Les Revenus de L'État by N. G. PiersonReview by: P. A.Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Vol. 76, No. 5 (Apr., 1913), pp. 538-540Published by: Wiley for the Royal Statistical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2340435 .

Accessed: 24/06/2014 22:51

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Wiley and Royal Statistical Society are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toJournal of the Royal Statistical Society.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 185.44.79.40 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:51:19 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

538 Reviewvs of Statistical and Economic Book.s. [April,

author thinks that it is doubtful whether there has been any increase of real wages as measured in the purchasing power of food. " A consideration of the evidence found in all the available reports leads to the coniclusion that in 1904, and probably at the presenit time, at least half of the males aged sixteen or more, engaged in gainful occupations were earning less than $626 a year." Money wages since 1904 appear to have improved, but the cost of living has also risen. Some other gleanings from the reports are given, but it is a somewhat melancholy reflection that the net result of so much labour of compilers and tabulators, and of the coverinig of such a vast extent of paper with figures in columnis, is so small.

Mr. Streightoff proposes to ascertain the distribution of incomes by obtaining data as to rents paid. There should be added to the schedule for the Census of Agriculture a question requiring a state- ment of the rent or mortgage interest paid, the answer to which, in conjunction with the other information now required to be given, would enable agricultural incomes to be calculated. To the Population Census schedule there should similarly be added a question calling for the rent or rental value of the house or tenement occupied by the family. Voluntary information should also be collected from a large number of families showing the relation of incomes to rents, and on the basis of this distribution the distribution of incomes for the whole commnunity could then be calculated. On this scheme it is only necessary to observe that its advantages would depend entirely on the representative character of uhe sample, both as regards localities and industrial or income groups. The uncertainty attaching to all voluntary returns is very great. H.W.M.

3.-Les Revenus de l'Etat. Par N. G. Pierson. Traduction FranVaise d'apres la deuxierme edition N6erlandaise, par Louis Suiret. 386 pp., Svo. Paris: MI. Giard ct E. Briere. 1913. Price 12 francs (broche).

At such a time as the presenit, when the great Powers are engaged in a competition of spending, and most European and some extra-European governments are making strenuous efforts to discover new sources of revenue (and are having recourse to some desperate expedients), an attenipt at the formulation of sound economic principles and at scientific criticism of current financial methods should be assured of a cordial welcome. We may even veniture to, hope (though we are not very optimistic) that it may receive some attention from statesmen and administrators when made, as in this instance, by one of themselves. The volume before us presents in Frenich guise the fourth part of that manual of general economics by the late distinguished Dutch statesman, Dr. Pierson, which has already won for itself an important place in the literature of economic theory, and has been made available for English readers by the labours of Mr. Wotzel.

This latter fact must, we fear, affect adversely the reception of M. Suret's careful and (so far as we can judge) meritorious version in this country, where otherwise it would have been very useful. The recently-published second volume of Mr. Wotzel's admirable

This content downloaded from 185.44.79.40 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:51:19 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

1913.] Reviews of Statistical and Economic Books. 539

translation not only reflects greater credit on his publishers, but it is, even nominally, only a trifle more expensive than AI. Suret's volume, and the difference is more than offset by the fact that it contains not only Dr. Pierson's discussion and criticism of state revenues but also the whole of that part of his work which is devoted to Production. This seems to us a matter of very real importance, for whilst Dr. Pierson's analysis and criticism of state revenues and forms and methods of taxation, and his exposition of the principles which should be adopted, can no doubt be studied by themselves, they can, we venture to think, be appreciated at their true value only when considered in conjunction with his general economic theories, and particularly those relating to Pro- duction. Even the student whose interest in discussions of such general principles is small will, in the course of his reading of the sections devoted to taxation, be glad to be able to turn to the earlier part for further light on some points.

We have already indicated the character of that portion of Dr. Pierson's work now before us. Its various sections deal with State domains, fees (defined as the charges made in respect of services rendered by any institution provided by governmental authorities in the public interest, and not for purely fiscal purposes), the theoretical and practical problems of taxation, and loans. It is not possible in this place to summarise Dr. Pierson's views-still less to enter upon an examination of them; it must suffice to say that on such questions of present importance as land taxes, increment value duties, general property taxes, and loans, they always merit careful consideration, even though (as is sometimes the case) the principles formulated do not appear to be very definite. On all matters relating to customs duties Dr. Pierson writes as a strong Free Trader, but, on the other hand, it is noteworthy that there is no discussion of the problem of State ownership and working of public services; apparently Dr. Pierson viewed them with favour, and had no objection to the policy of profit-making.

The numerous examples which illustrate his theses are drawn, as is natural, mainly from Holland, but other countries are laid under contriibution; and in this respect the book is occasionally weak. It is a little curious to find that, when income and property taxes are under discussion, the Prussian state and local incotne-tax is practically ignored; the importance of local consumption taxes in Prusia is, we think, exaggerated (p. 279); and we doubt if the experience of countries other than Holland bears out the conclusion (p. 272) that specific customs duties are more objectionable than ad valorem duties (they are certainly less provocative of fraud). In this connexion we have some grievances against both AMr. Wotzel and M. Suret. In spite of the numerous and important changes in forms and methods of taxation which have taken place since 1902 (the date of the edition which they have utilised)-changes which in some cases, as in that of the British income-tax and estate duties, make Dr. Pierson's illustrations misleading-neither of his trans- lators has revised the author's statements (though Mr. Wotzel has occasionally a note to the effect that the illustration no longer

This content downloaded from 185.44.79.40 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:51:19 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

540 Other New Publications. [April,

applies) or brought them down to a later date. We can appreciate the reasons for this inaction, though it diminishes the value of the book as a source of information; but we cannot reconcile ourselves to the absence (in both cases) of any index, or regard Mr. Wotzel's analysis of contents as a satisfactory substitute. The two trans- lators have rendered real service to their respective countrymen; our only regret is that they did not do a little more. P.A.

4.-Other New Publications.* Brutzer (Gustav). Die Verteuerung der Lebensmittel in Berlin im

Laufe der letzten 30 Jabre und ihre Bedeutung fur den Berliner Arbeiterhaushalt. 87 pp., 8vo. Miinchen: Duncker und Humblot, 1912. Price 3 marks.

[A statistical study of the increased cost of living in Berlin during the past thirty years, and of its influence on the well-being of the working classes.]

Cadbury (Edward). Experiments in Industrial Organisation- With Preface by W. G. Ashley. xxi + 296 pp., 8vo. London: Longmans and Co., 1912. Price 5s. net.

[A detailed account of Messrs. Cadbury's chocolate factory at Bournville, -and of the various schemes which they have initiated for the benefit of their employees. The supreme principle of the owners has been the belief that business efficiency and the welfare of the employees are but different sides of the same problem. The sense of social duty of the employers has in no way infringed on the industrial independence of the workpeople, and as Professor Ashley points out in his Preface, the increased fellow feeling among the different classes of workers tends to the smooth running of the factory and to its greater efficiency.]

Collins (E. A.). Leasehold Enfranchisement. The Case for and against and a Practical Scheme. Relief against restrictive covenanits in Leases: Scheme for Continuity of Tenure. 117 pp., sm. 8vo. London: P. S. King and Son, 1913. Price 2s. 6d. net.

[The object of the author is " to show the serious effect which the present leasehold system has upon the building trade of the entire country and the many trades which are allied to it, and how it is stultifying the leaseholder, affecting our social system and the general appearance of large areas in all our great cities."]

Einaudi (Luiqi). Intorno al Concetto di Reddito Imponibile e di un Sistema d'Imposte sul Reddito Consumato, Saggio di una teoria dell' imposta dedotta esclusivamente dal postulato dell' uguaglianza. viii + 104 pp., fol. Torino: Vincenzo Bona, 1912.

Glutsky (E. E.). Theory of Correlation and Frequency Curves. (In Russian.) 208 pp., 8vo. Kiev, 1912. Price I rouble 25 kopecks.

Iligginson (John Hedley). Tariffs at work. An outline of practical tariff administration, with special reference to the United States and Canada. xiv + 136 pp., 8vo. London: P. S. King and Son, 1913. Price 2s. net.

[An inquiry into the working of the various tariff systems of different countries. As regards the United States and Canada, the author was able to study their tariff administration on the spot. The inquiry is that of a student, and is of a non-partisan character. The book describes ad vatorem and specific duties, bonded warehouses and free ports, &c., and in an appendix compares the past and present tariff administration of Great Britain.]

* See also " Additions to the Library," page 558, sqq.

This content downloaded from 185.44.79.40 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:51:19 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions