RAILWAYS AND TAXATION.
THE German papers have published the half-yearly results of the traffic on thirty-two railways within the limits of the Confedera- tion. The gross return varies from Ell. on the Berlin and Stettin to 241. per German mile daily on the Vienna and Gloygnitz lines. The former sum corresponds to about IL 15s., the latter to about 4/. 5s. per English mile. We have here taken two lines that have been for some time at work. All the finished lines of Ger- many give results lying between these extremes. The line from Vienna to Olmiitz and Prague gives a return of 21., that fawn Cologne to Aix-la-Chapelle of 31. 17s. per English mile daily. The return of the Taunus line, on which as yet few or no goods have been carried, is 3/. From this experience, which now ex- tends over a length of railway communications extending to 450 German miles, or nearly 2,240 English miles, the German Go- vernment can form an estimate of the returns which may be ex- pected when they advance capital for railroads out of the public fund. If no brilliant result yet appears, the fact is certain that the poorest district seizes the means offered by railroads of im- proving its condition ; and the taxes on consumption will doubt- less in a few years show that the budget is likely to lose nothing by the temporary outlay that railroads occasion. It is thus proved by experience, that judicious investments in railroads create a species of property of infallible value at the present day ; the gain from which is of two kinds. The direct gain is taken in the price of fares and the charges for carriage of goods. The indirect gain cannot be touched by a private com- pany: it partly goes to the industrious classes, and partly to go, vernmeiat, in the shape of improved taxation-receipts. Thus, a government having two funds out of which it can remunerate itself, is alone able to sacrifice the one for the sake of increasing the other. Assuredly, were railroad charges for travelling di- minished to a minimum, the prosperity of individuals would rapidly increase, and the taxgatherer s receipts would swell. In estimating the mode of employing money for the relief of sufferers in Ireland, these facts ought not to be lost sight of. A loan to a large amount might, perhaps, be advantageously invested in the construction of railroads on a scale that would afford em- ployment for all in actual want. The prosperity of landowners and manufacturers would then be promoted without a general de- moralization. It might be practicable to restrain jobbers within the bounds of decency. Thus the means of relieving a suffering people would be afforded, without forcing the bulk of the popu- lation to actual beggary.
Previous page
