The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-07
INCOME AND LUXURY TAXES.
The Two From Which the British Covers.
ment Gets Most of Its Reyenue

| The Two From Which the British Covers.
ment Gets Most of Its Revenue.
To Americans an interesting feature
of British budget statements is the
large proportion which the income tax
bears to the aggregate revenues of the
government. Sir William Vernon Har-
court. chancellor of the exchequer. in
introducing the budget recently, esti-
mated that the total revenue for the
fiscal year 1854 would be about $780,
600 900. and tax on incomes would pro-
vide So. 900. 900 of this sum, or nearly
One-siXth of 1t. This estimate may
reasonably be expected to come toler-
ably close to the actual figures as they
will be revealed twelve months hence
in the returns. Our own revenue in
the fiscal year 1892 was about
1885, 200. 900. OF this scale of receipts
the British income tax would have
yielded about $50, 900, 000 Under the
conditions prevailing in Great Britain
this tax can be collected readily and
honestly, and it is decidedly popular
impost among the masses of the peo-
pie, who, of course, do not have to
pay it.
Governmental revenue receipts are
subject to much smaller chanhes in
Great Britain than in the nited States.
The average annual income Of the gov
eminent in the former country in the
past few years has not varied greatly
from 600 600, 000 or S45O, 900 600. A bout
$40, 200, 900 of this has been provided by
tax on incomes. s9j. 000. coo came from
customs, which are levied on tobacco.
tea, coffee, rum, brandy and other
spirits and few other articles, sI25,-
0OO,0 from internal taxes on spirits,
beer and other things, and s65 900 900 on
stamp taxes of different sorts The re-
naming 500, 900. 900 or therea bouts of
revenue has come from the post |
Offices, the telegraphic service. land |
taxes, house duties and various other /
sources. The customs duties of the /
United States government in 1892 were
s171, 600, 900. or considerably less than
double the recent British average, while
our internal taxes for the same year
were sl54, 600, 600, or only s29, 00o, 600
greater than the British receipts from
the same general source.
In the British system Of revenue rails
ing the income tax is often relied on 20
make up deficits. Serious deficits sell
dom occur. Expenditures, after the
regular payments on the public debt,
are kept pretty close to the revenues,
and when the revenues fall little short
he tax on incomes is found convenient
% cover up this gap. This tax is in
;reased slightly .or the current year
The whole British scheme Of revenue
'aising Is admirably calculated TO con-
orIn with the conditions which pre- I
-ail in the kingdom and to meet enier- ,
'encies as they present themselves.
The adjustment of outgo TO income. :
nd vice versa, By the head OF the fnan-
laI arm Of the government Is done
With an ease and precision IN Grca.
;ritain which are altogether unknown
nd impossible here. Aside from the q
the sources OF revenue in
.ngland are more numerous than they
re IN this co:IntrF. and the amount
rhich each viii yield is. owing 70 The
Inference IN conditions better know n \,
here than it is here. and can. there "a
ore, De more accurately estimated II II
dvanee. Lozis Globe Ite-Bocr