The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-21
The British Revenue Returns.

From the ". Y Times.
The official abstract of the gross produce of
the revenue of Great Britain for the year 1868
has been published, and throws considerable
light on the general financial condition of the
kingdom, on the administrative capacity of
the late Government, and on the difficulties
which Mr.. Gladstone, pledged as he is to re-
trenchment in every department of the Gov
ernment, will have TO encounter. The great
features of the return are that, firstly, the
expenditure of Great Britain for the financial
year ending in March next will not be covered
by the sum of 1000, 600; secondly, that the
ordinary revenue has displayed during the
last twelvemonth none of that elasticity"
upon which successive ChancellOrs OF the Ex-
chequer have so constantly Eand so sue
cessfully relied to help them out of their
difficulties; and thirdly, that the annual eX-
penditure of the kingdom has increased during
the past thirty years at a rate which, II con-
tinued for further period of the same dura-
tion, would raise it to close on Gl00, 0O0 O00
These are very grave facts, and must in
spire English statesmen with no small amount
of anxiety. The total expenditure for the
year exhibits an increase on that for 1867 of
something more than G3, 600, 600, this being
of course, due to the expenses of the Abyssi-
nian war-which, by the way, from first to
last, and including the share borne by the
Indian Government, will not cost the two
countries much under G7,000,000. More
than the amount of this increase, however, is
covered by the increased proceeds of the
income tax, derived from the additional two
pence in the pound imposed by Mr.. Disraeli,
specially to meet Abyssinian expenses.
But while the income tax, in which every
additional penny may be relied upon to pro-
duce the estimated amount, has fulfilled an
ticipation, the normal and permanent
sources of revenue have failed to do so,
and show state of things which must
more than ever impress upon English
tinanciers the necessity of checking the con-
slant tendency to augmentation of expendi-
ture, Of which budget after budget, for many
years, has given evidence. Excise, for exam
pie, Notwithstanding year of fair agricultural
prosperity, and the greatly increased con-
sumption Of excisable fluids, which accompa-
MES the long and exciting political canvass on
the occasion of general election, shows but
very slight increase, hardly more than
balancing the decrease in customs, which is
attributable to the decline in that branch of
Even the Post Office, the returns from
which have hitherto invariably shown
an increase, returns G70, 200 less than in
1867, and this in spite of the enormous
number of circulars which must have been
forwarded by mail during the political cam
paign. True, the sum is a small one in COM
parison with the gross product of the postal
GOfShuCj W1lCu 10 ClU6S upUu J~O,OUU,OUU, DuG
it still suggests the idea that limit may be
reached which seems never to have occurred
to English fnanciers. Stamps show a de-
crease in the year of nearly $500, 900, and
were il not for the increase under the head
of miscellaneous" there would have been
considerable deficit, instead of the existing
small surplus.
1t is clear, therefore, that financial ques-
tions will not form the least of MIR. GladstOne's
| difficulties during the approaching session,
and it is certain that before long they will be
forced upon the consideration of Parliament
| in the most urgent form. The continual in-
crease in military and naval expenditure,
without even, according to the general com
! plant, any corresponding n,rease in eff
ciepcy cannot be long tolerated now that
| England is daily Teoeding further from her
! former position as one of the chief arbitratOrs
| in European affairs, and that the views of the
advanced Liberals with regard to the colonies
are rapidly gaining ground in every quarter.
! In case OF any further accession of distress TO
! that which even now presses upon the work
| ing classes throughout the kingdom Mr..
! Brght's cry of "a free breakfast table" may
| yet be echoed widely enough to make it the
cry OF the day, and in a form which will render
1t likely to obtain more consideration than has
seemed possible as yet. 1t was easy to re-
conclle people to an increasing expenditure al
long as their revenue increased in like pro
pOruOn, but with stationary revenue anC
the consequent necessity Of adding fresh bur
dens to meet growing expenditure. q poot
many more Taxpayers will want to "knoV
the reason why" than have hitherto troublet
themselves about such matters.
n