Expenditures of the Russo-Japanese war / by Gotaro Ogawa.

RESOURCES FOR DEFRAYING WAR EXPENSES

87

increase or decrease of the same (No. 5, I ), and the transfer
of mining rights other than by succession (No. 6, I) were
taxed at the rate of 75 yen for the main registration duties and
25 yen for the increased duties; and the new registration of
mining rights (No. 4,I) was taxed at the rate of 150 yen for
the main duties and 50 yen for the increased duties, all as
before the revision. But the main duties on the increase in
prospecting lots or the registration of increase or decrease
in the same were increased from 30 yen (No. 3) to 35 yen;
the main duties on the transfer of prospecting rights other than
by succession were lessened from 75 yen (No. 3,1I) to 35 yen;
and the increased duties on the former were left at io yen, as
before the revision, while those on the latter were lessened
from 25 yen (No. 5) to Io yen (No. 3,II). In this connection,
however, it must be remembered that the revision of the
registration duties regarding mining was effected for the purpose of equalizing the miners' burden, not for the purpose of
increasing the revenue. In short, in the second increase in
the registration duties, the levy was lessened on some items
and increased only on the acquisition of property in real
estate and shipping other than by virtue of succession, the
balance being a trifling gain for the government.
At the first increase of taxation, the stamp duties saw no increase; but at the second increase, some of the most important
of them were increased. That is, the duties on the deeds and
account books mentioned in Article IV of the Stamp Duty
Law were increased. Heretofore, the stamp duties on deeds
and account books, except letters of attorney, chit books, and
promissory notes, had been 2 sen per deed or per book intended
to be used for one year, but they were increased by I sen. The
duties on letters of attorney became 2 sen instead of I sen,
as before; those on the chit books for one year were increased
from 20 sen to 25 sen. Previously, the duty on a promissory
note had been only 2 sen, although this instrument had been
frequently used for loan purposes, whereas the duty on a bond
of debt had been.0005 of the amount, according to Article II
of the Stamp Duty Law, bonds below 50 yen being exempted.