Herr Sydow, the Secretary of the German Imperial Treasury, has
written an article on the finances of the German Empire, which was summarised in the North German Gazette on Tuesday. He announces that during the next five years a deficit of £100,000,000 to £112,500,000 has to be faced. There will be new taxes on spirits, beer, and wine, and a tax on sparkling and still wines in bottle is still being considered. In the case of the increased Death-duties estates below £1,000 will be exempted. Altogether, additional revenue must be raised annually to the amount of £25,000,000. The Ticket-tax which has been so unpopular is to be abolished, and this is in accordance with the principle which Herr Sydow lays down that all commercial transactions and means of com- munication shall be unhampered. Thus dividends and Stock Exchange dealings will not be taxed. Herr Sydow dismisses the possibility of an Income-tax for Imperial purposes. The matricular contributions are to be increased, and to be fixed for a term of years, so that the various States may not com- plain of embarrassing surprises. Finally, Herr Sydow makes an earnest appeal to all Germans to admit that the national honour requires these financial reforms, and that the richness of the country renders them possible.
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