The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-08-06
fTALY's MANY TAXES,
The People of the Country Oppressed
Almost Beyond Endurance.

A~S AoOpho VI IN country oppressed
Almost Beyond Endurance. I
The population of the United States
Is about two and one-half times that
Of Italy. The population of Italy was
$1,000, 900 in 1895; the present popula-
ton of the United States is n, 500, 600.
The annual expenses of Italy for gov
ernmental purposes are in excess of the
equivalent to $500, 900 900 in American
money, or more than $100. GOO, 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 ~improvident 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, 000, 600 a year.. For its war depart
ment Italy spends in a year S45, 000,-
600; for its navy department, 100000
OOO; public instruction, by the central
government, &c. coo, 0G0; public works,
$4,000, 900; the expenses of collec-
ton" (public officials agents, tax gath
erers and clerks), $25, 000, 900; mainte-
nance of the snowy but useless depart
ment of foreign affairs, so, 0OO, 900; the
kings civil list, SO, GOO. 600. 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 500, 000,-
600 (the United States expended for in
terest last veal $37, 000. 000); Sic, 000,-
600 for interest on the floating Italian
as fixed annuities," which remain
fixed" $4,000 900 for the department
of finance; $40, 600, 900 for the mainte-
nance of postofIices (for the loss from
their operation) and the government
telegraph system; 100000 for the
promotion of agriculture" $1,000
900 for general expenses" $780, 900 for
the maintenance 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 impracticable.
The present debt of Italy Is equiva'
lent to 2 900, 000, 900, and as there is a
deficit every year, and small provision
for a sinking fund, it 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 or land, taxes
on buildings, taxes on incomes, taxes
on SUGGESTIONS, excise taxes, taxes from
customs, which yield in a 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 SIS, 000, 900. There is the to-
bacco monopoly, which is virtually a tax
on smokers, of SAC, 000, 900 a year; the
salt monopoly, a culinary tax, of $751;
000, 900, 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 ian item
of nearly $40, 600, 000) and from lotteries
an item of Sic, 900 900. But all these
taxes, %monopolies and speculative
aiCIhou5 VI ldlSAhS tAO WlAu ldli
short of supplying the full needs of the
Italian government, which falls behind
each year and becomes involved in
deeper obligation. In addition to the
general taxation by the government
there is local or commune taxation
amounting to 1925, 900, 900 a year, while
the debt of the Italian communes
amounts, collectively, to $500, 000. 900.
The marvel to any observer is that
Italians have been able to meet SO
much of this vast and oppressive bur
den as they have in view of the fact
that the per capita national debt OF
Italy is now SIS, and the absence Of
SIS (or it's equivalent in lire) has beer
noticed among Italians generally by
all travellers.