The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-23

$135,370,000, making, with the cost of
the navy added, the military expenses
OF the German empire for the current
year upward of s2o5, 100000. When the
revenues of the various states, each
of which has its separate budget, are
added to the imperial revenue, the to-
tai attans the prodigious figure OF
almost s1,125,00o,0 900; OF this sum the
revenue of the kingdom Of Prussia
amounts to 1851. $50 900.
The empire itself owing to the in
demnity received from France after
the war of 1S70-71, started free OF
debt, for out of the money received
from France it paid of the debt of the
old North German confederation, and
in 1877 it owed only $4,000 900. Now the
debt has run up to s575, 900, 900, with an
annual interest charge Of s1S,7S5,0o0
Each year sees an augmentation, and
the naval programme alone, will in
crease the debt by $3.50, $50 900, which is
to be borrowed. All the imperial
debt may be said TO have been con-
tracted for military purposes, $685.
32500O being for the army, s90,000,000
for the navy, s32 S35,000 for strategic
railways, s26,2225,0o0 for the Kaiser
Wilhelm canal.
The revenue Of the kingdom of Prus-
sia has risen from sl66, 1000 in 1872
to 1851, 600, and the debt has grown
to s1647, 100000, being an increase Of
414 per cent. since 1872. The interest
charge is s57,6S5,OO0.
This is the dark side of the account,
and for a country like Germany IT
seems dark enough. 1t may be asked
how does the country bear such bur-
dens? The answer Is, partly because
it's industrial and economic develop
ment has been unprecedented, and be-
| cause a large portion OF the totals
| just given represent neither public
| burdens in the way OF taxation nor
| public debt as generally understood.
| The greater part OF the Prussian debt
| has been incurred in the construction
! or purchase Of the railways, and so
, remarkable has been the expansion of
| the railway system and business that
| the gross receipts of the state-owned
| railways have risen from S36, $40, 900 in
| 1872 to an estimated 1910, 900, 900 in the
| present year. The money borrowed
| by the Prussian government has been
| invested in public undertakings which
are proving more profitable each year
! with the expansion OF the German
| trade. The total debt charge is un-
| der s60000,000 and the estimated net
| receipts for this year are s135, 900, 900.
| 1t is this that accounts for the few
| complaints heard of burdensome taxa
! ton in Prussia or any OF the other
states embraced in the empire.
| Notwithstanding the heavy military
| expenditure in Germany, Russia leads
| Europe in the expenditure on public
| education. It's budget this year for
| elementary education exceeds $20,000,-
| 900, against less than $1.000000 in 1871 4;
| for higher schools it has risen from
| s42O, 900 to $3,0s5.OO0, and for universi-
ties from $685., 900 to s2,555 900. In 1871
| only $4,000 was spent on industrial
| schools, and the estimate now Is ST.
405, 900. In other respects the Prusslan
| state stands out as a model of pro-
| gress. The total debt Of Germany, i'm
| perial and state, is s2,645, 900 900, and
| the gross income Of about 81 ,125, 900, 900,
and Of this no less than $473, 500 900 is
! represented by the gross receipts of
| all the state railways in Germany, so
| that for all purposes of the empire, and
| in its position as an agglomeration of
| Independent states, Germany has only
to raise about 651,5OO,OOO by taxation.