New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-10
INCOMES OF GERMAN KINGS.
FREEDOM OF TIE RULERS FROM TAXATION
BEGINS To EXCITE OPPOSITION.
A MOVEMENT TO 10 AWAY WITH THE EXEMP-
TIoN-uEAyY BURDENS UPON GERMANY
CONTRAST BETWEEN TIE FIRST
AND THE PRESENT KAISER.


AND THE PRESENT KAISER.
The freedom from, taxation enjoyed by the rulers
and med,atizcd princes Of Germany mas pesu" "
excite general opposition The cry that they shou'
boar their proportonate share of the burdens OF the
naone is becouing louder and louder. and the Bun
desrath and the Reichstag will likely he called
upon this winter vote upon the question OF put
ting an end to the extraordinary exemption Nan!
Of the most influential newspapers ana pohticiiiiS
recommend the rulers to renounce voluntarily tue
privilege and thus avoid conflict which they say
IL certain to end in the victory OF the people. one
or two of the more liberal princes reading me signs
~ the fines I'm the growth OF German democracy,
have agreed TO this; but the majority still look
mo, themselves as rulers By the grace OF God
and not by the Will OF their subjects. and decline 70
be subject TO the tax-ls Of ordinary mortals
The exemption OF the medatzed princes eXcites
the most general criticism and opposition. Nh"n
Prussia and the other larger states swallowed up
the scores OF little principaes In rounding out
their territories they tried to indemnify the llttle
hishncsses FOR they losses by giving them PENSIONS
promising ,hc:n freedom from taxation, ond leavina
them their titles. German families are prolific ana
as result the number of persons enjoying this en-
yiablc distinction writer asserts, is now almost
as great as that Of the "wcarers OF the Legion OF
Honor In French cafe or the br'gadi"rs IN the
Southern States Of America" This. of course, Is
only a phrase: but the fact remains that If all the
persons entitled to the taxation freedom contributed
their share to the payment Of the expenses Of The
GERMAN Government the relief 20 the country and
people would be great.
Despite It's comparative poverty. the German ma
ron PAYS larger sums 10 ia rulers than any other
country The income Of the King OF Prussia IS
gielter than that OF Queen Victoria. amounting II
1856 so marks. The Queen of England receives
from Parliament. including the money voted tn the
various princes of the house. on tj9J92. or aooit
$4,000 marks. over 100000 less than the amount
received by His Majesty of Prussia. The income
OF King William given above does not include, ac-
cordng TO the "Grcl2boten which Is causing the
campaign against the .mpuon-the income from
the so-called royal-family estates. which man
aged by officers of the household for the benefit OF
the family. King William. however IL not salts
fed with this income.
Az ECONOMICAL RULER.
When the title OF German Emperor was con-
forred upon oil Emperor William at Versailles it
was decided that he should receive no income as
Emperor. His Majesty lived economically. saved
money as King OF Prussia and rad no wish 10 add
to his annual allowance by drawing money from
the other States as German Emperor. But 1t Is
different with his grandson. He has spent enor-
nous sums OF money In travelling. purchasing pal
aces and entertaining. and has had difficulty 1t has
been frequently announced. In meeting the monetary
demands upon him. He IL. too. far more liberal
than his grandfather and looks upon thaer as
measures proposed for his relief by some OF the
arch-conscrvatives Is an allowance ms German En-
ptror. to be paid Oy the various States IN accord
ance with their population ard representation In
the Bun1csraih. But IL seems hardly likely, In race
OF the movement subject the princes to taxation
that the measure VIII be adopted even II proposed
In Parliament.
The Grand Duke OF q denburg receives from the
people Of the Duchy Of Odenburg and the ''prin-
cipalities Of I.ubcck end Birkenheld' 2&uV marks.
or about stj.cD year. The Duke OF Saxe-Coburg-
Gotha d-aws C?.2j5 marks from the states. Prince
Albert II Prussia. Regent OF Brunswick. mas AT
his disposal l.l9J32 marks. The CiVil list WIN the
pensions II he princes IN Wurtemberg amounts 70
.G9.3os marks and In saXony the income Of the
royal family Is 3.y32 O}6 marks. The family OF ia
T varia stands next to t.e King OF Prussia IN tne
amount Of allowance. drawing annually 9.WSsb
marks from the State The Duke II Saxe-CoburY-
arising from sale oi the prncpallty OF Lichten-
berg To Prussia I'm lsA
GERMANY" tie journal mentioned before.
pays It's twenty-five hereditary rulers more than
liyoD,oJ marks-and how much beyond that sum II
] hard for the unintiat'l to compute, .
when the Greet Eector introduced hcad-taN In
1911 ne subjected himself and the members of his
/ house the burden. The dignity OF the princes
cannot suffer IN the recognition OF the tax duty.
The German princes now contribute their part 70
! tCustoins G'nionl put end 10 the privileges
/ granted to court-cellars and "ouri-kitchens. and
stopped the free entry OF goods from foreiSn coun-
tries II our rulers send stocks to the Exchange.
they subject TO the Exchange tax. y
general income tax must b. adopted. The ruling
families with their - ndep,n members would
gain considerably II they would Voluntarily take
| action iu this matter