The Washington times., 1920-11-21
HIGHEST PAID
CLERK QUITS
P. S. TaIbert, Who Rose From
Waterman to $500 Job,
Leaves U. s. Service.

From Waterman to the position OF
the highest salaried employe under
civil service is the record Of p. 8.
Talbert, who resigned last week to
enter private business. He was re-
garded az the forsmost tax expert
in the Treasury Department.
DREW s7,Soo A YEAR
Drawing the salary OF n Congress
man-$7,500 a year--Mr. Talbert was
chairman OF the Committee on APP
peais and Review OF the Internal
Revenue Bureau. His 10 considered
one of the most remarkable careers
achieved In the Government service.
He will leave the service on pscsm-
Der l..
Mr.. Taibert came to Washington
from Lexington, Ka.. and was APP
pointed captain OF the watch by the
Secretary Of the Treasury In the
spring OF 1898. He held this position
but a short time. when his abilities
were discovered and he was trans
ferred to the office OF the auditor.
Ho remained In this offce until
1890, when he was transferred TO the
office OF the Secretary OF the Treasury
in charge OF what was called the
internal revenue desk, which handled
all tax matters to be passed upon BY
the Secretary.
In a few years this office was abol-
ished by the Keep Commission ap-
pointed by Congress and Mr.. Talbsrt
was transferred to the law division
OF the Internal Revenue Bureau In
charge Of special tax work and later
appointment Of Mr. Talbert as chief
OF the law was unusual. inasmuch a.
Mr.. Talbert was not a lawyer. al
though he had read q little law. 1t
was not generally known that he was
not a lawyer, and lawyers having
business with the bureau never found
1t out. The law division. when Mr..
Talbert was placed in charge. was
antiquated and far behind In its work.
Mr.. Talbert Strengthened this out, and
In a few years It was as modern ~
any division in the department.
The revenue act OF 1914 was
turned over to Mr. Talbert for admin
istration. Congress had failed to
make any appropriation for It's ad-
ministration and he had to borrow
minister the, law. Even with this
help. the force was short and Mr..
Talbert and other employees worked
long hours.
When it became apparent In 1917
that additional revenues were needed,
William @. McAdoo. then Secretary
IF the Treasury. sent for Mr.. Tai
bert and talked over with him all
available sources of revenue and dis
cussed methods of raising. money. So
impressed was the Secretary with Mr..
that he detailed him to draw UP a
draft OF revenue bill. Tho bill he
drew up was submitted to the Ways
and Means Committee of the House Of
Representatives and passed the both
houses Of Congress with very little
material change.
But the vast expense OF the war
was not seen by either Mr.. Talbert
or the Secretary Of the Treasury. and
it was necessary to revise it again
that year. Consequently, the act OF
october 3. 1917. was put through, in
creasing the taxes. but retaining the
fundamental principles as laid down
by Mr.. Talbert in his draft.
While Congress was discussing the
new tax bill, Mr.. Talbert was de-
tailed to assist the committee as a
tax expert and after the law was
put on the statute books he was APP
pointed to administer the law. and
was assigned to the technical di-
vision as chief. He remained in this
Review organized In its stead. He
also was a member OF the Advisory
Tax Board OF the Internal Revenue
Bureau until II was abolished and
the new Committee on Appeals and
Review Orzanized in its stead. He
has been chairman OF this board ever
since, at a salary OF $1,000. This
board is the court OF last appeal on
tax matters as far as the Treasury
Department Is concerned.
Mr.. Talbert was married in WASH
ington to Miss Nellie Fisher. daugh-
ter OF Harry w. Fisher, who was
prominent in railroad affairs in
Washington as passenger traffic
manager here of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway.
Before coming to Washington. Mr..
Talbert was president of the Ken
lucky Trotting Horse Breeders Asso-
citation, of Lexington. Some of the
foremost harness horses on the track
today trace their ancestry back to the
horses he trained.
Mr.. Talbert will join the Philadel-
phia firm OF WE'LL and oliver and
will be their Washington representa-