GENERAL PRINCIPLES 



should vary according to the locality in 

 which they happen to be collected. 



In the same way, any other national 

 burdens ought to be equitably distributed, 

 and the mere difference of locality ought 

 not to make a difference in the burden 

 imposed on the individual taxpayers. And 

 this throws us back on what is after all 

 the fundamental principle that must be 

 applied throughout : the principle, namely, 

 that all taxes fall on persons and not on things. 

 By this time, this principle ought to be 

 a commonplace, so often has it been 

 insisted on in the present controversy ; 

 but as a matter of fact, it is constantly 

 forgotten. 



The very reference to the Royal Commission 

 is open to the criticism that it suggests that 

 taxes fall not on persons but on things ; they 

 were to report whether all kinds of real and 

 personal property contribute equitably to 



