Evening star., 1909-07-11
GERMAN TAX IMPOSED
Finance Reforms Accepted by
Administration.
ORIGINAL PLAN CHANGED
Heavy Assessment on Beer, Tobacco
and Brandy.
DUTY ON TEA QUADRUPLED
Vice Chancellor Explains That Fed
eral Council Submits Because
of Necessity for Action.

| BERLIN, July 1O-The reichstag fin
ished the finance reform legislation this
evening.
/ 1t is eight months since the measures
| were first introduced. The various bills
| have been so remodeed and SO many
substitutions have been made that the
completed legislation resembles but little
the governments original proposals.
| The scheme finally adopted consists of
higher taxes on beer. tobacco and brandy.
higher duties on coffee. effervescent wines
cordials and tea. The duty on tea has
been quadrupled.
| The house also adopted stamp tax
| on checks, stubs for the renewal of divi-
dends and coupon sheets. as well as a
higher stamp tax for issues of new stocks
and bonds, which will affect foreign Sc
! curities. a tax on transfers of real es-
tate was also adopted, with resolution
requiring that a bill be introduced by
April l.. 1911. for taxing the unearned in
crement in land values.
| The national liberals. radicals and So
ciaists voted against all the bills.
Financial Bill Accepted.
Dr. Won Bethmann- Hollwes, secretary
of the imperial home office and vice
| tCIdHCtiiOI, III tHc icitIStdS III VI
the federal council, said that the fed
| Grated government had accepted the
financial bill as amended. but the ma
jority of the notifications were accepted
only because of the immediate necessity
of putting the finances of the empire in
order, so that national business could be
carried on out of the revenue, rather than
by promises on the future.
The vice chancellor's declaration was
a y,rla 1ad NV he m iorifV in the rpichC-
tag. which is composed of clericals con-
servativeS and Poles.
DIR. Won Heydebrand, leader of the Ger
man conservatives. followed DR.. Won
party intended to overthrow Prince Won
Buelpw. On the contrary, he said il
deeply regretted the withdrawal of the
chancellor, who did so much for the con-
ServatfveS.
Retirement Not Anticipated.
Gould we assume that the chancellor.
who owed his Office only to his imperial
ma ster and to his own conscience, would
retire before any party, even our own?"
he asked.
Referring to the inheritance tax DR..
Won Heydebrand said that the conserva-
tives voted against it because they were
unwilling to commit the property in
terests of the country to a reichstag
elected by universal suffrage. He de-
clared that Prince Won Buelow's policy in
excluding the clericals was a political
mistake which the conservatives regret
ted in the interests of denominatfonal
peace.
Buelow's Reasons for Resigning.
MUNICH, Bavaria. July 10.-The Sued
deutsche Reichscorrespondenzt today prints
an inspired Berlin dispatch giving Prince
Won Buelow's reasons for resigning
imperial chancellor. 1t was not only the
rejection of the inheritance tax by the
conservatives. the dispatch says. which
caused the chanceilor's resignation. but
the new grouping of parties in the reichs-
tag which made 1t impossible for him to
remain in office.
1t was impossible for the prince to rule
with majority in which the clericals
predominated. His political convictions
and personal honor prevented him from
yielding to such compulsions.
The conservatives knew that their votes
against the Inheritance tax would cause
his resignation. because he positively in
formed them to this effect the dispatch
concludes.