Inheritance and transfer tax--Law and legislation

President Roosevelt details reasons why he enjoyed Robert Grant’s book The Undercurrent, and feels like the author echoed his own feelings regarding social, industrial, and political matters. Roosevelt notes he enjoys horrifying the excessively wealthy, but agrees with Grant’s notion that it will be difficult getting Federal and State governments to agree on ways to tax such individuals. Roosevelt also invites Grant to dinner and a musical on January 11, 1907.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt informs Ohio Governor Harris that he does not disagree with his friends’ views in the way Harris writes. He believes that inheritances should only be taxed on large inheritances where uniform action among the states would not be likely.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt would like to be able to “get off into the woods somewhere for a holiday,” but does not think it will be possible for him to do so for a variety of reasons. Among other reasons, Roosevelt is cognizant of his time in the presidency growing shorter, and wants to make sure he is able to accomplish what he wants to. He believes Lyman Abbott is correct in his view of the Allison amendment, and says that it simply lists what Roosevelt has always maintained that the Hepburn bill contained. Recent discussion of the inheritance tax has amused Roosevelt, as there is already a law on the books which had been deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court several years ago.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Milton Dwight Purdy sends a memorandum to President Roosevelt that summarizes several laws relating to the taxation of incomes and inheritances, and a brief reference to the decisions that were made by the Supreme Court on this matter. Purdy feels that he may have been too brief and is willing to discuss these matters further at another date and time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-08

Creator(s)

Purdy, Milton Dwight, 1866-1937

The writer quotes various inheritance tax legislation passed by the United States Congress that “are pertinent to the subject which you have under consideration” and states the constitutionality of collecting death duties has been proven by case law. The writer also quotes income tax legislation and provides the judicial opinion on the constitutionality of income tax.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-08

Creator(s)

Unknown

Susan Dunn examines Theodore Roosevelt’s policy positions during and after his presidency and asks whether Roosevelt was a cautious conservative or a radical progressive. Dunn emphasizes that Roosevelt often made it difficult for others to determine his stance because of his muddled language, but she asserts that Roosevelt was constrained by the need to work with others in the Republican party and by the Constitution which, with its checks and balances, limited the power of the president. Dunn notes that some of Roosevelt’s stances, favoring an inheritance tax and the review of judicial decisions, cost him the support of friends and colleagues such as Henry Cabot Lodge. Dunn labels Roosevelt “a bold, courageous leader” who achieved much despite the need to compromise with his party and the Constitution.

 

Seven photographs of Roosevelt from 1875, 1880, 1899, 1901, 1910, and 1914 illustrate the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John E. Roosevelt will handle the case relating to the estate of Cornelius Roosevelt. President Roosevelt has probably been brought into the situation simply because he is president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-12-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, John Ellis, 1853-1939