BULOW'S TAXES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 536, 17 June 1909, Page 7

BULOW'S TAXES.

SURRENDER TO AGRICULTURISTS. AT THE COST COMMERCE. ' {SI TELBOBAPK—rKESS ASSOCIATION—COPiRtQHT.) :(Rec. June 16, ■ 9.00 p.m.) ' •• Berlin, June 16. Owing to tho: rejection of the coal export duty and tho tux on for milling, the,. Chancellor, Prince Bulow,; proposes a new inheritance tax, increased stamp duties* on bonds, share certificates, and transfers of rear estate, a tax oil'firo'insurance policies, and penny stamps on cheques. • . A-mass meeting, of.' merchants and traders in, Berlin protested against Prince Bulow's concoasions to "tho ! : agriculturists at the expanse of trade - and commerce. ' ' ' Prince Bulow has dropped tho death duties except . a limited inheritance duty. Tho Conservatives opposo the latter. ■ THE CONSERVATIVES' COUP The vicissitudes of tho Gorman Navy Budget m its attempt to , provide . the required *625,000,000 of new'tuxation'are no less'remarkable' tha:n' the vicissitudes of tho Bloc. With the aid of "a Conaervative-Liberal-Radical 8100 Prince Bulow endeavoured to carry death duties estimated h.yield .£5,000;000, but the Conservative element joined forces with tho Catholic Centre;(iu Opposition), throw out tho death duties, and substitued a number of new taxes, including, the export duty on coal and the tax on graiii; mentioned' above. This was construed as meaning a new Consorvative-Catholio Bloc; with tho Liberals and Radicals relegated to Opposition. The rejection'of'the.coal and grain taxes creates a fresh hole in the Budget, and Princo Bulow proposes to fill it with the new taxes on commerce enumerated to-day. At tha tona time,'he scorns to bo trying to hold on to some of ', the, irihoritanca dutios, though tho Conservatives maintain thoir opposition. ?Eho original death duties, which have : been dropped overboard, wero of • a thorough-going nature.' •. They have been summarised a follow'"Estates • valued at over • 000 not and up to >61500 would, have to pay a duty-of half per cent. The duty • mounts by stages of an additional 'l-10th per cent, for . every .additional :jESOO up• to £3000. Upon estates between .£3OOO and one per cent will bo charged, and the. duty amounts by eight stages to 2.3 per cent, on estates up to *£50,000. On estates over, this amount 3 per cent, is payablo. In]'cases of mtestancy :the. State will take the whole of the dead man's estate when he has so direct, descendants, or very, near relatives." .-Apparently the taxes:.which the Conservatives adopted in lieu of tho death duties have been, with; the . two exceptions noted,. accepted. But commerce feels that it is paying too much, and tho end of tho struggle is not. yet.'. ...