The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-31
BY Ex-ATTACHE.

George V has. on the recommendation
Of his constitutional advisers-that Is 10
say of the most tra-deuocratie~tabin
that has ever held ofice-resumed pre-
negative which had been to a great ex-
tent relinquished by his two immediate
predecessors on the throne, namely, that
Of immunity from taxation. When the
income tax was first inaugurated. or
rather. / should say revived by Sir Rob
ert reel I'm 1872. Queen Victoria. with the
object Of allaying the unpopularity Of
the impOst, which had become a fiscal
necessity. announced her intention OF
sharing the pecuniary burdens Of her
subjects by submitting her civil list 70
the same taxation as theirs.
King Edward went step further, for
after he had been on the throne couple
OF years he gave orders that the regular
customs dues should be thenceforth paid
on all wines. spirits. tobacco and other
dutiable articles imported from abroad
for the use Of the reignng family, of the
royal household. and OF the court. As
the royal cellars are Of immense extent,
and as. moreover. the consumption Of
costly tobacco at court Is extremely
large, this action on the part Of the late
King. while very popular. constituted a
heavy drain upon his civil list. though,
Of course. ii meant a considerable addi-
ton TO the yearly revenues Of the Gus
toms department
George V has declined TO follow the
example Of his father and grandmother
in these matters, and by reviving the
preroEatives OF the sovereign and Of the
reigning family TO exemption from all
taxation. relieves his civil list Of an
annual expenditure to the extent Of
nearly $4,000.
II the Liberal government has recon-
mended this move on the part Of the
monarch. il Is because its members real
lie that. whereas the total amount Of
his civil list remains at about the same
figure as that granted TO Queen Victoria
IN 1897. and to Edward VII in 1901, the
purchasing power OF money has under
gone an extraordinary dimlnution; while
on the other hand. the value Of the Crown
property which King George has sur
rendered for the duration of his reign, 20
the national treasury, in return FOR civil
list, has so vastly increased that its reve-
nues are considerably superior 20 the
amount OF the civil list given in exchange.
The immunity from taxation Of King
George dates. Of course. from the olden
times. when imposts were levied solely
for the maintenance of the rulers. Now
adays taxes are levied for the benefit OF
the people. constituting a sort OF popular
contribution for the common veal on
this ground It is argued that kings. en-
perors. and soverelgns OF minor rank.
should show their patriotism and their
fellow-feeling for their countrymen, by
voluntary surrender Of the medieval
and altogether illogical exemption from
taxation which a number OF them en-
joy
For some time past. the German news
papers, and likewise those Of Belgium.
Holland, Denmark, Sweden. aud Austria.
have been clamoring for the relinquish-
ment. by the reigning families OF these
countries. Of their fiscal immunities.
During the reign OF Queen Victoria. de-
spite her liberality in her voluntary pay
ment Of the income tax, she was assailed
in the press for her refusal to pay the
regular parish rates and municipal taxes
for the districts in which her various
metropolitan palaces were situated
Indeed, the parish councils and munich
pal authorities were encouraged by pub
lie sentiment TO actually institute legal
proceedings in an endeavor to compel
payment, but were promptly thrown out
OF court. on the ground that the exemp-
ton from taxation enjoyed by the royal
family was covered by statute This ex-
emption extends. in Great Britain, az any
rate. even 10 the remote relatives OF the
sovereign. For I can remember that,
when a short time before the death Of
Queen Mary's mother the late Duchess
Of Teck. her German husband was sued
in the County Court OF Richmond for
failing to pay the dog tax or 10 secure
licenses for his numerous canine pets.
the magistrates. after due consultation
with the secretary Of state for the home
department informed the Richmond par
ish authorities that the duke, as a mem
Der Of the English reigning family, was
exempt from everything in the shape OF
rates and taxes.
King Edward, while Prince Of Wales.
avoided all trouble with the municipal
and parish authorities Of the district
within which his London residence, MARI
borough House, was situated by making
very liberal, but purely voluntary. an