The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-27 00:00:00

TEN NATIONAL ZIPENDITOIN.

The Times regards last night's debate on the
national expenditure, which came to nothing, a. a singular
commentary on our familiar boast of the practical quality
of our pectin a Ow proceeding.. Mr. White was justified
is pointing out the ineonsisteacies between Mr. Gladstone'.
private uttenseoes sad official action, but it still remains
to be seen how far the Chancellor of the Exchequer's
canornie seal may carry him. We are all more or less
convinced that there is some truth in the statement of easel
of Mr. White's resolutions that we spend too much ; but Mr.
Ling conclusively disproved the statement in the other,
that the means of oar expenditure is drawn unjustly from
the different classes of the state. The prime, necessities
of the workman can row be satisfied without their price
Wag enhanced by the intervention of the tax-gatherer,
and his labour is unfettered by any legislative restrictioes.
II The fact is undeniable that ;f we analyse the pro-
portion of the income of the workman and the milliinaire
which is absorbed by taxation, we shall find very little
diffeseaos between them. Though the Times does not
expect say practical benefit from the discussion of last
night, it does not condemn the practire of levelling • broad
resolution at such an abuse as extravagant expenditure.
We can call to mind an °cession when a general resolution
was followed by a considerable reduction ; and although
it would be dangerous to abate our vigilance in watching
separate votes, experience shows that it is only by general
resolutions that large mule can be obtained.
The Dwily News remarks that theigh Mr. White excited
an interesting die:tussles, he did not maned in inducing
Mr. Gladstone to break through the reticence which he has
exhibited in such a remarkable manner sines the opening
of parliament. Mr. White's cue was weakened by the
omission of qualifying seasideretlons—forgetting in his
comparison of the average annual expenditure of the five
years 1642-46, with the avenge =anal expenditure of
I 1657-61, to exeunt for the f t that the expenses of col-
lection were included in the latter sum, and were omitted
from the former ; and omitting the feet that the larger
menus to which he referred, is derived from a diminished
Unties. This disregard of plain eossidetations led him
away, moreover, from the one which it is really Important
to Improve upon the House of Commons, viz., the evil
which springs from a too great facility in raising
an enormous revenue. The danger which may
arise from taxation not weighing hardly upon the
I people may be almost as great as the inoonvemieno. of •
/ mere mews upon them, in tempting to • lavish expendi-
li tare for unnecessary, illegitimate, or, it may be, pernicious
purposes. The only certain way of permanently avoiding
the peril thus indicated is the formation by statesmen, and
' the adoption by the people at- keg of a definite view of
the moors of government, both in its internal and external
relations, sad by the restriction of Its action to clearly
recognised objects. Questinn of revenue are ulti.
manly questions of policy. At present if the
computations of Mr. White sad Kr. It'Laren en even ap-
proximately somata it cannot be denied that than is a
relatively severer pressure of tersest' en the lowest dam,
which the most equitable attempts to redistriban the