Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-12
OTHER LANDS THAN ours.

W. NsAeAoAiNN ANulhAo RtINtHliuAN MhNu
Muzafer-ed-Dln, the shah OF Persia, was
gathered to his fathers a few days ago
But Teheran weeps and throughout the
Persian realm echo lamentations the like
Of which has not been heard in the orient
since the immortal potentate the Ahkoond
OF Swat annexed angelic wings. Biograph-
ers of royalty deal gently with the career
OF the lamented Muzafer. He was a Turk
by descent ruler by assassination. His
predecessor was violently taken or a little
over ten years ago and Muzafer donned
the golden fez of kingship on May day
morning in 1895. No monarch or layman of
his day became master of a vaster fortune
than he. Varied sources Of revenue he
worked diligently and materially increased
his pile. To suggest a reduction Of taxes
was treason, and those who attempted to
shirk their share Of public burdens usually
disappeared from sight and their property
reverted to the king. These aficacious
methods made tax lodging decidedly un-
popular. Not once in Muzafer's benefcent
reign did a corporation as much as hint at
an injunction to stave of collection Of taxes
No matter, therefore. that loyal Persians
weep and refuse to be comforted. At home
he was esteemed a statesman, an able
flnancier. His fortune rivalled that OF
Rockefeller. man Of simple tastes he
had sl0,OOO.o 900 worth of Jewels. We are told
he spent most of his evenings at home sur
rounded by his 500 wives, to whom he was
devotedly attached. That he was a man Of
exquisite taste is shown by the fact that
he sought to annex an American woman
TO his harem. Take him all in all as the
obituaries picture the king OF kings, he was
model of his class at home. But when
beyond the bounds of his realm he was as
wns0 III A..
boulevard. In Paris six years ago he
burned s15OO,OOO in selling the town and
doing things. At "a he passed away, over
come with fatigue.
Although the French government is
adding millions to its revenue by confsca-
ton of church property and church funds,
new sources of taxation are necessary to
meet the steadily increasing cost of the
government. To professionals against new
taxes NJ Mougeot, reporter OF the French
budget, points out that his countrymen
pay less taxes than either the Russians
Italians or Austro-Hungarlans The for
tune of France, he says, is steadily in
creasing. This is proved, he argues, by
the death duties He calculates that dur
ing the last thirty-five years the average
annual increase in these has been at the
/ Tdl6 Ol lWO HllllldTuS LIKE
wise in the case OF stocks and shares. the
stamp duties on transfers show that be-
tween 1880 and 1904 there was an increase
of two-hfths in the amount of capital of
this description that was taxed. There was
no corresponding decrease In the amount
of hank deposits Such deposits have, in
| fact, trebled since % Never, according
| to M Mougeot, has there been so much
money in the Golfers of the Bank OF
France, Moreover, the number of persons
who possess nothing is continually dimin-
ishine More than half of the taxpayers
possess today either u government Bond
or a railway or Credit Foncier share. The
number of depositors in the national saw
| ines bank has never been so great as at
present, and to this proof of the increase
OF the national wealth should be added the
fact of the steady growth of capital in the
workingmen's aid societies.
The third general election to the Austria
Ian House of Representatives last month
brought about no appreciable change in
the strength of the various parties There
were chosen nineteen supporters Of the
Deakin ministry, fourteen anti-labor men,
who act with the government on fiscal
matters twenty-six labor men, who consti-
tute a part of the government majority
and sixteen free trade followers of eX-
Premier Reid. who Is official leader of the
, opposition The result of the elections Is
taken by the English press to assure Pre-
mer Deakin a free hand in carrying out
his program Of protection and the organ
| ization OF national defense. 1t is note
worthy how political principles, under the
special conditions prevailing in the new
| commonwealth. have taken on Characters
! tics we do not, as a rule. associate with
the parties by which they are protested
! Thus the Reid free trade liberals are
pledged to the maintenance of the present
tariff and the white Australia" policy
while the socialistic labor party, strangely
enough, favors not only protection, but the
establishment of universal military SER
vice, and the substitution of a local mill
tary service, and the substitution OF
local defense squadron for the present sub
sidy to the Imperial navy. Another meas
ure that enjoys general support and seems
assured OF speedy realization, is the cession
of the vast northern territory of South
Australia to the federal government.
! In the course of the recent soJourn OF
King George of Greece In Paris long ar
ticle was published in a newspaper Of that
| city, dealing with the conditions In the
island OF Crete. The article bore the sigma
| ture of one OF the editors. but It has been
learned since that the signature was hcti-
| tious and that its true author was the
king. King George is not the first mon
arch TO avail himself of an opportunity
/ to publish his views on a pending question
! OF the day Emperor William / OF Ger
! many, who as early as 1913 realized the
/ quar- Vrouting innnortan nee of the presa pub