Answer.—The Hon. William Ewart Gladstone was born of Scottish parents in Liverpool, Dec. 29, 1809. He received a thorough education at Eton and Oxford, graduating from both with the highest honors. In 1832 he entered politics, being returned for Newark. He early joined himself with the Conservative party, under the leadership of Robert Peel, in which his abilities were soon recognized by that distinguished statesman, who gave him the position of Junior Lord of the Treasury in 1834, and in the following year made him Under Secretary of State; but with Peel’s retirement he relinquished that office, in 1841, when Peel again became Premier, Gladstone served under him as Vice President, and afterward as President of the Board of Trade, in which capacity he derived much information concerning the commerce of the nation. He left the Conservative party in his support of Peel’s free-trade policy, and again retired in 1845. In 1859 he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in Lord Palmerston’s administration, which office he held to his credit until 1866. Two years afterward he was elevated into the premiership; but his defeat in 1874 resulted in the elevation of his great rival, Disraeli. He then resolved to remain out of politics; but the policy of Beaconsfield in the Eastern question called forth his earnest disapprobation, and again brought him before the people in opposition to the administration. The year 1880 signalized his triumph, a triumph which was universally acknowledged as the result of his own personal popularity and sterling qualities. Gladstone has always been recognized as a man of strong character, who has conscientiously endeavored to advance the interests of the nation and people. In oratory he possesses the wonderful faculty of making statistics eloquent. He quickly perceives a difficulty, and with wise discernment unravels it. The past three years have only added honor to his name, and it is to be hoped that so favorable a beginning may be the dawn of a fruitful administration, and that ere long the vexed Irish question or questions will be solved forever.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
Madison Wis.
Let us know how the receipts from internal revenue in 1883 compare with those in 1882, and oblige an opponent of the proposition to take off the tax on spirits and tobacco. Add cost of collecting the same.
James.
Answer.—The total receipts under the internal revenue laws for the two fiscal years ending June 30, 1882, and June, 1883, were as shown in the table below;
| Objects taxed. | 1882. | 1883. |
| Distilled spirits | $69,873,408.18 | $74,368,775.20 |
| Tobacco | 47,391,988.91 | 42,104,249.79 |
| Fermented liquors | 16,153,920.42 | 16,900,615.81 |
| Banks and bankers | 5,253,458.47 | 3,748,994.60 |
| Adhesive stamps— | ||
| Bank checks | 2,318,455.14 | 1,946.272.10 |
| Friction matches | 3,262,258.00 | 2,920,545.20 |
| Patent medicines, etc. | 1,978,395.56 | 2,186,236.16 |
| Penalties | 199,830.04 | 305,803.57 |
| Collections not otherwise provided for | 81,559.00 | 71,852.43 |
| Total | $146,523,273.72 | $144,553,344.86 |
The increase of revenue from spirits during the last fiscal year was $4,495,367.02; from fermented liquors was $746,695.39: the decrease from tobacco, $5,287,739.12; and from banks and bankers, $1,504,463.87. The total decrease of internal revenue from all sources up to June 30, 1883, was $1,969,928.86. This decrease was due mainly to the removal of certain taxes and the reduction of others effected by the legislation of the last Congress. The cost of collecting the internal revenue in the last year above named was $5,113,734.88. Owing to the recent action of the President consolidating collection districts, which dispenses with the services of a number of collectors, and other curtailments rendered possible by the legislation of the Republican Congress of 1881-1883, the estimated cost of collecting internal revenue during the current fiscal year is $4,999,190, and from present indications the actual cost will be considerably less than this.