Baxter Springs news., 1919-01-31
TAX IS
COMING AGAIN
Income Tax VIII Reach Nearly
Every Man, Woman and
Child In the Country
Says Wichita Man

about It, for the 12-month period.
which ended December 31st, 1918, win
be the fiscal year covered by every in
come tax payers payment.
The new law isn't passed yet, but
the purpose of the revenue depart
ment is to make it retroactive. And
the reason for this Is that the rates
under the new law are going to be
so much higher in some respects, that
the government anticipates q much
bigger collection.
For the state Of Kansas, the COLI
lection Of the income tax will be un-
der the supervision Of W. H. L. Pep
perell, Of Wichita, as before. Mr..
Pepperill says:,
81 am not waiting for the final pass
age of the new Revenue Bill by Con-
gress, nor for the new regulations
and blank forms to be issued. To get
this big tax in and get it accurate and
complete, urge that we all begin
now.
"The income tax obligations impos-
ed by the old laws, as well as the
measure now in Congress, consists Of
two district operations. One is, to file
return or statement Of all items Of
income and items Of deductions allow
able by law, and to do this within the
period named in the law. The other
is, to pay the tax, if any is due.
Neither of these obligations can be
met without a careful review Of in
come and expenditure for the tax
year. This is the big job right now,
and that is why ! say, the Income
Tax drive is already under way.
Everywhere the pencil is busy. The
old year is done; all its fruits are
CLEANED; and every person who Jared
we'll or earned q good competence
must analyze his own case in cold fig
ures.
"When the new bill is enacted into
law, will have the proper return
forms distributed throughout the Dis
trict, and everybody will be informed
of the date when the sworn return
must be fled. It is my plan to send
men out to central locations, and to
have them travel through the district,
aiding taxpayers in the preparation of
the returns and in deciding doubtful
points. We will go right to the peo-
pie with the income tax, and with the
cooperation which the public can
give the government men, the returns
will be filed every body who comes
under the laws provisions, the right
taxes will be paid, and the district
will have done its full patriotic duty
toward the governments support.
Meanwhile, 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 for
1918. Let us avoid the belated throw
ing together Of figures that may hit
or miss. Guesses cannot be accepted
as the basis Of taxation. It is clearly
the duty of every person to compile
correct figures and ascertain wheth-
er his income for 1918 was sufficient
to make necessary a sworn return.
"The year 1918 was a banner year
for salaries and wages, and the high
war prices brought unusual profits to
the average small tradesman and to
the farmer. The opinion in Washing
ton is that a million citizens and res
idents will make this year their first
income tax returns.
"All signs indicate that the income
tax this year will reach nearyl 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 q sworn statement Of the years |
income.
81 am therefore advising every un-
married person who earned $1,000 or
over during the year 1918, and every
married person who, together with
wife or husband, earned $1,000 to
sharpen his pencil and figure out how
he stands.
'If every person in this district will
examine his own 1918 income and his
allowable deductions, in line with data
that / will give, he will know beyond
doubt whether he must file his liza
bility TO file return. If he is single
he must file if his net income was
81 900 or more, and this requirement
Is enforced whether or not he is the
head Of q family. If he is married,
he must file his return If his net in
come, including that Of his wife and
minor children, was $1,000 or more.
II want to emphasize the co-opera-
tion feature Of the collection Of the
Income Tax this year. The policy Of