New-York tribune., 1896-05-24
DEMOCRACY AND TAXATION.

1t is a consolation to know that except in the
matter of individual corruptibility. even NJ
Lecky finds little change for the better In turning
from the New World to the Old. He makes IT an
accusat ton against universal suffrage that ii eX-
cludes free trade from the United States. On the
other hand the desire to curry favor with democ-
racy has led TO the removal OF many duties which
were useful TO all and burdensomc to nobody IN
England. 1T IS not probable. says he. that a
single loaf Of bread was made cheaper by the
abolition. in 1869, Of the shilling registration duty
on corn though that small duty at the time 1t
was repealed by Mr.. Lowe brought more than
100000 into the National exchequer. and would
probably, at the present day. have brought in
double that sum- Not one Londoner in hundred
even knew OF the existence Of the small duty on
coal which was abolished by the London County
Council. 1t had existed for more than coo years.
and was almost the oldest of our taxes. 1t fur
nished an income Of $500, 600 year. raised with
out complaint for the purpose Of efYecting metro
politan improvements: and there IL no reason 10
believe that any human being, except few rich
coal-owners and middlenlen, derived any benefit
from It's abolition" He complains that the ten
dency OF recent years In England has been 10
centraize, TO speak, the incidence Of taxation.
with the natural outlook that when democracy
pure and simple gets the upper hand the ma
chinery for the conhscation and destruction OF
property will be ready to hand He bitterly crti-
cises the socialisic writer's especially Mr.. George
and all those who advocate a single tax. and he
Is very emphatic in pointing out that "the political
evil OF narrowing the basis of taxation Is a real
one" But after all there must be some way Of
dealing with democracy which begins with free
trade and ends with confscation In one country,
and urges protection and diffusive incidence OF
taxation in another. That is to say something
must be eliminated before these two kinds of
politics to be called by the same name.
But the influence OF democracy upon taxation in
England is only Of the misfortunes which fol-
low its inevitable advance. 1t has already pro-
duced in England according 10 Mr.. Lecky, the
most loquacous legislative assembly on earth,
and worse still. 1t has actually made this
loquacousness welcome as a restraint upon legis-
lation There are worse things, the author
marks sententiously. than wasted session. The
individual ability has been lowered In the House
Of Commons in late years, and the tendency TO
reckessness in measures has increased. In the
face of alarming possibilities. Mr.. Lecky's main
resource is really the universal suffrage which ne
deprecates. In default of written constitution.
with all the requisite restraints and guarantees.
he falls back on the referendum. II all the people
were called upon 70 vote where questions OF vital
Importance were involved, there would be at least
an additional step between Parliament and per-
dition. The House of Lords Is indeed valuable
resource against anarchy, and recent votes on
very low suffrage have shown the conservative
disposition Of the English people toward the
hereditary chamber. But the guarantee Of good
government Is hardly sufficient without the APP
peal to the people. In the midst Of this gloom the
real reliance of the historian Is on the English
people They have given the world many great
men In the past and within the present generation
have produced Darwin and a Gordon. Thinking
OF these names the author takes heart. "A coun-
try which has produced such men," he exclaims,
land such works, does not seem to be in
dition OF general decadence. though It's COnstitu-
ton is plainly worn out. though the balance of
power within 1t has been destroyed. and though
diseases Of a serious character fast growing in
It's political life. The future only can tell whether
the energy CT the e. ish people can b. sufficiently
reused to check these evils. and to do so before
they have led to some great catastrophe"
Some hitherto unpublished letters Of Pope to be
sold next month In London. They the property OF
q Mr. Bundell Fortescue. a direct descendant OF the
William Fortqscue Master Of the Rolls. TO whom
they were addressed Passages from this corre-
spondence made public. on the eve OF the
SALE and here and there a striking fragment is dis
cerned. Pope is type Of ascerbity to most readers.
a capable OF taking bitter and narrow views,
and II is interesting TO find him writing about "the
Publck veal as follows:
81 wish the honour. the spirit and the independency
OF this Free Nation may continue when am dnst
md ashes. and though Child OF mine (but Poem
or two) is to live after me, never had any am
bition but this one. that what left behind me az