RATES A^'D TAXES. 129 



raw material — land — of the farmer should be 

 rated, whilst the raw material of the mauufac- 

 tiirer should go scot free. At all events although 

 it is no doubt very difficult to adjust the taxes or 

 rates which should be paid by personalty and 

 realty, the attempt ought to be made. The 

 difference between rates and taxes consists 

 mainly in the fact that rates are raised directly 

 by one method and solely on real property, while 

 taxes are raised by a variety of methods, and both 

 directly and indirectly on personal as well as 

 real property. What should be aimed at is so 

 to charge these various rates and taxes as that 

 every citizen shall in proportion to his income 

 be an equal bearer of them. It is manifestly 

 unfair that Income Tax, which, in the case of 

 trades and professions, is fairly levied on the net 

 income received, should, in the case of land and 

 houses be charged, with but a nominal deduc- 

 tion, on the gross rental. In the latter case a 

 tax is paid on income which has not been 

 received. Both parties in the State have admitted 

 at various times that the real property element 

 pays an unfair share of the national burden, and 

 yet Sir William Harcourt, without any real com- 

 pensating arrangement, inflicted a still further 

 serious blow upon it. The farmer's outlay to-day 

 on the upkeep of his farm is greater than before 

 Cobden's agitation started; and yet he is sub- 

 jected to infinitely greater competition and has 

 none of the " natural protection " of distance 

 which Cobden declared would always be at his 

 disposal. 



