New-York tribune., 1909-10-05
FRENCH BUDGET PROBLEMS.

There is budget question in France, too, as
well as IN Great Britain ana although it is not
the subject of anything like much cOntrO-
vcrsy it involves something ike a conflict or at
least a difference of opinion. between the two
houses of Parliament, and some details cOrre-
spending to those with which Mr. Lloyd George
is striving 10 deal. As in Great Britain. so in
France there is large CcIicit, of about S4O.-
OOOOOO TO be met in some way with an increase
of revenue and increased revenue naturally
means increased taxation. AS France already
has a fairly high tariff imports which It
does not expedient TO increase the new
revenues must apparently be secured through
some domestic imposts
One of these is an income tax The former
Minister Of Fnapce. Mr.. CaiGuX, framed a bill
providing for such tax. which after much dis
| cuSsion and amendment was passed by the
Chamber of Deputies and was sent to the Sen
ate. There il has been held. and while the Sen
/ ate is not likely mt present to kill it there $
little hope that il will pass. Instead it will
he held without action until after new Cham
ber of Deputies is e,ected next May. The queS-
ton of the income tax will figure largely in the
campaign. and if the new Chamber thus chosen
favors the pending bill the Senate will then pass
il; but if not, will Kill it. Thus the Senate
is exercising suSpensory veto until popular
referendum can he had precisely as some want
the Peers 10 do III Great Britain.
Increased death duties are looked To for reve-
nuc by the present Finance Minister Mr. Co.
cherry There is now a graduated scale Of duties
ranging from l per cent on estates of not more
than $500 10 : per cent on those of more than
Sl0000000, which 80 to the nearest possible
heirs. Benefciares not in the direct line of
succession ar hot related to the decedent nav
more, in an increasing scale, until legatecs re-
moved six degrees in relationship or unrelated
must pay II per cent on the smallest bequests
and 20.j per cent on the largest so that on an
estate of $1200OOO0 which was left To remote
relatives non-relatives the state would col
lect $2,4G0.O00. Mr.. COchery proposes to increase
all these rates raising the lowest from | 10
l5 per cent and the others at an increasing
ratio until the highest is raised from 2O5 to
20 per cent, and he would make the highest rates
apply not only 10 the sixth degree of relation
ship but to the fourth degree and all beyond
1t is estimated that from increased death
duties SS,0O0,00O additional revenue will be
secured Other items will he $13OOO0OO from
tobacco S5OO0OO0 from alcohol, S7OGOOOO from
absinfhe and bitters, $2O0O0OO from stanm
duties aud 100000 from publlcans' licenses.
There will also he tax on automobiles and the
tax on advertising signs which are lighted nt
night will he doubled In this way ii is hoped
To make the budget balance The new taxes
viii moi be welcome 10 those who pay them but
none Of them is regarded es Odous and none
of them marks any radical new departure from
existing methods of taxation, as do some of
those which Mr.. Lloyd-GeOrge proposes in the
United Kingdom The task of getting the budget