The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-19 00:00:00

THE COLLEO27O.I, OF THE TAXES.

r
The public will see with great satisfaction the InauDehe
in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has, in,
name of the Government, acceded in spirit to the res;
lotion of Mr. Williams, that all the revenue of th
Into,
country ought to be paid without deduction into the
Exchequer, so as to bring the whole of it under the Colli
•
trol of Parliament. At present about 6,000,0001.
CO
lected from the people never reaches the Exchequer'
and of that amount 5,922,2571. is deducted by the 11;
rious revenue departments for the payment of the"
officers and other purposes. This system has for Mall
years been censured and attacked by different reforreer.!
but Chancellors of the Exchequer have in general been
of opinion that improvement was impracticable or 1.10•
advisable, and, till now, have declined to make any alteh,
ration. Mr. Gladstone, however, having forreery
expressed an opinion that the charges with reference te
the collection of the revenue of the country ought to be
brought under the control of Parliament, since bee hP;
tered office has instituted an investigation into ""
necessity for effecting the change. The result A
that Government is of opinion that effect ought ter
be given to the principle, and to organise measures fe
the purpose. Such a change in the entire system,
not, however, without care and discrimination, be et
ried into effect. With willing and able chiefs of !te,
different departments—such as Mr. Gladstone descrirrc
Mr. John Wood to be of the Inland Revenue, ancll
Thomas Fremantle of the Customs—and with a "en
time and forbearance, there will he no difficulty 1.;
accomplishing the reform. More will be gained
enlisting in its favour the servants of the public tbse
by alarming them and exciting them against it. 'The/
have it in their power to impede its success at ever;
step. One of the chief arts of good adthinistratioure
to inspire subordinates with zeal to promote Pub'
economy and the public welfare. One considerable re.
form has, we understand, already taken place. 111,,,, t:
cordance with the principle of Mr. Williams's Leov—i.
the collectors of all the branches of the revenue in St
land have been required to pay the gross receipts be
the hands of the receivers in London. Hitherto 'Pa
cost of all the judicial establishments in Scotland, tie
several other charges, have been paid out of ,
revenue before it reached the Exchequer ; but heneelo..
ward these will be defrayed, like the others, by the 'Pi'
sury, out of the money after it has come into the
chequer. That is one step towards bringing the wh
gross receipts of the revenue and all public parite/3p
under the direct control of the Treasury and the sure
vision of Parliament. It will make the system of a".
ministration uniform, and simplify the public noel
The whole of the proposed reforms tend to that em
Parliament is the one great body responsible to
.4,te
whole people ; and the Ministers, especially the den,
ment of the Treasury, which administers the fumi
provided by Parliament, being responsible to
must answer to it for every branch of its admillo
tration. The especial object of the motion wasm
bring all the funds levied from the people by a
authority of Parliament under its control, thropir
the Treasury. From this it is expected that the Tl,
sury, being publicly accountable for all, and the be7t.
of departments being unable to incur any expensesL,
cept by its sanction, will be more careful in the exPno
they incur. It will impose on them a responsibilittA,
answer to the Treasury for large disbursements 'gird
they now make on their own authority. There will
greater disposition to care and economy througa°o,
Thus the reduction made in the estimates by Parham. of
and even by the Treasury, will not be a full measureopt
all the advantages to be gained. A spirit of eccitii of
introduced into the subordinate departments will e" bile
expense at its source, and the whole scale of the
disbursements may be reduced. Much, of course, Loal
depend on the vigilance of Parliament, and if that
be careless and extravagant--as it very often is—it be
in the end, turn out that Parliament will require ww
kept in check by an economical Treasury, or even,
sponsible heads of subordinate departments.—Ecoo""