The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-28
ITALY,S MANY TAXES,
The People of tho Country Oppressed
Almost Beyond Endurance.

From the Sun.
The population of the United States
Is about two and one-half times that of
italy. The population of Italy was 3D.
OJOOC0 in 1896: the present population
OF the United States Is 7G,500,000. The
the expenses of the United states gov
mental purposes are in excess of the
equivalent of $500, ,000,0 900 in American
money, or more than Sl00,000,000 above
the expenses of the United tates gov
ernment in an ordinary year These
expenses, however, include some items
which belong more properly to what
may be called the obligations of the
states improvident financial system
than to ordinary running expenses, but
even with this acknowledgment the
amount of such ordinary expenses to he
raised from taxation Is in excess of
$3.50, 100000 a year.
For it's War department Italy spends
in a year S45, 900 900; for it's Navy de-
partment, s20,O0O 900; public instruc-
ton, by the central government, $10,-
100000; public works, 10000, 900; the
expenses of collection" tpubiC officials,
agents, tax gathercrs and Clerks), $25,-
100000 maintenance of the snowy but
useless department of Foreign Affairs,
100000 900; the kings civil list, $1,000
OOO There is, then, the annual interest
on what is known as the consolidated
Cor bonded) italian national debt. The
interest amounts each year to nearly
S10O,000,000 (the United States expended
for interest last year $37, 900, ,000); s15,-
OOQ,OO0 for interest on the floating Ital-
ian debt $4,000 600 for what are known
as fixed annuties," which remain
fixed" $4,000, 900 for the department of
hnance Sl0,000000 for the maintenance
of post offices (fOr the loss from their
operation) and the government tele-
graph system; 100000 for the promo
tion of agriculture" $1,000, 900 for gen
eral expenses" $500, 900 for the main
tenance of the Senate and Chamber Of
Deputies, and the balance for sundry
| and Miscellaneous expenses. an exact
| subdivision of which. under the italian
system of keeping accounts, is imprac-
tica bic.
The present debt of Italy is equiva-
lent to 50, 500, 600, 900, and as there is a
deficit every year. and small provision
for sinking fund. 1t is constantly on
the increase. The taxes in Italy, which
is a 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 a year $4,000,
600 only, and oCtro duties, imposed on
marketable property brought into cit
les, and which amount in year to
more than s15,O0O0C0. There is the to-
bacco monopoly, which is virtually n
tax on smokers, of s40,0OO000 year;
the salt monopoly, a culinary tax. Of
$l5,OOO,O 900, and local taxes for the main
tenanCe of schools. The state gets rev.
enue from telegraph offices and pris-
ons; from the use of state property,
leases to individuals, stamps (an item
of nearly 100000, ,00O, and from lotter-
les. an item of 1000 900 more.
But all these taxes. monopolies and
speculative methods of raising the
winh' fall short of supplying the full
needs of the Italian government, which
falls behind each year and becomes in
Volved in deeper obligation. In addi-
tion to the general taxation by the gov
ernment, there is local or commune tax
alton amounting to 1925 900, 900 year
while the debt Of the Italian communes
amounts, collectively, to $500 OG0, 000
The marvel to any observer is that Ital-
ians have been able to meet so much
of this vast and oppressive burden as
they have, in view of the fact that the
per capita national debt of Italy is now
S75, and the absence of SIS Cor it's equiv
alent in lire) has been noticed among
Italians generally by all travellers.