eurasia(优雷夏)-第9节
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of freight and passenger rates which on examination proved to be very
simple and that required no great lawyers with legal cunning to draw up as
they did in my country in making tariff schedules to fool the people and
open a wider door for graft rebates and special privileges。 The passenger
rate was five mills per mile for any and every distance； with children
under seven years of age free； with but one exception…all children
attending the District High School were carried free to and from school。
Sleeping cars were provided for all persons traveling over one
thousand miles on the train； but no person under that distance was
permitted to occupy one。 There were no Pullman or Palace Coaches and
no special train was allowed save only to the President or member of his
Cabinet on official business。 The railway lines were run through the
country so as to bring the produce of the people to market and to bring all
the people in touch with one another。 Hundreds of short lines were in
operation that by themselves did not pay operating expenses； but as they
formed a part of the whole railway system of the Republic under one
management； they were beneficial to the people。 The rate for all kinds of
freight； except grain and vegetables； was five mills per ton per mile for all
distances； and for grain； fruit and vegetables two mills per ton per mile。
All Government freight and employees were carried free； but a strict
account was kept so as to prevent fraud。 No discrimination between
persons or places was allowed。 Everyone was placed on the same footing；
but to prevent conspiracies in restraint of trade if a person in any district
shipped goods into another district and offered them for sale for a less
price； with the freight added； than he sold them for in his own district； he
was punished by six months' imprisonment at hard labor in the district
where he violated the law； and if any person； either of his own account or
acting as agent for another party； sold goods brought from a foreign
country for a less price than the wholesale price of the goods at the place
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where they were produced or manufactured with twenty per cent。 added
for freight and other expenses； was punished by six months' imprisonment
at hard labor； and if not a citizen of the Republic of Eurasia； was expelled
from the country after serving out his sentence； for； as a prominent officer
remarked to me： 〃We do not permit any Standard Oil methods in our
country。〃 There were no tariff duties levied。 Every article produced or
manufactured （except those produced or manufactured by the Government；
which were prohibited） were admitted free； provided the Government of
that country admitted articles produced or manufactured in Eurasia free； if
not； then a non…intercourse decree was issued by the President of Eurasia
to be in force until the other country accepted free trade。 The railways
were built directly by the Government； employing soldiers to do the work；
and no contracts were allowed； Government superintendents and foremen
bossing theconstruction； even to getting out ties in the Government forests
and the rails made in Government mills and foundries。 The Government
built railroads at less cost than they were built for in any other part of the
world and politicians had no chance to get their political friends into soft
berths at the expense of the taxpayers。 No money was paid by the General
Government for right of way。
All claims for damages arising out of the building of railways had to
be presented to the District Court； and the law provided that the District
Court could grant such compensation as was just； but in no case could it
exceed the assessed value of the land per acre that the owner had sworn to
previously as the full value of his land； to be paid out of the funds of the
district。 There were only two forms of taxation in Eurasia； a land tax and a
graduated income tax。 There was no tax on improvements of any kind；
either on city or country property； but on the land only； by this wise
system of taxation encouraging the people to improve their property and
beautify and discouraging land speculation； and when the Government
wanted land owned by private parties who were citizens of the Republic
（for no foreigner was permitted by law to own land directly or indirectly；
so that the curse of Absentee Landlordism which was the ruin of Ireland；
should never blight the happiness of the people of Eurasia）； they added up
the assessments for the previous five years and divided them by five and
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added twenty per cent。 to it in payment for the land； together with fair
compensation for any buildings there might be on it； so that if the owner
swore to a low valuation on his land he was the loser； but the District
Court； sitting as a Board of Equalization every year； could fix the value of
the land at what they considered proper。
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CHAPTER XI。
THE INCOME TAX。
The income tax was a graduated income tax beginning with persons
having on income one thousand dollars a year and above what they laid
out in improving their property。 All persons whose income was less than
one thousand dollars paid no income tax。 The tax was one per cent。 on one
thousand dollars； the rate increasing with the amount of income up to fifty
thousand dollars a year； when it was fifty per cent。； leaving the owner
twenty…five thousand dollars； and for all incomes over fifty thousand
dollars a year the surplus over twenty…five thousand dollars went to the
Government and as a result of this wise policy there were no Jay Goulds
or J。 D。 Rockefellers in Eurasia。 All money received from land and income
taxes went into the District Fund for the expenses of the district and
schools； and building and maintaining of good； macadamized roads； for
every district had a rock crusher from which the roads were supplied with
broken stone at a trifling expense to the district。
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CHAPTER XII。
DEPARTMENT OF MANUFACTURES。
The Government derived its revenues from the sale of liquors； drugs；
chemicals； tobacco； coffee； tea； sugar； salt； coal； oil； stone； charcoal； iron；
steel； copper； lead and the precious metals。 The greatest revenue was
derived from liquors。 Every commodity produced or manufactured by the
Government was sold in lots or packages at one dollar a lot or package。
The Government made and sold wine in three grades； The first…grade wine
was put up in quart bottles at one dollar a quart； the second…grade wine in
half…gallon bottles at one dollar a bottle； and the third…grade wine in gallon
bottles at one dollar a gallon； alcohol in half…gallon bottles at one dollar a
bottle； and brandy in the same way and sold at the same price。 There were
no grades in brandy。 All brandies were sold at one dollar for half a gallon。
Whisky； of which there was only manufactured one grade； but out of
different cereals or vegetables； was put up in one…gallon bottles and sold at
one dollar a gallon。 Beer was sold in five…gallon kegs at one dollar a keg；
but the purchaser of beer had to pay in addition for the keg； which was
refunded when he returned the keg in good condition。 The Government
manufactured pure liquors and no foreign liquors were admitted into
Eurasia。
In the chemical factories every drug required by the Medical
Pharmacopoeia and every chemical required in the arts and manufactures
was made； but no drugs were sold except on a medical prescription； or
chemicals except to responsible parties。 The voters of any district could by
a m
