The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-19

We thus know the elements of the budget and the
financial resources. What measures then, should lie
taken TO establish this budget upon firm aud regu-
lar basis? These measures are indicated by the ma
ture of the obstacles which it is the question to
cone, and which it remains for US to enumerate.
Among these obstacles we must reckon in the first
rank the existence oil the Uakous They call by this
paMe all The property coDseciated to the mosques
aid religious foundations, whether they have proceed
ed from pous legacies or have been cOnded to the
administrators OF the mosques by virtue of conven
ton. Free property takes the name of nnk. 1t is
well known that the desire to contribute to the sup
port OF the mosques has not been the soc motive for
there donations of these faithful stewards The real
end OF the proprietor has most often been to insure
one portion OF his fortune agains: the capces Of ty
ranny The chances Of the reversion to the profit Of
the mosque and the annuI rent which the depositor
pays to IL, are not considered too high premium,
when the question Is how to avoid either conf sea-
ton forced sale at the suit Of impatient credi-
tors Whatever be the reason which may hs ,e deter
mined proprietOrs to put their lands into the hands
of the administration of the vakoufs, this ad.
mnstration is the nominal proprietor Of three
empire. Nevertheless, the annual revenue of
the administration of Vakoufs is not valued q. more
than 20,000,000 piastIes There is one fact still
more strange-the budget OF the State is obliged to
furnish 800 900 psstes for the support of mosques
ard charitable establishments. This apparent con-
tradi ction is explained by the small rent stipulated
at the beginning in money OF which the name has
not changed but which has twenty times its value
prices at sales, by precautions taken to avoid the
case Of remainder and, lastly, by concessions made
to relations for the redemption Of titles where cases
of remainder are presented.
Without changing the system, 1t is evident that
some well devised measures might produce great
benefit to the treasury but re suits much more i'm.
portant would be obtained if they were able to dis
Interest the mosques, and to give to the actual
tenants new titles, which would render them real
proprietors. This reform is generally needed.
The tax called re,gu formerly sal,an, corresponds
| TO the English ncometax 1t varies according to
locality from 10 to rs per cent It's tax raised upon
the presumed fortune personal or commercial.
Il is placed indierenty upon all the subjects Of the
Grand SeigDor MCssulm ans or Rsyas. The munich.
palities which exist everywhere IN Turkey, are
ch srged with its appointment ana its collection an
they turn over the produce to the financial agents of
the government This Intervention Of the munich
palities in financial questions s one Of the principles
their organization 10 the East but this principle
sUppotes in the municipalities enlightened aud equt-
able views, which are not always met with There
are some in which the patriarchal and fraterDal
split Of the earliest times Is preserved the fortune
Of each, insisting generally Of land and cattle is Of
public notorety The distribution Of the tax easy,
and its collection is effected without reclamatons
resistance. In some c0mmunes Of Asia Minor JUS
tice is not 40 scrupulously applied. Although muoi-
cipal functions are elective, they are too often the
prize Of intrigue, and the privilege OF great influence,
from which it follows that the great fortunes not
always those which have to bear tne highest tax the
small ones suffer, and the treasury with them.
Inc tentDs are not the rTEu, the most productive
branch OF the revenue of Turkey. They are coec +
ed upon all the productions Of the earth fruits and
cereals In Roumelia they extend to sheep II is the
same in some localities 10 Asia Minor. In Others i'm
munty is compensated by a surcharge upon the tax.
With the view of recev d money instead of the pro-
duce Of nature, the government has recourse to a
disastrous expe6ient, which is OF the principal
vices in the financial legislation Of the empire. 1t
puts this tax to auction, the same the Customs Of
many cities. The purchasers effect their reimburse
i ment by means OF special agents, with the concur.
Of the mum ,paties and the ,resentatves OF
the central authority. We may easily conceive the
inconvenience Of this system. But altogether
vicious it is, it is step in the way Of progress
| we call to m nd the time when governors of pre-.
vinces. farmers of tenths and of all the other taxes
used and abused their power without limit. and
ground down the population in thousand different
ways
For some years the principal functionaries of the
government have presented themselves at these auc
tons, ard have become purchasers either in their
Ovn name, or under that of some Armenian bankers
(sayrofs) These bankers their suretss with the