The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-15
Financial Resources of Russia.

Financial Resources of Russia.
What is the fiscal condition of the North
ern Empire? What guarantee does IL offer
foreign capitalists? How far could the
sources of the national receipts respond
TO extraordinary demands? These are per-
tinent questions on tho eve of conflict
which, in the most favorable contingency,
must involve colossal outlay.
Things have changed IN the Cars do
minons since n French publicst. writing
twenty years ago, could affirm that Rus
sian bud get would be tantamouut TO revo-
luton. Although no Parliament regulates
expenditures, other means have been de-
vised at st. Petersburg for comprising
order and economy and the annual bal
ance sheet submitted by the Imperial
Board of Control supplies Information no
less copious and authentic than the 40
counts of the English Treasury. In this
exhibit tho most striking feature is the
vastness of the contributions at present
eXacted from the Russian subject. and the
rapid augmentation of his burdens since
the epoch OF the Crimean war. The sum
total of the ordinary revenues, which in
the reign of NICHOLAS never exceeded two
hundred millions of roubles, is estimated
for the year which has just closed at five
hundred and twenty-five millions, or, in
other words, having regard to the depre-
citation of tho paper rouble. four hundred
million dollars, gold. In no other Euro
pean country, except France. 10 such Il
weight laid upon the taxpayer, and we
may add that no Western nation is So little
ab.o to sustain it.
The mass of this load rests, and must
rest, on the poorest class OF the commu-
nity-the agricultural laborer-because IN
Russia commerce. manufactures, and all
those industries which suppose accumu-
lated capital are comparatively undevel-
oped. The mOtUW, although emancipated,
is still what he was i'll the time OF Car
PETER, the main feeder OF the State. lie
alone supports tho capitation tax. which
last year yielued one hundred aud sixteen
millions OF roubles. lie, too, must pay in the
end the bulk of the excise duties on spirit
uous liquors, which represent in the pres
cut budget almost two-lfths of the whole
revenue. Only oue-tenth, on the other
hnn1, Is furnished by tho receipts from
customs, aud all the other means OF in
come by impOsts, while constituting
respectable aggregate, taken separately
are in-iguincant. Experience has shown
that none of the latter resources can now
bear further pressure without q perilous
curtnllment of consumption. Tue poll
tax, however, aud the duty on alcohol
have been conspicuous for elasticity, AMI.
although the rates have been steadily
rising, the proceeds have hitherto kept
pace with the expanding necessities OF the
Government.
Tlcre are signs that the Russian tax
gatherer has reached the end OF his te,her
in tins direction, and that the mOuJU,
would defeat the purpose OF fresh exlc-
tons by drinking less, marrying later, and
narrowing the obj act Of labor TO mere sub
sstence. We must bear in mind that the
State assessments are supplemented by
provincial aud communal dues which are
often very onerous. Moreover, the quon-
dam serf is bound to pay TO his former
master an annual lnstallment of the pur-
chase money for the land he occupies, and
this state OF things must continue until
1910. What, then, IS the exact proportion
of his burdens to his means? writer in
the ICsNtM EUrOpy calculates that every
male in tho peasant class pays fifteen
roubles INTO the Treasury, AMI that each
ttdg'O or family supports an average charge
OF thirty-three rOubles, with an income
which, after deductng maintenance, does
not exceed fifty in good years. In a word,
the mOWk sees two-thlrds of his net earn
ings absorbed by the government, whle
1 IA IL. l.
chase money annuity and his commercial
dues. We need not point out the bearing
of these facts on the well-being Of ma
tiou, or on the development OF its wealth
and concomitant increase of the public
revenue. But If such Is the condition of
Russia in time of peace and abundant
harvests, what results must followa failure
of crops, or that curtalment Of the grain
market inseparnble from European war?
The normal expenses of the Russian
Government exhaust the present receipts,
and there arc but two sources of revenue
not already strained to their flu capacity,
and to which the capitalist might look for
the payment OF interest on future loans.
These are the crown domain and the land
el estates hitherto untaxei, OF tho priyi-
legol classes. 1t is PLAIN enough that
the immunity Of the mobiles in this respect
is "A non-trOus anomaly, but we may note
that they are already ASSESSED on the real
property owned by them in towns, and
that local contributions in certain districts
co lsume n quarter of their incomes, on
which account some writers have pre-
tended that tho Russian noble has no less
reason than tho peasant 10 complain Of
fiscal exactions. The truth is. that this last
bulwark Of feudalty and privilege is de-
Tended with desperation, and We cannot
look to soc it speedily levelled in view OF
the fact that q commission instituted at
least Six years ago for tho purpose of trans
! forming the oapitation tax into oompre-