New-York tribune., 1908-02-16
JAPAN'S GREAT BUDGET
BURDEN Laid ON PEOPLE.
Causes of Increased Expenses
Government OucnersMp.

passed by the Japanese parliament after period
of active hostiIities between the government and
its opponents. While the government won VIC
tory the opposition newspapers of Yokohama and
Toxic openly say that the passage of the budget
marks the passing of the present government for
many of the articles adopted are highly unpop-
uar with the OF the people. and 1t is prophe-
sled that when the full burden is felt by the
neonle fierce sntagenfsm Will develop. In the
following account the figures given are all in yen
one of which is equal about so cents in Ameri-
money.
The budget provides for an ordinary revenue Of
40 $50 600 ven and extraordinary revenue Oh
40 45O 600 or total of 81 040 900 needed to run
the japanese government for the next year The
expenditures to be 6l5,950ooe. leaving dehei'
of 100000. which IS TO be met by an increase
IL the consumption sake. sugar and petro-
leum 1t is this increase on popular necesslties
that is expected TO arouse the people Among the
foreigners there is decided feeling as eApresseu
in the English press of Japan that "heh TIC
government finds it necessary to tax common
necessities the national affairs are in bad way.
The ordinary revenue will be derived from the
following sources: Land tsA 2a4,510ooo stamp TAX,
% 2s2 $50: government works. li.2slNO; post anu
telegraph service. 3S5s5.GU; government foreSts'
70 0cO salt monopoly. 24C7oeo; monopoly bureau
20 5l COO railway service, 39.05i0oO; other recep9'
. 69S go: miscellaneous. u4'o"W
The extraordinary revenue CONES from loans a.
OIL 900; transfer from naval account los-seo' tenn
porary loans, 1.to6,Wo; carrieu osei' '-'--''''' 49,
celleneous A. $1,000
The ordinary expenditures which must be met py
the government foil VS.: Clvh ilst- ''o'ooo'
foreign department. 3.6l2,o0: home department
II 500 900 finance 254 .Ooo.Go0 war lo.2OSco navy
.. ON n iuetice 10s77oO: education 62s50oo; agr-
cuit,tre and commerce, 10000; communications
% e61 900.
GOOD GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT
cononarison of the ordinary revenue and the
ordinary expenses shows that the Japanese cohduct
their railroads postofce and telegraph service III
he
than the operating expenses Yet the rates are
low much lower. in fact, than IN other co'i'
The forests are made TO yield revenue "he'ie
owned by the government by private lndivlduais-
Every tree cut down pays a tax the government
likewise controls the production of salt ana nun
dreds' Of mines of all kinds, which under 'he nsu
of government works, pay handsome earnings. inc
monopoes in the tobacco match ana othei iiA
tries also pay well. Without these monopohes uio
income of the government would De lar DeioN RS
needs.
The increase in the ordinary expenditures "
last year IS about 100000 yen. caused iarseiE ''
the expense OF maintaining railroad guards III VA
churia the stationing of troops IN Corea- Inc
former feature has been prominently nrousnt loi
ward by the opposition newspapers, ana lhoica'eS
that the japanese not making great e-ioit -
withdraw their troops from the Chinese terricoiS-
The extraordinary expenditures planned for next
year include the following sums: forelgh uepai'-
ment 600; home department. 132Soe"; nnahce'
II 600; war 81 2060 0Oo: 46l3soo; education,
1.7Z70oo; agriculture and commerce 9'sslVV'' anu
communications, 59.27S0oO
The War Departments demands are caused py
the maintenance OF the troops in Corea and Man
ch,rta and the suppression of the rebellion in For
mosa In the Navy Department there are pay
ments to be made on warships now BUILDING ana
contracted for. In this department the TOXIC pa
pers supporting the government lay great stress
upon the fact that the construction programme
outlined previously has postponed. efecting
savng of Is, 100000 yen in the next six years Inc
activity of the government in promoting agriculture
and commerce is seen in the extraordinary ex-
penses which than the ordinary But
the greatest feature is the enormous sum demanoe
bv the increase in railroads. which takes up the
greater part of the item communications The
government is taking over privately owned lines
febuilding others and making hundreds of miles OF
extensions Scores of districts heretofore without
communication with trade centres are TO be tapped
by the new extensions. This policy is, Of course,
bound to he popular with the people in those dis
ricts affected and will bring the government forces
additional strength.
REDUCTION IN ESTIMATES
The budget as PASSED IS considerably less than
that at first outlined. The government planned
an additional expenditure of 1o3.Goo0o but il was
found necessary to make radical cut These
cuts were as follows Riparian works and works
TO control water fow. 5Go.cOo: roads and drainage
of swamp lands 1900; Yokohama reclamation
work $4,000 kote Han Dor. 3.l52G00; extension of
tobacco MONOPOLY S469,oa: war department re-
forms y 4s0 o0e. re-arming and uniforms. o.
1871 600 warship building. IS. .S00010 other navy
penditures, S.0l301. Part of the expenditures
planned extended sever al years
The mere fact that the government has found 1t
necessary TO cut of the appropriations for the
army and navy heavily is IN indication of the
real financial condition of the country. The Jap
anese press has expressed the greatest IA th that
the country able weather any storm that may
arise and even the opposition cannot conceal it's
ma tional pride in commenting upon the fact that
the COVE rnment is sound in it, financial manage
ment The opposition lays its greatest stress
on the increase in army and navy expenses, point
ing out that the eds OF the country and the
people require more works which will give oppor
tunities to Japanese farmers and kers in in
dustIial lines.
The Of the payment of the interest on the
war loans and the principal that is to fall due in
the ensuing year is taken care of, as viii BE-
tced in the demands of the financial department.
which needs a sreat sl1r1-a5i. .coo0Go yen. out of
this of course come the expenses of collecting the
revenues ana the appropriations for the mail and
steamship subsidies.
According TO The Japan Times there is reason
10 believe that the government plans extend its
monopolies The match making industry will soon
become an exclusive government institution, while
heavier percentages Of the net earnings OF plants
which have monopoly rights from the government
will te exactcd Glassmakirg. iron and steel and
brass works are receiving the attention of the gov
ernnIent and it may pass that these in
dustries will have to pay tribute to the govern
r1en The opening of niaes is also expected
TO add considerable revenue and if the threatened
mcve increase the export tax coal IL carried
out several million yen VIII be added the
eaues within year