Page 334 - clra62_0019-(GIPE)

326 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
8. A table is also given, compiled from the official
returns, as to taxes repealed or reduced, and impoS'ed
or increased since 1861, showing that on balance the
taxes have not been increased, but have rather- been
diminished in the interval. The diminutions amount
to 71 million £, and the additions to 62.6 million i,
making a net reduction of 8.4 million i. Reasons are
given for the opinion that the real reduction is even
greater, but the fact is placed beyond question that
the larger revenue now raised is not due in any way to
new taxation as compared with 186r and even 1871,
but is exclusively an automatic growth, due to the in-
creased productiveness of the former scale of taxation.
9. While taxation generally has not increased, great
changes have occurred among the taxes themselves.
While income tax and death duties have been increased
enormously, indirect taxes have been struck off. par-
ticularly duties on tea and sugar, besides minor duties
on corn, timber, and other articles, all of which, it is
pointed out, were in existence at a time when Free
Trade had been completely established, so that there
is no question of Free Trade involved in the substitu-
tion in question.
It is submitted, then, in conclusion, without going
into all the arguments pro and con, that the time has
now come for reviewing the question of national ex-
penditure in a business way with reference to the inter-
national position and duties of the country, and without
any concern as to the ability of the country to meet
what is required. The time would also appear to have
come for inquiring into the reasons for substituting
income tax and death duties for certain indirect taxes.
I t can hardly be contended that the change has been
deliberately made, seeing that the reductions of in-
ditect imposts wete made in the buoyant days, when
ptosperity ~as advancing by leaps and bounds, and we
were drinKing ourselves out of the" Alabama" claims,
while the increase of income tax and death duties has
taken place quite recently as a ready means of getting