The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
Splendid Teamwork Between Officials and the Public
Great Aid to Uncle Sam-One Man Who Paid
$l5,00O,OOO Sorry 1t Wasn't Double

golden notes Of human voice, a Tilt Of
| the corridors Of the Custom House and
| through the transoms and wickets Of
| the cashiers Office to make the very
| clerks forget that money makes the
mare go. Somewhere within Edwardss
private Office a Mr.. Caruso is larking
for the pure joy Of giving up money to
his adopted Uncle. The day before
John Mccormack sang an accompani-
| ment to vanishing thousands What
magic Of nationality, what wizardry of
patriotism Is this that inspires tenors
to sing odes to u tax collector?
Big Bilpa Big Job.
1t win be observed that the name
title and something OF the personality
Of the Hon. William III. Edwards have
favored the first course of this repast
and. the reasons are obvious. Destiny
and his own merit consisting very
notably in the faculty of getting things
done swiftly and thoroughly have
placed Big Bill in the most important.
most interesting tax collection office
In the United States, the Office OF the
CcNOilu WHICH Is lOEdIeQ on tn6
sixth floor of the Custom House in
Bowling Green. Through this office
and under the eye of Collector Edwards
comes one-sjxth of the whole internal
revenue take of the Government. Last
year he gathered in half billion. This
year he won't be able to take in Prince
toms commencement with anything
like his customary zest unless he
makes the figure billion.
Nobody escapes his amiable persist
ency. He collects from individuals ana
partnerships and corporations: from
munitions manufacturers and chorus
girls. brewers and distillers. tobacco
manufacturers and tobacco sellers
oleomargarine manufacturers. He clips
the jewelry trade. the piano and piano
player industry. sporting goods makcrs
and dealers, chewing gum trades,
camera manufacturers. the motion pic
ture industry. grape juice. opium. thea
tres. bowling alleys and billiard par
lors. But the richest take OF all comes
of course from the ordinary man or
woman who steps UP to the capt aims
Office and gives Uncle Sam an exact
proportion of the net income. exemp-
tons deducted, he or she has been able
TO wrest out of labor in the past year.
The latter item alone amounted to
nearly Sal / 900, 900 for the year ended
June 30, 1918. and 1t will go to twice as
much for the year ending June 80,
1919.
Because Collector Edwards's job 10
so important to Uncle Sans collection
scheme OF things; because 1t is a
highly intensified cinema of what is
taking place the country over in in
ternal revenue collection. it is worth
while to survey it in Its operations
The whole ONCE is a big question
mark. The greatest puzzle of all time
to ninety-nine men out Of a hundred Is
the income tax form 1040A. covering
incomes which net under $1,000. The
queries provoked by that inspired
document are endless, innumerably
and madly intertwined. All the wis
dom of Solomon and Scion could not
solve all of these puzzles. Perhaps the
revelation Of the future life will leave
some Of them clouded and unanswered
But Big Bill does his best. To him, in
the end, come all OF the intricate allies
of nervous prostration that are too
much for his corps Of aids. And Will
lam does his best. II he can't answer
outright, finally and fiatly he says so
and advises the perturbed applicant to
leave Il to the Lord on the general
theory that not even the United States
Treasury will persecute the just man.
Take this one as sample land there
are hundreds):
A songster's Words of Woe.
In the past week a songster of emf
nence approached the collector and
Whispered words OF woe. His voice has
been falling gradually, but the depreci-
alton il perceptible to his apprehensive
ear. Since the law makes an exemp-
ton allowance for the depreciation OF
property by determining as nearly as
possible the length of life of partic-
ular piece OF property, nan dividing