498
1848. *¢ London, Nov. 16,1848.—I have been thinking and talk 3
~ about concocting a ¢ national budget,’ to serve for an 00J%
for financial reformers to work up to, and to prevent chet!
losing their time upon vague generalities, The plan must 37
one to unite all classes and interests, and to bring into one
agitation the coanties and the towns. I propose to reduce i
army, navy, and ordnance from 18,500,0001. to 10,000,000%
and thus save 8,500,000. Upon the civil expenditure
ell its branches, including the cost of collecting revent®
and the management of crown lands, I propose to oe
1,500,000. I propose to lay a probate and legacy duty 2P%
real property, to affect both entailed and unentailed estaté®
by which would be got 1,500,0001. Here is 11,500,0000» ¥
be used in reducing and abolishing duties, which I proP a
to dispose of as follows :—
* Customs :
“Tea, reduce duty to 1s. per Ib.
** Wood and timber, abolish duties.
“ Butter and cheese, do.
“ Upwards of 100 smaller articles of the tariff 10
abolished. (I wonld only leave about fifteen articles in ae
tariff paying customs duties.)
“ Bectge :
“ Malt, all duty abolished.
“Paper, do. do.
* Soap, do. do.
“ Hops, do. do,
“ Window tax, all off,
“ Advertisement duty, do.
* All these changes could be effected with 11,500,000
“ There are other duties which I should prefer to remor)
instead of one or two of them, but I have been guide
materially by & desire to bring sll interests to gympsthi®
with the scheme. Thus the tea is to catch the merchant

LIFE OF COBDEN.

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