The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-14
Action on Part of Dead Ruler
Constituted Heavy Drain
on Income.
ny IA MARauIsn DE roNrENoy.


.XYIHEN the income tax was nrst
w estoblishcd-or rather. ] should
gay. rcvivcd--by the admins
tration OF Sir Robert Peel IN 1s42.
Queen Victoria, partly with the object
Of allaying the unpopularity OF the
impost, which had become nscal
necessity, ana more especially with The
object of sharing Its burdens with her
people, announced her intention of
paying the tax not only on her civil
list, but also on her private income.
King Edward went step further
For. after he had been on the throne
couple OF years. no gnvo orders that
the rcgular customs dues should DO
thenceforth paid Oh all wines, spirits,
tobacco. and other dutiable articles
imported from abroad for the use or
the rciGning family. II the royal house
hold and Of tho court. AS tho royal
cellars are OF immense extent, and az
moreover. the consumption Of costly
tobacco Mt court is extremely large,
this action on the part OF the late King
constituted a heavy drain on his of
iicial and private income, though. OF
course. IL meant a considerable add
ton 10 the yearly revenues OF the cus-
toms department.
If call attention to this matter. it
- because OF tho widespread comment
exemption OF President Woodrow VIII
son, though not of his successors at the
White House, from the payment Of the
income tax under tho new income tax
law. lust why the statute should
nave cmancipatcd him personally. ana
not the Eice- President or the members
OF the Cabinet, who receive less than
q sixth OF his cmolunents. and who,
moreover, havo no furnished official
e " oil 70
state. II is difficult TO understand In
deed, II Is go impolitic. from a popular
point OF View. that one is tempted TO
believe thai tho insertion OF the eman-
| cipatory clause was the act OF some or
ms adversaries in Congress and es-
capped his attention.
Immunity from taxation is purely
monaFchical prerogatiye, OF medieval
origin. dating from the olden times
when imposts We're levied for the mann
tenance OF rulers. Nowadays taxes
arc levied for the benefit OF tho people
constituting sort or popular contri-
hutton for the common veal II Is on
TINS ground that tho vast majority or
soVcreicns In Europe now show their
patriotism, and their ellow-fccling for
their countrymen. by voluntary sur
render or the anachronistic exemption
from taxation, which they enjoyed un-
I'll recently
There is scarcely II monarch in Eu-
rope WHO IS not engaged In Industrial
ana commercial enterprises OF some
Aina or Other, some OF the finest d!stil-
lcries in Scotland being owned By King
George, while the principal brewertes
In Bavaria belong TO the Wittclsbacn
dynasty. II is unfair thnt they should
escape paying the same imposts in con-
htction with these undertakings. az
ness. When Kings and Emperors. as
we'll as sovereign grand dukes, endeavor
10 add TO their resources by tho con-
struct!on and the running OF hotels and
restaurants. such as. for instance. tho
kaiser, the King or Wurtemberg. tho
Grand Duke OF iiesse. and the Dukes
or bavaria. II is only right that they
should pay tho same license dues and
imposts as their rival Louifaccs
In Germany. tho various rulers OF
the twenty odd sovereign statos COM
prlscd IN the empire arc called upon
70 pay duties on things imported from
ABROAD, just like any other Tcuton cit
zen. IN the summer of 1910 the Ger
man newspapers CT every shade OF no
htical opinion We're poking fun at EN-
peror William, in connection with his
having caused three huge railroad cars
ioden with the best brands OF French
champagne, destined for consu,nption
M Inc imperial tables at Potsdam. to
ne rushed across the Franco German
frontier AT Avricourt on tho afternoon
VI tune ~. so as to escape the vastly |
increased duties imposed by Germany
on hrench Wines under the new tnfir. !
"hicn came INTO forcs On the first day
ot juiF OF that year. The German !
press TOOK the matter up. owing TO the /
Nd'see ; frequently PROGRESSED patriotic |
preference for German Schaumwein' |
or Sekt,' over French champagne--a
profession which no one quito believes
indeed. IL is alleged on excellent au-
monty that the champagne served on !
William lis table is wholly French. I
though the labels on the bottles may hc
aggr9sslvely German
me late Prince bismarck was mani /
testify Ignorant of this pious fraud on (
INC part OF ms sovereign For no was
wont 10 assert that German champagne
was disastrous 10 his digestion. ana /
that, while no was perfectly ready 70
give his lifo for his country. he hest
lated about sacrificing his stomach on
the altar of patriotism.
John EortcScuc. who has been Sc |
iccted by King George to write The or |
hcai biography of his father. Is par |
licuiufiE well equipped for the task |
mat ne has Il ready ana gifted pen |
was shown by tho very clever story |
which lie wrote OF the King ana
queens memorable coronation visit TO |
e,f.,-