Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-17
EXCISE TAXES CALL
FOR SMALL CHANGE
Pills and Tooth Paste, Ice Cream
r. and Soda Water in the List
Along with $500 Silk Stock
! ings, SIS Kimonas and All
=. Jewelry

ST.
< The excise taxes imposed under the
1evenue act passed by Congress last year
are very important subject for study
BY the average person. as well as the
business man or merchant, in order to
avoid serious complications with the
federal government for the non-payment
Of tax on something which has been
declared taxable under the act. Innocence
81 the law will excuse no one and there
= a penalty running as high as $1,000
nne and a Jail sentence or both for those
convicted of evading such taxes.
1t is to the decided advantage of every
body, and to the government as well. that
the various items upon which tax is
due be we'll understood. While they are
not complicated in one sense, there are
20 many articles taxed, the taxes going
into effect at different times. and the pay
nent Of the tax being made in some cases
by the consumer and at other cases by
the merchant or other business man. that
confusion is liable to result over them.
United States Deputy Collector of In
ternal Revenue Fred Whittemore. who Is
permanently stationed In this city, Is one
OF the busiest men in town nowadays
lining up the prospective businesses which
will pay a tax and those which will COL
general paving the way for the success
full operation of the act.
In the act which is now a United States
law and therefore will be rigidly enforced
everywhere, 1t is stated that the tax shall
be collected by the vendor at the time
of sale, and In this clause the general
public is interested, for 1t will be DEM
onstrated time and time again in the pur-
chase Of everyday necessities. The mer-
chant or vendor, no matter II he would
like to do so, cannot pay the tax him.
self but must collect 1t from the pur-
chaser.
Effective on April 1 was the jewelry
clause. BY this clause all jewelry. real or
imitation Is subject to tax of five per
cent. Of the selling price. If ring is
priced at $500 the purchaser not only pays
that amount for the ring but an addi-
uonal Is cents for the tax.
II you own an automobile which you
rent for either passenger or trucking pur-
poses you are required by the clause per-
tanning to motor vehicles rented and from
which revenue is derived, to pay a tax
Of SO per year. This clause was made
retroactive from January 1 so all owners
OF such vehicles for hire either have or
must pay at once tax of $500 which
Win cover them up until the end of the
government fiscal year, June 3d. On July
], 1919. the annual tax Of SO will become
due and must be paid.
There is no change so far as the general
public Is concerned in the theatre pawn
brokers. custom house brokers. bowling
alley, pool rooms or shooting gallery
taxes which are effective now. but to the
owners of such the government tax OF
last year is doubled.
Att -
70 taxes viii! not be altered as Vermont is
q license State.
Every physician in the State will bt
required on July 1 to pay yearly ia,
OF $500 to the government. This tax wa.
formerly $1.00 per year.
Every druggist in the State will be re
CURED on July to pay a tax Of $500 pei
year, an increase Of $500 over the former
annual tax.
On the first of May all toilet article.
bought will be subject to a tax of on,
cent on each twenty-five cents and fol
each fraction thereof that the articl,
cost, the tax to be paid by the purchaser
and at the time of the purchase. The ia,
on tube Of tooth paste that sells TO-
30 cents would be two cents, one cen
for the twenty-five cents and an add
tional cent for the extra five cents.
each twenty-five cents and fraction there
OF on all prepared pills, medicine, tine
lures linaments and proprietary medi
oines will go into effect. This does no
include prescriptions written by physi
clan except in a case where the prescrip
lions calls for the use of medicine unde
the heading as above
On May ! there goes into effect tn
luxury clause which provides a tax o
ton cents on every dollar or fractio
thereof for things purchased above a Ger
tain price, the tax to be paid by the pur
chaser and not by the merchant.
Included In the list are many article
which are too numerous to be printed here
but just few items for illustration wi
be given: Umbrellas over $500: fans owe
$780, smoking jackets and bathrobe
over $3.50; mems waistcoats over $50
Homen's hats over SIS; mems and boy.
hats over $500; mems and boys caps owe
e9O0; mems. women's, misses and chi
dren's shoes over 5000: neckties owe
800; mems silk stockings over sl.0O pc
pair; women's silk stockings over $2t
per pair: mems shirts over $780, pajama
nightrobes. underwear over 81. 90; kimona
petticoats, ETC.. over Sic. Thus IL a
umbrella Is purchased at its marked pric
OF $3.50 the purchaser pays a tax on tn
70 cents which is the amount above tn
price set by the government as the lin
without tax.
y Ice cream and soda waters and the
various forms will be taxed after May
and the person who buys such will pa
tax Of one cent on each ten cents
ne purchase price. or fraction thereo
II chocolate walnut sundae is pu,
chased at Is cents the purchaser pays a
additional two cent as a tax Bottle
goods, such as Moxie, ginger ale, graz
1uice, tonic, etc. are exempted fro
1sxatiou to the purchaser as the tax
bajd at the factory.
Just how often the merchants etc. wi
b. required to make returns to the govern
tnent has not been worked out at II
present time, but an efficient and accura
system Of accounting for each tax co
|ected must be arranged in every sto
where such taxable goods are offered Il
sale. This will mean that additional en-
pioyes will have to be placed in mar
'u1 the big department stores to hand
the tax collection, accounting. etc.
All payments for taxes of all kinds
Tar as the government is concerned
The revenue act, must be made to Il
1bollector Of internal revenue. Portsmouth
N. H., before they become due.
'@s
SHIPS DOUBLE BOTTOMS PUT IN