Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-28
From Other Viewpoints
Good and Rad In Federal Tn1ex.
Iil DANIEL {. ROPER.

Tax liability is 4 very large item in business
calculations Also its uncertainty OF measure
confronting american business today De-
nunoiat!on Of the existing law It's makers and
agErIvatc dissatisfaction with the law, unless
IL arOuscs among those whom the law ndv!d-
ually affects spirit Of greater unrest by
;ribut!ng TO the law more eva effects than il is
actually responsible for.
As We must deal with the tax problem di-
rectly as a factor in business management IL
is distinctly encouraging 10 note tn. construc
tive OF approach TO the problem OF
revising the tax law that now is suppantinE
tho attitude OF destructive criticism.
The principal elements that make a successful
and efficient revenue la" are In the order OF
Their Importance. effectiveness In yielding the
amount nf money required oil IL; CELEBRITY and
economy OF administration, and convenient and
economical observance BY the iaXpaying pub
lie
The war revenue laws have Yielded up to
this time the amount OF money they were de-
signed produce. The collections in the last
TWO and one half years amount TO more than
Sll,ypr VVoVoc, or about AS inucn as was col
cctci in The nfty-cight years Of the previous
history o! thr Bureau OF Internal Rcvenue.
This amount is in excess of the estimated yield
from the laws 10y several hundred millions.
IN respect to revenue, therefore, they have
been succcssiul laws.
Ia the second requirement. that OF celebrity
and economy u administration to the taxpayer
they nave not been so satisfactory. There is
much TO Dc said against them that were better
u"said Nevertheless. some reflections in this
regard VIII visualize the uncertainty which
tN8gig for many business establishments, and
Eh!ch u is well for business To keep
clearly IN mind In their confederation OF CON
s,rucIve tax program for the future.
j. has hcon through tho splendid co-opcra-
tioH Of ai3 the business interests OF our coun-
Try and the Hcrcu!.tn efforts and ccts: !css
energy % the Income tax unit that fair meas
~ speed and success was attained in
launching the admin .airat!on Of the rcvc-
1uo lawS ana Ia collecting the amounts OF
money required 10 meet the scheduled govern
U"nt obligations IL must be through such
continued cooperation that the compiled ted
cad difficult questions involved in the r"vi6ion
ana administration OF such laws IN the future
mast bo approached and solved.
terrible stra!D and inordinatc expenditures of
"ueTgy jhat enacted did not safety the
requirements II the Law. even with the Won
! drTfui cD-Opcrdtlon of business organization
| % all Kinds. Thcy w"r" successful !u obinin-
NIX the taH TctIinH ana payment when in
many Instances actuaI!y COn~titutcd imperfect
ana f!cGgsntIy superficial comp!ianccs win
"a. aG. f. left Tor later day the vcrliica-
ZION ~ tho return, and "a cH pcricncc has dem
| oteffltcd. tho later collections Of hundreds Of
| millions of dollars IN taIca for the past years
( NIX ~ tn. intricate valu. and complex provi-
! a.ora Of IN. Law whom the returns were flied
! %n f4ci about Fedora! tax administration has
pfoulsnd NOR" Tcrirus and moro ,.4ervcd
criticism thAn The Unc"rtn intica and BunpcnHe
/ inat incident To IN" much delayed audit
| ana yrf!ncnt!on Of the income and proAta tax
rsiGTnt.
Fran the standpoint nj both tho taxpayer
I and tha government IL !s OF vital importance
tnat tho initial tax return DO not. accepted no
nDai. IL has always becn our-conviction tina,