Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-02-01
Does This Apply to You?

Does Ibis Apply to lou!
: While thousands of farmers and 9th
! er people liable for income tax ovel
the State of Iowa have availed them
selves of the opportunity to secure in:
formation and assistance in making uE
reports, the records in the Office of the
Collector of Internal Revenue, Dubu.
que, indicate there are thousands more
who, despite all the publicity that has
been given the matter, still believe il
is the duty of the Government to look
them up, send them blanks. and CON
vince them they should make, returns.
The fact is, the Government is neith-
er required nor proposes to do any
such thing. The burden rests with the
taxpayer. His is the responsibility
and while every convenience in the
matter of information and assistance in
compiling repor is has been and is be-
ing placed at the disposal Of the pub
lie. the responsibility is the taxpayers
and failure to comply with the law will
assuredly carry penalty. No excuses
will be accepted in the case Of delin-
quents.
Deputy Collectors in all sections of
Iowa report it is common remark
among visitors in their offices, that
they never had been notified to pay
any tax-as though it relieved them Of
responsibility. Many of these undoubt-
edly are liable for tax in past years.
This previous liability for tax will be
attended to when the checking up pro-
cess begins later on
There are those who have deliberate
ly shirked, others. instead of setting
about the task of informing themselves,
have found it more convenient to for
get But W.. ere much of this notion re-
garding absence of responsibility be-
cause mo notice was sent," origina-
ted, was doubtless in the fact that
hundreds of possible tax evaders were
summoned to Court Houses over Iowa
the past year and their incomes inves-
tigated by Government men. Thou
sands of dollars in tax were uncovered
in every county and it should be borne
in mind that every one of these men
who were found liable paid so per cent
additional tax together with other cash
penalties.
Because these men were summoned
the cue has been taken in some quar-
ters that only % notice is received is
there necessity for making return. The
assumption is full of danger. When a
citizen il summoned in this connection
it means that in the event of liability
for return of tax being revealed. Uncle
Sam will enforce penalty.
With the work the Government is
now doing to make clear the duty of
the individual, it is sure the tax. slack
er will be be'trested Is = deliberate vio-
lator of the law. Here are the penal
ties:
''For failing to fi'e income re-
port before March l, 1918, not
less than $40 nor more than
$1,000 and in addition so per
cent of the amount of tax
DUE"
''For making false report, not
exceeding $2,OOO or not exceed
ing one year in Jail. or BOTH"
The people who are nursing the de-
lusion that the burden is on the Gov
ernment. of getting blanks into the
hands of those liable for return and see-
ing that they are filled out and prop
erly executed, are courting trouble of
q serious nature.
Every single man with an income of
81, 900 or more and every married man
with IN income of $1,000 or more, is
liable Tor return. This provision is
simple and blanks and expert assist
ance in filling them out are available.
March 1st is the due date when re-
turns must be in the hands of the COL
lector.