The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-07-11 00:00:00

WHY WE PAY THE INCOME TAX.
(Prom the &ma Exprews.)

England is still overrun by Germans and jobbing. The
Germane first imported may have become naturalized but
not nationalized ; but they retain all their characteristics.
" We come for all your goats," said • German Court lady
in her broken English, when hissed by • mob. 'And for
our chattels toe," said one of the crowd. Pluralism in
the Church is • scandal not so much abounding in the
present time as in the past. The Earl of Guildford was
one of the toast historic and flagrant specimens of clerical
pluralism. Ile was rector of Old Alresford, rector of
New Alresford, perpetual curate of Mediae& rector of
St. Mary, the largest parish in Southampton, including
South Stoneham parish, master of St. Cross Hospital,
and the revenue of the parish of St Faith along with it.
The sin that has partly fled from the Church has taken
up its abode in the army and navy. The Earl of Guild-
ford, of the military department, is the Queen's first
cousin, the Duke of Cambridge. He is the Duke of Cain-
bridge, the Field-Marshal Commander-in-Chief of the
British army, colonel of the Royal Artillery, colonel of
the Royal Engineers, colonel of the Grenadier Guards,
colonel of the tiOth Rifles, colonel of the 17th Lancers,
As Duke of Cambridge he has £12,000 • year, as Com-
mander-in-Chief .C 4,432 his five colonelcies rolled into
one will yield £5,000 a year more. The sum total he is
receiving from his country is more than .1125,000 a year.
Ile is equal to five £5,000 a year bishops; to It% £l5O a
year curates; to 800 agricultural labourers at 12s. a week
and supposing that each agricultural labourer has • wife
and two children, the Duke of Cambridge absorbs in his
~ingle person the living of human beings. This is
how our money goes. It is a fine thing to be a first cousin
to a Queen. We never heard that he WILA a very able
man, or that he exhibited any other than the fatuity
characteristics. But had he the genius of a Marlborough
or the sleeplessness of a Talleyrand, we cannot see how
he can perform the duties of his many offices. But we
are told that econe of these offices have no duties but
giving the receipts for the salaries attached. They were
intended as the rewards of past service.; for the retire-
ment of veterans, disqualified by age or infirmity for
active work. England never has been, and never will be,
ungrateful to her sons who have served her well in any
department, least of all to those who have led her men
t, victory in her army or navy. But it is with indigna-
tion that England sees her rewards and honours monopo-
hsed by one man, who is undistinguished in any way
except by the were accident of birth. • It is taking of the
children's food and casting it to the dogs. Military men
and civilians of all grades and politics cry out against
such greed of office and of wealth, and the injustice that
appropriates to itself the salaries that are wanted by de-
serving officers, and that are due for services performed.
It was in the year ISM that the battle of Waterloo was
fought, when, according to many people, England Ica&
saved. That it was one of the decisive battles of the
world, is notorious. But whatever the consequences, all
I are agreed that it was a wonderful manifestation of
British bravery, and all who took part in it are looked
I upon with admiration. A battle that was fought sixty-
one years ago cannot have many living actors. Yet every
now and then we read of the death of a hero in the
workhouse, who was a soldier at Waterloo. What an
insult to his poverty is the wealth of the Duke of Cam-
bridge ; what a reproof to the ingratitude of a nation
that allows its own sons and heroes to starve, and heaps
wealth on • few foreigners whose services are confined to
their own remits circle, and who owe all their greatness
to the lucky accident of relationship! We should like to
see all who remain of the victors of Waterloo made happy
for the rest of their lives, and we should like to see all the
expense taken from the shabby perquisites of the Com-
mander-in-Chief. [ • Dees oar contemporary forget
how the valient Commander distinguished himself in the
Crimea I]