The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

~ UBLIN, Aug. 25.-Next to the ir-
responsible despotism of Dublin
castle, the greatest evil of the sys-
tenn is its extravaganza. Ireland, the
pays more per capita to be misgov-
erned than any other country pays for
good administration. Since the union
of 1900 the taxation contributed by
Ireland has steadily increased. In 1900
the taxation was $4,000 600; in 1915.
s32, 500. 900; now Ireland contributes
about s55 200, 900 to the imperial treas
ury. OF this latter sum nearly S4O,-
00o 900 is spent upon the government
of Ireland.
For nearly so years the inequalities
of the system of taxation have been
agtated. In 1854 the chairman of a
committee of inquiry declared that
ireland is the most heavily taxed
country in Europe and England the
most lightly taxed" A commission in
1896, composed of Ulster unionists, as
we'll nationalists, made similar
report. 1t found that Ireland was
overtaxed $12, 5000 900 a year; since then
taxes have increased heavily.
1t is a matter of official record that
Ireland contributes one-eleventh as
much as Great Britain, while her tax
able capacity is much less than one
twentieth Moreover, while in Great
Britain half the taxes collected are
direct, in ireland more than 20 per
cent are indirect-that is, nearly
three-fourths of the tax burden falls
upon food and other necessaries OF the
poor. The per capita taxation was 50
in 1850; S12.50 in 1900.
Now as to the cost of the govern
M Mt which unsatisfactory to
ireland. The country must support the
viceroy or lord lieutenant. whose SAL
ary is twice that of the president of
the United States, and his expensive
household. 1t must support the 81 ir-
responsible departments we have
named, with their 100000 or more of
ffcials and employees, including 10000
police.
Perhaps comparisons will best illus
trate the extravaganza of the Irish ad-
ministration. Scotland should afford a
fair comparison, as her population is
about the same-4.472. 900 in Scotland
against 4,45S, 900 in Ireland. Compari-
son will also be made with England
and Wales.
Scotland's government costs less than
$50, 900, 900 a year; Ireland's nearly
SAC, 900, 900, though the population is
less.
Scotland supports 963 officials whose
incomes exceed $500 year; ireland
supports 4,539 officials of the same class
and none of them chosen by the
people.
Scotland pays $2.50O,o0O annually fol
police: ireland pays s7,500.000.
Scotland's prison board. caring fol
$500 conyicts costs $435,000 annually
Ireland's prison board. with $500 con-
| victs, costs S535,000 annually.
Scotlands courts in 1907 cost $1,000
| 900; Ireland's in the same year cost
| 81 $4,000.
England pays for government s5.7i
per capita; Scotland, $3.50; Ireland
$3.50
| OF Englands national income one
| fortieth is expended on her home gov
| ernment; of Ireland's, more than one
! tenth
1t is perfectly clear. then. that Ire
lands government, unsatisfactory as II
! is to the people and lacking almost
wholly the virtue of representing pub,
| lie opinion, is more than so per cent
costlier than the government of Eng
| land or Scotland. And the pressure OF
| the burden is infinitely greater because
Ireland is the poorest of the three
countries.
| During the last century, while the
cost of government has so rapidly in
creased, the population of England has
been multiplied by four and that Of
! Scotland by three, while Ireland's has
/ decreased one-fourth. During the las'
| so years the population of England
/ has doubled, while that of Ireland has
fallen so per cent.
| In England. the average weekly
wage OF agricultural laborers is $4.65
| in Scotland $3.50; in ireland $2.72
| lComparing ireland and England, tht