60 RATES AND TAXES 



and manufacturers in towns, the latter, no 

 doubt, paid more in the way of national 

 taxes in proportion to wealth and popula- 

 tion. In 1798 the land tax was actually 

 converted into a perpetual rent charge open 

 to redemption, but as a matter of fact, 

 even in this case the idea has been aban- 

 doned that this land tax is a first charge 

 on the rent, and it is not now exacted 

 beyond a certain proportion. 1 



So far the national taxes have been con- 

 sidered only as affecting the income and 

 property of the living. The death duties, 

 however, have also a long history, but the 

 history down to the Finance Act of 1894 

 need not detain us long for the purpose in 

 hand. We are at present in pursuit of the 

 idea or the fallacy that as a matter of 

 history, or of custom as therein revealed, 

 land has been subject to differential taxa- 



1 See Report on Valuation, p., 107. 



