Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-07-01
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ITALY'S MANY TAXES,
The People of the Country Oppressed
Almost Beyond Endurance.


Almost Beyond Endurance.
The population of the United States
is about two and one-half times that
of Italy. The population of Italy was
/ 31,000,000 in 1896; the present popula-
tion of the United States is II, soc, 600
! The annual expenses Of Italy for gov
ernmental purposes are in excess of the
equivalent to s5OO,OOO,O0O in American
money, or more than S100, 900 900 above
the expenses of the United States gov
eminent in an ordinary year. These
expenses, however, include some items
which belong more properly to what
may be called the obligations of the
states improyident financial system
than to ordinary running expenses, but
even with this acknowledgment the
amount of such ordinary expenses to
be raised from taxation is in excess of
$3.50 100000 year. For its war depart
ment Italy spends in year $45,000.-
600; for its navy department, $4,000
000; public instruction, by the central
government, $4,000, 900; public works.
S10,000,000; ''the expenses of collec-
ton" (public officials agents, tax gath
erers and clerks), s25,0OO,O00; mainte-
nance of the snowy but useless depart
ment CT foreign affairs, $4,000 000; the
kings civil list, $3,000G00 There is,
then, the annual interest on what is
known as the consolidated Tor bonded)
Italian national debt. The interest
amounts each year to nearly 100000
600 (the United States expended for in
terest last year $37, 900 ,000); S15,000,-
900 for interest on the floating Italian
debt; $4,000, 900 for what are known
as fixed annuities," which remain
fixed" 100000 for the department
of finance; $1O,O00,000 for the mainte-
nance of postoffices (for the loss from
their operation) and the government
telegraph system; 100000 for the
promotion Of agriculture" S2,000,-
900 for general expenses" $500, 900 for
the maintenance of the senate and
chamber of deputies. and the balance
for sundry and miscellaneous expenses, I
an exact subdivision of which, under /
the Italian system of keeping accounts,
is impracticable.
The present debt of Italy is equiva- I
lent to $780, 100000, and as there is
deficit every year, and small provision /
for sinking fund, it is constantly on
the increase. The taxes in Italy, which
is poor country, include many items /
which in other countries would be ex-
empt. There are taxes on land, taxes
on buildings, taxes on incomes, taxes
on SUGGESTIONS, excise taxes, taxes from
customs, which yield in year $50, 000,-
900 only, and octroi duties, imposed on
marketable property brought into cit
les, and which amount in a year to
more than s15,000,000. There is the to-
bacco monopoly, which is virtually tax
on smokers, of s40,000,000 a year; the
salt monopoly, a culinary tax, of s15,-
O00 coo, and local taxes for the mainte-
nance of schools. The state gets rev.
enue from telegraph offices and pris-
Ons; from the use of state property,
leases to individuals, stamps Gan item
Of nearly 5000 ,O0O) and from lotteries
an item of $4,000, 900. But all these
taxes, monopolies and speculative
of raising the wind" fall
short of supplying the full needs of the
italian government, which falls behind
each year and becomes involved in
1eeper obligation. In addition to the
general taxation by the government,
here is local or commune taxation
to 1926, OO0, geo a year, while
he debt of the Italian communes
collectively, to 100000, 900.
The marvel to any observer is that
italians have been able to meet so
much of this vast and oppressive bur-
len as they have in view of the fact
hat the per capita national debt of
tally is now SIS, and the absence of
rs Cor its equivalent in lire) has been
loticed among Italians generally by
II travellers. 4