The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-03-20 00:00:00

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amount of the burthens upon land, as compared
with other property, seemed to be taken as the
only matter under consideration. Town was set
up against country; rates upon railways against
rates upon farms ; leaving altogether out of consi-
deration the fact that the real question was one be-
tween real property, whether in land or in houses,
in mills or in mines, and personal property and
capital which escape taxation altogether.
We were, of course, perfectly prepared for the
unsuccessful result which has attended Mr. Disra-
eli's proposition. In the present parliament, the
very facts of its having a tendency to benefit the
agricultural interest is quite sufficient to bespeak
a negative for any measure. A little time, however,
will operate powerfully to enforce a change of opi-
nion upon honourable members, with respect to the
principle of the bill. The question at issue is not
at all one which affects exclusively the agricultural
classes. It is one in which the great towns of the
empire are, year by year, becoming increasingly
interested. In our own locality its concession just
now would put an end to all agitation for rating
the dock and corporation property, and to the very
just complaints of the inhabitants of Liverpool,
of the onerous pressure upon them of Irish pauper-
ism. Indeed, we should not be surprised to hear
of a much larger demand than the present being
made upon the nation. The absurdity and injus-
tice of our present system of local taxation is most
palpable. It is not consistent with common sense
that, in such a town as Liverpool, one side of a
street should be rated at three shillings in the
pound, and' the other at eighteen pence ; that the
shopkeeper in Lord-street, or Bold-street, should
pay for the support of the poor what the wealthy
merchant contrives to escape by removing himself
to a suburban residence. The principle that the
whole should contribute to support a burthen,
which is found to press too heavily upon a part, is
admitted by ministers themselves in their bill for
an Irish rate in aid. To carry out this principle
in Great Britain, it would only be necessary to pro-
cure a uniform rating. But public opinion will
demand more than this. It will insist that property
and income, of every description, shall contribute
its fair quota to local, as well as national, burthens.
We would commend this subject to the considera-
tion of such bodies as our National Confederation.
If such organizations are of any utility whatever,
it will be best shown in stripping questions like
this of that party complexion, which prevents their
receiving a calm and impartial consideration.
The John Bull of Saturday says :
" It was supposed by ministers that the majority against
Mr. Disraeli's resolutions would have been above a hun-
dred. Many Peelites yve find, on reference to the division,
did not vote at all ; amongst them Lord Charles Welles-
ley, Lord Ernest Bruce, Admiral Bowles, Colonel Peel,
and Mr. H. B. Baring, all officials. A few independent
gentlemen belonging to the same party voted with the
hon. member for Bucks. All the members of Sir Robert's
cabinet voted with the government, making altogether 37
Peelites against the agriculturists.