The Irish standard., 1902-02-01
Interesting Facts and Figures Relative
to Reduction to Poverty of
the Emerald Isle.
Operation of the Union Act is Described
by Lecky as a. Crime of the
Deepest Turpitude

AT the convention OF the UulLeu 1FlSE
League held IN Dublin on Jan. 8, Hon
Edward Blake, NJ. p, delivered the fol
lowing interesting address OH th'
financial relations of Ireland to the
British empire during the past century
'sMr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: Ireland suffers from two exces
sive tributes-one exacted by the lords
of the soil-that you have already dealt
with-and the other wish to bring up
namely, the excessive tribute exacted
by the lords of the State. (Hear, hear.)
I therefore proceed, occupying youl
time for a few minutes, to move the
following resolution:
''That this convention renews the
national protest gainst the overtaxation
of Ireland, in violation alike of the spir-
1t of the Union Act, and Of the princi-
pies of equity. And it calls upon Irish
members to seize every opportunity of
pressing this vital question on the at
tention Of Parliament.
II will use those minutes mainly in
raversing the old and beaten ground.
that Of the commission and reports;
for later details there is no time. Mr..
Lecky has described the carrying of
the Union Act as crime of the deep
est turpitude, crime which imposed,
with every circumstace of infamy,
new form of government on reluct-
ant and protesting nation. The final
arrangement Us made and as worked
form no small part of that great public
wrong, but fair promises were plenty.
When Grattan at College Green com
plained that Ireland would stagger un-
der a weight which would be but
feather on the shoulders Of the wealth
Ter country, Pitt at Westminster had
agreed that df one country should ex-
ceed the other in wealth, population,
taxable capacity, and established COM
merce, even in the proportion Of two
to one, that the country would be
able to bear ten times the burden to
which the other would be equal. The
fact of the difference in taxable capac-
ity between the two countries was ad
mitted. Let me state in as few words
as possible some great underlying
principles which support the equity of
our claim, even apart from bargain.
First, in order that people may pay
taxes they must live Ghear, hear), and
therefore the first charge on their year
ly wealth is a subsistence allowance;
taxes can spring out of the surplus.
Clear, hear.) You must not starve
the goose that lays the golden egg.
(Hear, hear.) Next, there should be
an attempt at equality of sacrifice;
the levy on the taxpayer should have
some regard to the amount of the sur
plus; the greater that surplus the larger
should be not merely the sum, but the
percentage Of his contributions. Lastly,
the burden should not, unless in su-
preme national emergency, press so
heavily ON the surpluses as to check
improvement, investment, accumula-
ton. 1t should not depress, still less
should it impoverish the people. (Hear,
hearl
"Now, what was done to secure Ire
land? Castlereagh at College Green
and Pitt at Westminster declared that
under the arrangement Ireland would
never be taxed beyond the measure
B of her comparative ability, or subjected
to an increase of taxes or load OF
debt. This principle Of the test of
comparative ability of the nations
was expressly recognized and adopted
in the Union Act, though the quota
fixed was, as these contended and lat
er proved, grossly unjust to Ireland.
That act again recognized the contin.
uing force of that principle by express.
ly providing, even in the event of con-
sofidatiom of the exchequers, that
abatements and exemptions might be
made for Ireland, as circumstances
might from time to time demand. Cas-.
tlereagh said these could always be
made, when from local circumstances
the high duty could not be levied with
ont pressing too hard upon the poor.