Mr. Rylands made a startling proposal to his Warrington con-
stituents on Wednesday. He said that land was taxed in 1692 at the rate of 4s. in the pound, and that in that year the rental of land was about £10,000,000. It is now £140,000,000, and if the same tax were based on the new rating, it would yi,ld at least £18,000,000 sterling. Again, he attacked the low succession duties on land as compared with the probate and legacy duties, lie proposed therefore that real property should in future pay "by a graduated tax" "a sum equal to one-fourth of the entire taxation of the kingdom, say £18,000,000,—and let an equal probate and legacy duty be levied on land and other property, which will bring in at least £4,000,000." That is a very big proposal, and is the more significant that Mr. Rylands, though not a leading politician, does not usually go in for mere sensa- tional politics. He puts his speeches,—which are always a little Philistine,—moderately, is rather liked than otherwise by the Tory gentlemen opposite, and likes to feel power behind him before he speaks. He is, at least, a very efficient straw to show which way the wind is blowing.
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