NEWS OF THE WEEK.
FOREIGN news of importance during the past week has been unusually meagre. Perhaps the most important event recorded is the introduction of the Income-tax Bill in the French Chamber at the end of last week. It is described officially as a measure for "the reform of direct taxation, the establishment of a tax on the different sources of income, and of a complementary tax on the income as a whole." According to the Paris correspondent of the Times, the scheme differs essentially from the English and the German systems ; but in France, of course, wealth is more evenly distributed than in any other great country. The Bill, which abolishes the old taxation, exacts 4 per cent, from real estate, 3} per cent, from business or industrial revenues, and 3 per cent, from incomes derived from earnings. Roughly, the Bill lightens the burden on real estate and on the wages of the working classes, but increases it on incomes derived from revenues. France as a nation has always been opposed to direct taxation. The people prefer to have their taxes dis- guised, without really considering whether they may not be paying more in that way. They are at least saved the shock of parting with a lump sum that does not bring something immediately in return. The Press, with the same prejudices as the people, has always opposed direct taxation. But there is no doubt that French taxation has been unfair in its inci- dence. The working man does not eat less than the rich man, yet through his food he is taxed to almost the same amount. It will be interesting to see whether the country as a whole will abandon its prejudices.
