Trade is so rapidly improving, and the returns of the
Revenue are so good, that it is believed Mr. Goschen, if no misfortune occurs, will, when he produces his next Budget, have upwards of £4,000,000 to dispose of. The distribution of this excess creates, of course, great interest, and the prevalent rumour is that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will devote two millions to Free Education, and two to a reduction of ld. on the Income-tax. If free education must come. and no doubt it is most difficult to resist, that would be as just an arrangement as any, but we are not sure that it would be the wisest. The unlucky middle class never keeps its remitted pennies for more than a year, and 6d. is not too much for the rich to pay. We had rather see the 6d. retained as the normal Income-tax for all with incomes above £500 a year, and use the surplus to take off that preposterous Plate-duty, and any taxes remaining, direct or indirect, which are only worries. We agree heartily with Mr. Goschen that the basis of our taxation is becoming too narrow ; but we can- not agree that taxes which draw sums under half-a-million are ever good taxes, unless, indeed, they act as outworks of larger duties. That was the case with the comfit-duty, which the House of Commons one night wanted to repeal because it brought in nothing. till Mr. Gladstone, in a perfect glow of intellectual scorn, showed Members that they were incidentally voting away the Sugar-duty. Sugar would have come in as comfits.
