Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-14
FACING A BIG DEFICIT
English eovsauk Reported
in Nee e Money.
PUSHING TAXPAYERS
PHASES OF AnsH1Tt cTuRAI REM
A1ssANcE OF LONDON.
Experiment of Opening Libraries on
Sunday-Works of Watts and
Whistler on Exhibition.
PUSHING TAXPAYERS
special Correspondence Of PM. EvenIng Star.

LONDON, January 3, 1905.
The income tax collector has had orders
fro, the government to stir things up and
compel people to pay at once. Consequently
there is much anger and sorrow in the
land" There is much searching. too. Of
WAYS and means to avoid the inquisition.
and on the collectors part there is dis
position to double the amounts that he
has any right to expect. The fact Is the
government is in bad way for money
The chancellor of the exchequer is now
facing deficit of between SIS 900 600 and
SO 600 600, and the screws are being put on
poor income tax payers as usual. We are
paying war tax even as it is. the govern
ment claiming shilling out of every pound
of taxable income.s Yet. not satisfied with
this, they are raising the amounts.
In my own case, was sent the usual
paper last April to fill out for April 1905
/ paid no attention to it, and sooner than
usual second paper came announcing that
a fine of ESQ would be imposed if / did
not make a return in seven days. sent
this back, stating that 1t was impossible
for me to tell so far in advance what
money expected sbXs April 1905. Would
the commissioners Kindly leave me alone
for few months2S 70 my surprise they
did, and in October ! made my return. To-
day got a demand for nearly double the
amount stated that j was liable for, and
am by no means the only sufferer Every
body is grumbling. and II income tax pay
ers could organize into a trade union they
might do something collectively.
The collectors are hpman,>I suppose, but
have no option when the. chancellor puts
on pressure. They are warned that they
will lose their positions If the money is not
forthcoming by the date prescribed. But
on the whole the income tax collector de-
serves his reputation an inquisitorial Of
fetal. A correspondent writes to the Daily
Chronicle to say that the other day he re-
ceiyed polite invitation from the local
surveyor asking him to call and explain
how it was that he had given fluctua ting
returns from year to year. The victim
asked what had made the surveyor doubt
bis veracity, and for reply the surveyor
handed him an official document from SOM
erset House, with newspaper cutting
attached, which announced a forthcoming
novel written by the correspondent!
And Somerset House is up to all the
lodges" in keeping the collectors posted up
in the monetary affairs of their local vic
Tins. Even Mr.. Gladstone once helped the
department by procuring useful informa-
ton. When he last held office as chancel-
lor of the eXchequer, a Reputation of man
ufacturers waited upon him to point out
the ruinous consequences of proposed tax
on the products of their industry. Would
they send him figures showing exactly the
effect on their own profits? They were de-
lighted, and complied with alacrity But
when the figures had found their way into
the inland revenueI department.. the MEM
bers of that trade regretted their candor,
and still more deplored their exaggerations.
But in the constant war of wits between
the income tax authorities and their VIC
Tins, honors are pretty evenly divided.
Wonderful and devious are the ways of
evasion, and there are many men who earn
incomes Of thousands a year in the city who
do not pay a penny income tax from year
to year. And not one in hundred of these
would be likely to- send conscience money
%I,r4 1ae at
cynics on the question of conscience money,
and believe that every e5 paid represents
another SOS, which is kept in a conscience
less pocket.
Architectural Changes.
The year just closing has brought to the
surface many phases in the wonderful ar
chitectural renaissance of London. A
twelve months retrospect brings the mind
at once to contemplate the gradual uprais-
ing Of the vast palaces which the state it.
self is erecting in Whitehall and South Ken
sington The most advanced of all is the
new war office on the site of Darlington
House, Whitehall where one is able to OBJ
serve through the network Of scaffolding
that not only is the classical elevation COM
plete to near the roof, but that the corner
cupolas, which will agreeably vary the sky
line of the great thoroughfare, are now be-
ing rounded off.
IL was " DS, III DullQeTS pdTldnCc, SIX
years job" but when the coming year has
rolled by and completed the estimated time
there may still be much to do before the
building designed by the late Mr.. w.
Young is ready for occupation.
1t was pathetic incident that just as the
foundations were being laid that eminent
architect passed away, and, curiously
enough. death removed another architect
even vaster new government office at the
bottom of Parliament street, for which he
wa. responsible. f;A-'
The estimate for these latter Offices was
that the work should take seven years.
The better half of that time has sped by
and the third story has been reached They
Will accommodate the board of trade the
education office. and the extension of the
local government board. The estimated
cost of f7O0O00 for these, and of f475 600
Tor the new war Office, is huge enough, but
so are the buildings There is, however,
considerable set-off to these figures. BY
the release and disposal of the present war
office building and site in Pail Mall, to-
gether with the capitalization of the rents
now PAID for temporary offices. the sum of
5LUOooo is expected to be realized. More
over, the supreme advantage Is that an end
Will be put to the present confusion with
the war office located in no fewer than
eleven different buildings. the board of
trade, IN eight or nine, and the local gov
eminent board in several.
Bigger even than either of these schemes
Is the erection of a great block of buildings
at South Kensingten, for the museum, on
winch a considerable portion of the $780,
OOo originally estimated has been expended
during the past year, bringing the eten-
sive elevations in Cromwell road and Ex-
hlbition road up to the third story Strik-
ing, indeed, is the contrast between the new
paiatlal home which is being provided for
part OF South KeIisfn gton's treasures and
the Brompton boilers OF old. whose cor
rngated iron sheds were for years contem-
plated with dismayf and dread by all who
nad regard for{ the artistic fitness of
things and for the. safety of some of the
choicest works of art in Europe.
The part taken by. the county council in
London's architectural renaissance is, of
course, constant theme, The western tip
of the crescent which is to be the glory of
the Strand-to Holborn Scheme has been
completed, and the year has also witnessed
H Inc m1iiiion-pound extension Of the Savoy
AS for the new tfieaters that have been
and are being built and the hewing out of
the decrepit excrescefces on the main thor
oughfares like Fleet street, making room
for far statelier buildings and wider streets.
the march of Improvement has never
ceased. The metropolis will soon be almost
unacceptable by the absentee of few
years.
Sunday Opening of Libraries.
The Sunday opening of public libraries in
the city of Westminster had its first trial