The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-07
THE FRENCH BUDGET.

I NJ. Kloiz. III. new French Finance Nm.
| lister. told the Chamber OF DeputIe~ 20
other day that not only Ia the nhilort
budget for 1911 In excess Of that OF 1910 o.
-. Oo0 90 francs. or about sis sao o'o hi'
still greater increases are to be expect
In succeeding years. Taking the hgi.-.
for i0ii as a basis. he announced al aug
mentation in isi. OF is3 ,OOo. Gao. in 1874 -'
:i3. 900. OOo and IN 1914 OF .ss. 900 900 fran
Further than this he did no, venture to g
The budget for 1910 provides for an ~.
penditure Of 3oO. OOS OO0 francs. or sssn NJ,
900. The announc einent OF the fsrcnce MIN.
lister has caused a sort OF gasp Of di~WA.
all over France. where does II all go TO-
where il IL to come from? are the question
that all the newspapers are asking. AM
then they begin institutlng comparison
In 1870 the entire budget was only a boz
1 500, OC0.oO0 francs. scarcely more than
third OF this years sum total.
In the rough round number way ther,
il no special difficulty in finding where -"
money goes In 1870 the military expense
OF the Government were 50o.OOo.O0o franc
,tils. 900 OOOI: to-day they are $50 600 .OH
francs. In 1870 the annual expenditure On
public works was about 2iO.OOo 900 frame
in 1910 IL ~ 5TO,OoO,OOO Public instruction
cost but o.OOO 100 francs in $50: this year
II absorbs 325. 900. 900 Works OF social for.
sight and assistance have risen in f"r'v
years from -. 200 600 TO 20, 900 900 franr~.
To this last pit there IL no bottom. The I-'n-
sions for workmen and agricultural labor"rS
u re still to be- added. In only one item j. IN.
increase moderate. that IL 90 say. IN s"tn"
proportion to tho increase of populate.
this is the item for civil administration II
shows an increase OF only 7o.0sS.OO0 francs
from t?o OOo 900 to &9O. 600. 0O0-in the FORTY
years since the war.
Not by any means SO easy In the answ"r
to the second question. that as TO the sources
from which the new increases OF expenditure
are to be met. The country has submitted
to an increase of taxation OF .j0o. OO0 .0'r
francs. or very nearly iiO per cent. in forty
years. The formula has always been: The
wealth OF Franc. grows al fast that tn" in.
crease Of taNafiOn IL not felt. Ola sudden
the country seems to he rubbing its eyes
and asking II the dictum - really true 1t
is true that an enormous statistical showing
can he made. The returns OF foreign AMI
domestic commerce.. the gross earnings ~
the railroads. the ensemble Of the manu-
featuring operations. make colossal totals
But. IL is asked. has the net annual profit
to the people increased in like proportion
And Is II not from this profit. from their IN
come. that the people must pay the taxes
in the last analysis?
Never has French taxable wealth been -
strained as to-day. II is in fact crushed.
overw helmcd ,acCabel says one pip"r
friendly To the present Ministry he
revenue being now fully exploited. a COM
mencrment has been made OF cutting into
capital
The tax on inheritances excites special
anger and apprehension. TN certain classes
OF succession the inpost l. noS 30 per cent
The talk IL OF increasing the rate on direct
inheritanceS since the statistics show thar
these are by far the most numerous In
this proposal sociological students s@.'
death bio" to rural France The lure OF ih-
cities IL only withstood to-day ON account
az the appeal of property ownership To the
thrifty rustic- Compel them to mortgage
their holdings to pay the Inheritance tax
and then spend the rest nj their lives clearing
OF th.. inCumb rance only 80 be- rpneN Ell
when they die. and hat attraction wn!
remain IL Will be less heart breaking
by far to move into the city and live ON a
small wage.
The discussion practically leads To the
conclusion that French values are taxed
10 their limit Beyond says ON. critic.
Their. lies only abuse Of the taxing power.
Conh-Cation robbery hy the state, In
presence OF such conditions the declaration
OF NJ Klotl IN beginning the budget
discussion in the Chamber. thar the next
budget would he sincere. in real equilibrium
v hatsver that neans-social industrial
and national. Is taken in some quarters n
rather bitter lest. IN certainly affords
small comfort To the taxpayers when read
in the LIGHT Of his other announcements AZ
to the inevitable increases of tho future.
In this coniunc,Ure all minds seem 20
turn to the details Of the national cNpendi-
tur-. II the money well administered
Is economy prac-ised? l. the same care
taken in preparing estimates and specifica-
tions that would prevail ip private bust
ness9 IL the same care taken that the
Government gets the value of the money II
spends? The general conviction seems to be
that tho answer To all these questions mast
be in the negative. II half a. much pains
were taken in spending "a in COLLECTING
the revenue. says a Newspaper writer The
country would have occasion for gratitude
But public officials exercise a very l"nient
control over each other in the matter os
disbursements Indulgence IL the Tul. for
every one except the taxpayer. who alone
must meet the minutesc obligation OF the
Law
Tn. system Of checking is now blamed for
much Of the laxity to which the country 10
opening it, eyes. The Parliament virtually
takes no interest in the national finances
after it has provided the money called for
the Cour ies Complies. which. judging from
news items that, appear from time TO time,
matters OF form Il insists that ali bti.
and rspuI-itiOn- be In strict conformity,
that full deliverie. be at least recorded. and
funded But on all the larger issues ~
trimming the public service to the public
gance and even fraud. IL il to all intents and
purposes pow-re-s and futile. Further. II
IL always several years behind In its work.
and at one time IL was ten years behind
so that the rectihcations IL does make no.
infrednently appear grotesaue.
opinion would compel the Chamber OF Dspu.
ties in the near future to take up an inyests
cation Of the way IN which the public rev.
enme OF France IL spent and " they tesgre
10 hold Office long VI. BRAND and his col
leagues may find it advisable 10 contriye
some such measures to reduce the burden
Of the people as President Taft and our own
Cabinet have been recently engaged IN.