Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-06-21
ODD THINGS IN TAXES
GOVERNMENT DUES DERIVED Fro.
MANY QUEER lMPoSTS.

Even Bread and Meat Have Had to Coz,
tribute to the Revenues-Peter the Gr.,
Levied a Tax on Boards.
In times past it was deemed warrant,
BILE to tax salt, candles, leather, brill
soap, starch, paper and in 1852 even bread
and meat. Peter the Great of Russ Nv
led a tax on boards, with the laudabieI
ject of making his subjects wash theirfao,
and shave Brass tokens are still to h
bought in that country bearing the won
"Borado pignaia tiagola," which mean
"the beard tax has been paid" Mr.
G. G. LuDdy, in "The Fiscal Philatelists
gives particulars of the British hat tar 4,
1884, requiring hatters to take out licenss
and imposing an ad valorem stamp dut,
on every hat sold. In those days revepu.
censed hat used to inquire, in tine word,
of the comic song, "Where did you pet
that hat?" In old times, too, the Scotch
sacramental certificates used to bear Sir
penny stamp. A tax on religious alma.
macs, glass, stone bottles and advertise
ments was among the fiscal duties of III.
past.
There was also tax on the "light O,
heaven" in the shape of an impost on win.
dows until far in the present century
This odious and insanitary burden caused
architects and builders to erect house,
with as few windows as possible, and to
escape the tax the windows of many houses
were blocked up. Some of these dark and
dismal abcdes are still in existence in Eng.
land. The Russian government few yeaB
ago decided to tax kerosene oil and match.
es-virtually tax on light.
In some parts of China tax is imposed
on all women entering the bonds of matri.
mony. Travellers to those parts are Obliged
to take a wife, and when they leave the
ladies take fresh husbands, to the benefit
of the revenue. Those who follow the ad
vice of the late Adah Isaacs Menken and
"marry young and often" are an acquisl
| tion to such state. In Servia vanity Il
taxed in the shape of ladies' bustles. In
Melbourne Christmas cards arc taxed one.
fifth per cent. Christmas, New Year, Eas.
ter and birthday cards would doubtless
produce an appreciable revenue in Eng.
land. 1t has been stated that in Weimar
the authorities levied duty on musical
parties. The regulations were not given,
but doubtless solos, duets, trios and quar-.
tets are subject to proportiouate rates. vi.
olins, cornets and the flute should incur
special charges. Quite lately an annual
tax of 10 francs has been imposed on pi.
amos in France. Music has paid tribute to
taxation in other ways. A musical troop
recently crossing the frontier of Saxony
carried with them a crown of laurels
awarded them at triumphal performance.
The custom house officers taxed the laurels
as spice. Massenet, the composer, it is re.
lated, was also charged duty on crown
of laurels on the German frontier. In his
case the wreath of fame was deemed to be
woven of medicinal plants" In Mon.
treal organ grinders pay license of $40
and are only allowed to play at stated
times. In Vienna they are also licensed
and regulated as to hours. In France
certificate of character, distinctive badge
and limitation of hours are insisted upon.
No licenses for street musicians have been
issued for nine years in Germany.
In st. Petersburg no outdoor musical
performers are permitted, but in romantic
ltal y there is very practical regulation
excluding those under IS years of age
from the privileges of license. Ir kew
York wandering minstrels contribute to
the revenue 81 each and are prohibited
from playing within a certain distance Of
specified buildings or dwellings and out
side fixed hours. Barrel music in the open
is not allowed to exist in sunny Spain, but
"gayly the troubadour twangs his gui.
tar" for which, however, license is re.
quired.
The state finances in Russia are recruited
by graduated income tax, commencing at
l per cent on incomes between 1000 and
1000 rubles-a ruble equals 3s. 2d.-and
increasing at the rate of one-tenth per cent
on every additional 1000 or fraction Of
1000 rubles. A duty of quarter kopeck
about one-tenth of penny-is also i'm.
posed on the eggs of all kinds of poultry,
which tax on food realizes several millions
OF rubles. Cycles are subject to tax Of
. shillings in France and of a similar
amount in Brabant.
"They do these things better in France"
or worse. Advertisements in the form
of posters and placards are required to
bear tax stamp in France, which is dis
tinctly tax on trade and publicity. In
Italy, where the people complain that the
taxes are exorbitant, the voluntary taxes
paid by the poorer classes in the form Of
lottery amounts in year to over e3,00O,-
900. At Lateral the Italians recently
broke out in open revolt against the mu-
nicipality, which had increased the hearth
tax and took the civic buildings by as
sault, wounding the syndic, but they do
not agitate against the lottery tax. "In
old Madrid" in 1899 there was terrible
and fatal rioting among the men and wo-
men who hawk vegetables, fruit and other
articles in the streets and markets, owing
to the imposition of tax on Spanish
hawkers.
In 1889 M. Dunajewski, the Austrian
minister of finance, who was described as
1.-THE nimblest politician in the world for
inventing new taxes" decided to tax the
totalisateurs, or betting agencies. Total
isateurs are established on all German and
Austrian race courses. The system is to
divide all the money invested on the los
ing horses among those who backed the
winner after deducting 8 per cent commits
sion for the agency. There is no cheating
or welshing possible in the plan. A 10 per
cent duty on winnings was decreed. In
france the parimutual, similar system
OF betting, is taxed per cent, per cent
OF which Is devoted to the relief of the
poor. Bookmakers are also taxed. There
Is also municipal tax of 10 per cent de-
Quoted from the receipts of theatrical and
public entertainments, which is also as.
signed Tor the benefit of the unfortunate.
This revenue is principally distributed in
tne shape OF grants to public charities and
hospitals, thus making pleasure come to
the rescue of poverty and the relief of pain.
IN Sweden commercial travellers visiting
tnae country have to pay 100 kroner
about 20 lls.-for every month or part
tesreof they may remain for the privilege
OF transacting their business. Temple
Bar.
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