The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-10
TAXATION IN FRANCE
VARIOUS SOURCES OF THE GOVERN
MENTsS IMMENSE REVENUE.
Nearly Everything Taxed - Public
Debt the Greatest In the World,
and the People the Richest.

and the People the Richest.
Sterling Heiug, in st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.
Whether the fnanciering Of the French
government and the city of Paris be adj
mirable or not, 1t works. it is practical.
1t has the virtue of taking the bull by
the horns. An immense amount of money
is needed. The national government and
the city dnextricably intermingled in a
way Americans would think almost pre-
posterous) divide the right of holding
up the people for their own good, for
the glory of the patrie and the beauty
of it's capital, it's one and only city.
They do not seek to disguise the pro-
cess.
The tourist, even in his first sight-see-
ing week, feels pressing on his shoulder
the hand of the tax collector. 1t is not
so much the customs examination at the
frontier. although that is fairly search
ing. France is even more protectionist
than the United States. The feeling that
the authorities are after your pocket
book comes rather through a series of
petty annoyances and half pleasing, half
displeasing curiosities when you are
once inside the country. Your hotel bill
comes to you receipted-and stamped.
You cash check or a draft with a
banker. .sWi1l you please write your
name again; here, across the revenue
stamp" Why are they so careful with
the Jumps of sugar in the restaurants
and cafes? There is a special tax upon
the sweet commodity. And why do they
always give us sulphur matches? Be-
cause matches are dear. being manu-
featured only by the government Do
you desire to play a game Of cards?
You may for nothing in the basserie
where you take your evening beer. The
waiter brings the cards. But they are
dirty. Bring us clean pack Then
you will have to buy them, and the
cheapest kind costs 60 cents. There is
a special tax on playing cards. 1t is
not only a tax ranging from 10 to 20
cents a pack, but the manufacture of
all playing cards is under rigorous state
supervision as to quality, colors and de-
signs, the latter with an idea to posi-
BILE political disturbances. Billiard la
bles are taxed. doors and windows are
taxed, bicycles are taxed. and as for
cigars and tobacco-but every tourist
has his first experience with that state
manufacture. When the state leaves Off
then the city begins, and you are taxed
from early morn till dewy eve. The
citys chiefeSt hold upon the stranger is
it's ''octroi,' a set of high municipal Gus
toms duties on all food. drink and fuel.
But the city shares with the state in
most of the little perQuisites already
mentioned, in the profits of the exclusive
government pawn shops, the exclusive
funeral service, the tax on theater tick
cts and the tax on dogs, even though it
were the dog of tourist or, so to speak.
tourist dog. These are the taxes which
the tourist feels. But the native. the
citizen of Paris. could tell him. There
are Others.
DIRECT TAXES
Taxes in France are called .'contribu-
tions," and they are direct and indirect.
The latter are by far the greater. reach
ing the average sum of 2,495. 900 francs
yearly, as against the direct taxes of
$50, 000, 900 francs. This inequality has
struck the Socialists. and at about the
same time as the deficit in the budget
called loudly for the attention of the
legislature The question Of an income
tax is now being fought over, not only
an income tax. but a progressive in
come tax which would indeed strike
hard blow at 1.-The dirty bourgeoisie''
and the .'exploiters of the proletariat.
The figures above given are lower than
those in the present inflated budget for
1895, against which there is a consider
able uproar. In theory the direct taxes
are fixed and invariable, but 1t is in the
power of the Chamber of Deputies to
augment or decrease them by means of
the device called the ''centimes addi-
tionnels" or additional pennies. They
are of two kinds. those voted by the
Deputies to be at the disposal of the
general government to meet special and
varying expenses, like primary instruc-
ton, aid TO farmers when their crops
| have suffered from hailstorms %, fire or
| flood, the reduction of other taxes.
losses, deductions and deficits and the
costs of collecting all other taxes, and
| those voted by the departments (coun-
| ties), and towns, and cities within fixed
limits for their ordinary and extraordi-
nary expenses. In the budget for 1895
| the fixed portion of the direct taxation
was put at 46900O,0 900 francs. But the
| additional pennies" had brought the to-
| tai up to 1874, 00e, 900.
| OF these direct taxes there are four,
| the fonciere, or tax on real estate; the
| personnelle-m obiliere, or tax on personal
| property; the portes-et-fenetreS, or taxes
! on doors and windows, and the patentes,
4 or commercial licenses.
The only thing peculiarly interesting
/ to Americans in the French real estate
| tax is the principle tnaI Wnen a mouse
/ or even a part of a house Can apartment
! or fat has been empty for year it
/ pays no tax that year. This principle.
| which is favorable to capitalists, is one
| often attacked by the Socialists. The per-
sonal property tax is composed of two
| elements, a poll tax and a tax on ones
/ presumed wealth in household furniture.
| gagged by the amount of rent one pays.
| 1t is due from every inhabitant, French
or foreign, enjoying his right" and not
reputed INDECENT. 1t includes widows.
| minor children who have means suffi-
| cient for their support, whether from
| investments or from the work of their
| hands, and even such higher domestic
| servants as companions Wallets. gov
| ernesses, concierges and guards Actual
| domestic servants are exempted. The
| poll tax may not be lower than 10 cents
| a head nor greater than 80 cents. The
| tax on furniture varies in the different
! cities 1t is in the law that towns hav-
/ ing an octroi may pay the whole of this
| furniture tag ont of its proceeds if they