The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-20
NO LONGER OBSCUR RE.
The Financial Relations Between Great
Britain and Ireland Ably Con-
sidered.
The Mischief Of Several Decades Growing
Worse Under British Mis-.


species of arrangement, designed with
q view to constitute q new set OF local
taxation authorities to supersede the
present grand jury system OF Ireland.
and it may be to supersede also some 90 OF |
the municipal institutions which now
have taxing powers. This might bel
characterized fairly enough, in connec-
ton with the demand for home rule, as
asking for bread and receiving a stone.
In the present condition of Ireland the |
promised institutions would be Of no
earthly value. is quite possible that
the bare proposal at this time may do
more harm than good, for it will be re-
garded in the sense of q cruel diver |
sion.
OF course, we feel that local govern
ment, grand jury and poor-law matters
are susceptible of amendment and re-
form; but any reform which does not
place at the disposal Of the Irish author
tiles that portion Of the revenue OF
which Ireland is defrauded under the
present Imperial fiscal system will be,
if not worthless wholly, quite unappre-
eiable
Notwithstanding that it has been
proved most conclusively over and over
again that this country has been, and IS
being, defrauded in the matter OF I'M
psrial taxation. we shall not be sur
prised to find the bare suggestion athat
such is the case now treated as a sub.
| ject OF establishment by the English
press. But the world is not quite SO
| ignorant as the English press sometime
affects to be. The financial relations
between Great Britain and Ireland are
no longer obscure 1t has been quite
satisfactorily shown by an analysis OF
| the income tax returns, and this sched-
ules of income presented to parliament
and on the authority of documents 49,
sued by the treasury, that the incomes
| of Ireland actually amenable to income
1 talxs5n sceaules 1uufii''ss,ls with those of
Great Britain but fractlO nally oAcocei
an eighteenth of the gross Of the in
come scedules for the United King
| dom.
/ If for purposes of exact adjustment
4 an estimate should have to be made
/ hereafter, to include the incomes OF
4 those below the income tax level in both
!. islands respectively, the disparity Will
/ be shown as still greater than as sew
i enteen to one.
i We are not. however, concerned at
/ present with the task OF showing the
i greater disparity. The ratio OF one to
i seventeen is amply suf6cientfor demon
1 stration Of the grievous injustice in
yolyed in the extraction from Ireland
4 for imperial purposes of any amount OF
i the seventeenth of the amount levied
], from Great Britain.
a The proportion of imperial taxation
!. raised from ireland, closely examined
could be clearly shown to be equal to an
n eighth Of that raised from Great Brit
. ain: but, even from the the evidence o.
4 those parliamentary returns which
have been sought for and framed viii
!, the object Of minimizing The proper
, ton of revenue raised by taxation II
II ireland, as compared to the revenue
raised in Great Britain, is proved TO 81
equal to tenth. Injustice Of this ma
r ture is, however, cumulative. Ever,
million of which a country linked II
!, political UNION with another is defraud
ed is eauivalent--so at a moderate es
innate of the value Of money, and TIT
) natural increases of capital Ito de
/ privation Of $4,000 a year, progressing
! automatically in an inverse ratio to In
) increment and accumulation which
. constitutes the basis Of wealth in yer
state or community, as well as 1t doe
J in every well managed assurance coIn
s pany.
8 The extent of loss OF wealth of Ire
lard in this way for the last thirty year
!, mot to 90 further back-involves ab
struse calculation, bat the mlschle
. done is none the less in our mind, be
!. cause we dismiss those for the presen
in order TO point out in general term
1.-THE mischief which has been at worl
q for several decades, and is now golnl
: on worse than ever, because the coun
f try is yearly growing less able TO bea
& the burden.
q There are several modes OF proyln
. that ireland In the matter Of iTnperis
. taxation is grievousIy defrauded.
, We irnpute no actual intention TO DC
n fraud to any particular statesman, bu
0 as man may be poisoned by Iladyel
q tencs OF a ship wrecked owing TO error
y eons reckoning. go q country not pr
tected By the vigilance Of domestl
i legislature may be done to death BY a
: ignorant or . vicious system OF account
it and the sequent taxation.
I'll Ireland has been and is being done
/. death in this way. This Is q strong q
q sertion-it would be wholly uni
a. able if it were not susceptible Of proc
I'll Is it susceptible Of proofy Yes, an
q Il we have TeceurBe TO the ANALYTIC pr
e cess il Will be easily shown that ~
q land has been made to pay, and e, !
s-Ito say pasIug away aer sitais uDd al
= an unjust 81 stem of taxation hut e
& proofs9 YES. 70 begin. The illco11
tax Ne admit i = fair ta 4 thnfis =