The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-29
Income Tax Law
Accurate Statements Must Be
Made-No Guessing.

come tax drive for 1919 IS now IN
aer way, and every prenaration is DE-
ing made 20 handle the largest col
lection in the history Of income tax
u am; not waiting for the final pas
sage of the new revenue bill by con-
sress.'' said Collector D. c. Hayward
today, nor for the now regulations
ant. blank forms to he issaed. To set
this big tax il and get it accurate
and complete, urge that we ali Dc
gin now.
"The income tax obligations impos-
ed by. the old law, as well as. the
measure now in congress- consist OF
tw-o distinc: operations. One is to file
return OF statement of all items Of in
come and items of deductions allow
able by law and TO do this within the
period named in law. The other is to
pay the tax, il any is due.
Neither OF these obligations can
be met without a careful review of in
come and expenditure for the tax
year. That is the big job right now,
ard that is why say that income tax
drive is already under way. Every
where the pencil is busy The old year
is done. all its fruits are cleaned, and
every person who Jared well or earn
er q geod competence must anaiYze
his own case in cold figures. >s
when the new bill is enacted into
law, Twill have the proper return
forms distributed throughout the dis
trict, and everybody will be Informed
of the date when the sworn return
must be filed. It is ray plan to send
my men out to central locations and
to have. them travel through the dis
trict, aiding taxpayers in the prepara-
ton of the returns and in deciding
doubtful points. We will go right to
the people with the income tax and
With the cooperation which the pub
lie can give the government, the re-
turns will be fled by everybody VINO
comes under the laws provisions, the
rig11e taxes will be paid, and the dls-
trict viii have done it's full patriotie
duty towards the governments sup
port.
.aleanwhile, let me say again. there
is no need of delaying the prepara-
ton. Of figures. Anything that con-
gress does now will not affect the
amount Of a persons earnings 1or
1913. Let US avoid the belated throw
ing together Of figures that may MT
or miss. Guesses can not be accept
ed as the basis Of taxation. 1t is clear
ly the duty of every person to COM
pile correct figures and ascertain
whether his income for 1918 was sur
fcient to make necessary a sworn re-
turn
'sThe year 1918 was q banner year
for salaries and wages, and the hlsh
war prices brought unusual profits TO
the average small tradesman and TO
the farmer The opinion in Washing
ton is that million citizens and resi-
dents will make this year their nrst
ircome tax returns.
"A!l signs indicate that the income
tax this year will reach nearly every
working man and woman and nearly
every merchant. shopkeeper and
farmer Not all will have to pay the
tax. but nearly all will be obliged to
make a sworn statement of the years
income.
II am therefore advising every un-
married person who earned a $1,000
Or over during the gear 1918, and er-
cry married person, who together with
wife or husband. earned $4,000, to
sharpen his pencil and figure out how
he stands
''IIe must ascertain accurately his
gross income from al sources. There's
l.is salary or wages. including over
time pay and any bonus received as
compensation A married
person having children under Is who
are working should include the earn
!ngs of such children.
"If be sold any property at profit
the gain must be computed and in
cludcd in gross income IT he rented ;
any property to other persons. the to-
tal rents received in the year must be
and from that figure a !,
deduction may BE taken for taxes paid
on rented property. the necessary |
minor repairs. fire insurance, any in I
terest ne mag have paid on mortgage +
and reasonabl allowance for annual
wear and tear of the rented property. :.