Fair play., 1874-11-19
Taxation and Revenue.

just at this juncture the ji-trihu
tion of taxation Is an interesting
subject o! discussion in all parts OF
the country. The necessity o: some
radical change i'll our present system
Is felt by every person who Is II all
familiar viii. the workings OF the
government drrins the last decade.
jhc same cause y hich now work so
d!sadVahtayeously sly TO us, formerly
prevailed ia Girca, Britain, ani the
Success with which efforts al reform
have been attained in that country
affords q possible example t. Us.
These changes may he traced in
the statistical Abstract for the Uni
ted Kingdom" which contains
comparative statment of'he more i'm
pur!ant statistics for q series Of
Years. The cried /, Is designed to
cover run> over some fifteen Years,
during which the resources ol the
country have been largely developed,
its weaiih cuormousl ) increased, and
the mo-. .!iicatiOn ot It's revenue sys-
TEN ci.,ctcd. During rhi, long pc
rioI the prosperity Of the country
Las been uninterrupted, and every
;los>Iblc facility Eas been given for
The peacc.ul revolution in the fin
ancc> which the pubi!c exigencies
seemed 10 DEMAND.
In ls3? the gross revenue of III"
United Kingdom was GU5, 60. III,
or calculating the poun,. Al five dol
lars, S32S, lJ,9U5. Fifteen Years
..::tcr this znm had lucacasci to
E0 300, ,GJ., OK Sl>6,6.s ,2S5. Bat
Ike sources Of the revenue have
very greatly changcd. In 1889 The
customs contributed th:riy-seven per
cen; OF the entire revenue. In 1874
this proportion had been cut down
To twenty SIX per cert. La 1893 the
excise duties and Licenses, confined
entirely TO spirits, wine and beer,
Welded only twcE:y-scren per cent
oi the revenue. IL. .S,t these rose
10 thirty five per cen., having almost
exactly changed positions with the +
cu>tGiIs.
But this remarkable condition of
.hc rcvchue was s,ili further supple F..
mcntci by aa ana!o.ious change IL !
The customs. In 1879 sugar yielded +
twenty five per cent Of the cas;oms
yovr,uc, whlch, with "oiiec and corr,
mad' largely more than oneha!f. .
Spirits, wine, tobacco and snuff only /
contributed twcmiy:n!ne per cent,
while tie remainder WAS got from a
considerable humber of miscci.Ine-
on. articles. Now sugar ieids only !
nine per cent and tea sixteen per
cent. making wi,ic and distinct lhe
ground between luxuIics and ncces-
sites They are not however, to bo
cIassd with spirits ami Tobacco. s!ncc
they can be dispensed with, and ther
office filled Wit; less costly articles.
\ tax therefore imposed on them
itself very Gencra.ir ) AID
evenly, and can Be avoided by them
"hom it incomScaitnccs. 10 this
extent Great Rritain las succeeded
in relieving all articles of necessity
from the burdens ot taxation, and
piacc'. them upon :.h-oite iuxuries.
The government is made 10 bear
lightly on the poor, at the expense
Ut the r:"i: ANA not Is is the us in
his country, "t taxing the poor 10
support the rich. |
iha. government has also steadily
reduced tito number oi art'c!es on
which it i9vics cn-tuEis aucs. In
.hiS way il stimulates commerce anI
gradually opens lis gates To the trade
,: The nations. Its people can buy
:teapIy and sell at a profit. 1t ma
uraIly produces industry among the
people and places the government
~ ii .urer aad iirmer foundation.
Il wcGia have the same effect in this
country i: similar nIeans wcro en-.
,Iuycd to effect it. At al! events It
!cstrves the attention oi The .Iarty
oming !;to power, ana should oc-
'as:nn the employment of such i:'.t,
'nG honest measures OF reform as
be uecc->ijics oi the nation and its
'i!iZcns rcivirc-.N. Louis Times.