PRUSSIA'S BURDEN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 5

PRUSSIA'S BURDEN.

. ; 0— : J I''' GREAT DEFICIT-MORE INCOME TAX AND LOAN. ' • »r TEi.ECßirn—rßEss association—connionT. Berlin, January 9. Owing to bad railway returns arid other causes, the deficit of the Prussian Budget f0r,1907 amounts to two and a half millions' storling. , '< 1 It is estimated that tho expenditure in 1908 will show an increaso of eighty millions sterling, part of which will bo met by loan and part by increaso in income-tax and tho opening of fresh collieries. ,

WEALTH IN PRUSSIA. "RICH GROWING RICHER, AND POOR POORER." In commenting upon the Emperor William's speech at Meinel, tlio " Vonvarts" demurs to the roseate deductions which His Majesty seemed to draw from the increase of prosperity in Germany. With regard to income-tax in Prussia (whore, according to the cablegram, this sonrco of taxation is to bo further drawn on), the "Vorwarts" notes that the incometax returns for the year 1892 showed 1G53 persons with a taxable income of- over and by 1900 tho number in this category had risen to 3173, or nearly 50 per cent. Th'o total income of this group rose from .£19,100,000 to ,£38,500,000, or oeer 50 per cent., and the average income from ,£11,500 to =£12,450. As far as this category is concerned the. Emperor's conclusions arc held to be justified. On the other hand, tho'average income of persons with a taxable income of from JMS to ,£l5O fell duriiig the same period from about .£6B 15s. to ,£GG 10s. Out of a total population in Prussia of 37 millions, over 20 millions do not pay ipcomc-tax; in other words, this largp •proportion draws an annual income of less than .£ls, and nine millions more have an income of less than ,£75 a year. Tho remaining eight millions possess incomes ranging from .£l5O to ..£SOOO.

In view of' the continual incrcaso in tho cost of living, tho same journal contends that a distribution of wealth on this scalo is unequal, 'and that the mass of the people have not benefited by the high prosperity to which tho Emperor so eloquently referred. These figures, it is claimed, point to tho fact that tho rich in Germany are becoming richer; and tho poor poorer. Speaking in tho Reichstag on November 28, on the German Budget, Baron von Stengel, Secretary to tho Treasury, said the picture was a sombre one, and a considerable deficit would probably havo to bo reckoned with. Tho uncovered Federal contributions would amount to 10!l,000,000 marks for IAO 7, and to 200,000,000 marks for 1008—roughly, 51 millions and 10 millions sterling respectively.