Much to our surprise—for we had thought that the French
anxiety to save for children would have made the proposal unpopular—the French Chamber on Tuesday passed the Bill imposing progressive Death-duties by 343 to 176. This is a large majority, and it includes, besides the Radicals and the Socialists, detachments from all parties except the Re- actionaries. The idea of the Bill is to tax beneficiaries in proportion to their distance from the deceased, and also to tax them in proportion to the amount they receive. For example, a son who inherits under £400 pays 1 per cent.; but a sister who inherits from a brother pays 8 per cent., a distant relative 12 per cent., and a stranger in blood 14 per cent. A son, however, who inherits any sum above 280,000, pays 4 per cent., a brother 14 per cent., a distant relative 18 per cent., and a friend 20 per cent. It is asserted that M. Bourgeois was assisted in this division not only by the fact that M. Ribot had proposed a similar Bill, but by the arrest in London of M. Aston, accused of being an intermediary in the bribing of Deputies to support the Panama scheme. The Opportunists, it is said, were afraid of revelations. How can that be, unless M. Bourgeois- has promised to screen the guilty in return for votes P—which he certainly has not done.
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