The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-21
HIGH TAXES PAID
BY GERMAN PEOPLE
If Assessed in United States
Probably Would Cause
Revolt.
EARNINGS OF POSTAL SYSTEM
Include Also Profits OF Govern
mcnt Owned Telegraph
System.
EARNINGS OF POSTAL SYSTEM
by KARL II. Won WIEGAND.
Special Gable TO The Times DISPATCH.

Berlin. January 24.--The Gcrma r
postal system earned in round figures
S2l.0oo.o0e. over and above the cost Jt
administration during the year 1911,
according to the imperial budget fig
urcs Jus; made public. This includes
also the profits" of the German tcic-
graph system. government owned.
which is under the administration OF
the Post Office Department. The total
receipts of the German Imperial Posts
and Telegraph, exclusive of Bavaria
ANA Wurtemburg, which have their
own systems, aggregated abou, Sl1'-
900, 600.
As the railroads are owned ny the
various states and provinces ard no.
by the empire, with the exception ~.
those in Alsacc-Lorrainc, their c9rnine
are not given in the budget. That the
government owned" roads. however,
tive states is evident from the fac
THAT the surplus earnings OF the Al
SAGE Lorraine lines IS given at APP
proxima,ely s5,l0o,oOo.
Despite the fact. however. that tho
government owned railroads and telc-
graphs and other enterprises earn FOR
the German empire handsome proni>,
the budget shows that the German pcO-
pie pay taxes which. IL assessed in the
| United states. would cause u revolt.
Every person in Germany earning
more than S225 year pays an in
como tax to the state or province II
whch ne or she lives Thus a pers on
earning Sl10 month pays about SIS
year income tax and SiS municipal
tax, about So church tax, $3.50 dog tax.
Aside from these direct" taxes, which.
II should be remembered, 80 to the
state" or province" in which on;
| lives, the budget estimate gives some
interesting rigures upon tine taxes paid
by the German people to the empire.
approximately $4,000. 900 in taxes was
paid in 1911 by Germans mond Of thcil
pipes, and those who preferred cigar
cites gave UP little over SG,000,000 The
sweet tooth" cost the Germans a
cecded only BY the spirits" tax OF
100000. Beer cost the Germans
S30,20o.00O in taxes last year. There
| is a tax Of - cents and a fraction
on every bottle OF champagne, ana the
government received Sc.50O,00O from
the consumers of the sparkling wine.
The playinG-nrd tax brought In APP
| 600. There is stamp tax of 10 cents
on every electric incandescent globe
anu little over S2.10O.000 was realized
by the government from the electric
light users.
Every time you write check in
Germany, you pay the government :
tax OF IL cents Approximately
100000 Cheeks" tax was collected
last year. When you ride on n German
railroad. you buy a ticket from an
official in the employ OF the state
province or kingdom in which you
are travelling. That state, province
or Kingdom. which owns the road
gets the profit there may he for haul
ing you. and aside from this you pa!
a railroad ticket tax" to the imperi
government, which derived sA,IS7.00C
from the travelling public las. yea
from this tax. You also pay tax OIL
your freight bills. Tho inherit
ance tax realized i little less thar
| S1o.O00.G00 in 1911.
The telephone Is .'provinciar and
not Imperial" property. hence TIN
| budget contains no figures TO show
| what il earns II may be OF interest
F., however, TO those who hold up Ger
! many as a model OF "cheapnes5." thai
! in Prussia for Instance. business tcl"
( phones cost less and residence telc
/ phones more than In most American
/ cities. In Berlin for Instance, busi-
! ness and residence telephones cost the
! same, despite the fact that tho tormc
| may be used nfty times as much. The
i charge is approximately 81 month II
each case. This. however, Is for day
| service only Evidently the govern
! mcnt takes the stand that tie Prus
| sians ought 20 go to bed at night anc
! that 10 o'clock, the hour set by TIT
| police for the porter to lock you
front door. is the proper time. If yot
| want to telephone after that hour
! you pay cents "a call extra. Lay ser
vice begins 1T : o'clock in the morn
ing.
The German government also is II
the lottery business. and the govern
| mcnt made neat little proht of SILL
100000 on the game last year. In th'
big drawing" last month, prizes as
| grcgatinE $l2,OU0.O0U We're drawn. o
which the govcrnm.nt retains 10 pei
cent II Will bo seen from this that i
there is anything in Germany tina
does not contribute to the government
the government simply has not dis
covered it.
According to the budget estimate
for lal2, II cost Germany sloC.ooo,oo'
to MAINTAIN it's army last year an'
aLout $65,0U0,u00 for its navy.