Every man, woman and child in these United
States is the victim of the tax thieves
If the tax had been fully paid the emergency
war taxes would have been abolished, the tariff
on sugar which has increased the price 100 per
cent in few weeks, would not have been retain
ed, and the federal government would now have
in the vaults of the treasury the millions which
must be paid for the increase of the army and
navy.
The very men who have called loudest for
great army and navy expenditures to protect
their property were at the same time robbing the
treasury of hundreds Of millions of dollars
The income tax must be paid = and PAID II
FULL.
presented, PRESIDENT WILSON AND CON
sRESS CANNOT REFUSE OR POSTPONE Eff
FECTIVE ACTION.