New-York tribune., 1868-05-04
THE STATE CHARITY BILE


To tie Editor Of The Tribune sIl
SIR A special meeting of the Union Ieaop.
Club lately held to protest against the Assemble Nm
for charitable institutions imposing taxes for partc
churches and igous schools The letter ,h.
President to call the meeting says: Il' -
We regard this bill siprnsry partial sud unuu 4. n.
religions ce.ts: n sIert 6rooiS .d %d o, as,'Ss.
The taxation Of The PEOPLE Of tse state o .he.duOn p,r
simply irritating and IudensOme d. present ssss % s ss
Of past ages the oh World We ppose hsV ,s zoe n.s s
propsty Of resisting this bill as gs,e attack kd%
@ sD5 IST a. iop. i1s s whole e, ~ Toe Sns, . ss
lies safety and strength by special support the Se %
Of institutions for the incubation Of religious @
Now, would ask if the pastors OF our churcbe.
brothers, you may call them-Or associations Of bepe
lent persons. have the energy and charity to get nm
schools Of and in their parishes for the poor dirty
ragged children, in the OF the schools OF Fath
Fannelly in Jamesst and Father Moody also Of The 6,
Doninck and ST. Francis Sisters who take In and feed
well teach the children in their neighborhood who
TOO poor to attend to dress fit for our public
schools and for whom there is no room; IT. say they
will devote their time and give Of their substance foy
tins charitable purpose should not the State much a.
them Granting that their religion is taught can
there be any objection that these children should have
religious OF right aud wrong Then there ara
the societies and associations who have noby sepped
forward TO protect and educate the children Of de-
ceased soldiers and who giving their time and sub
this obect-shoud they receive assistance
for educational and charitable purposes we'll a. for
these little left legacy by those who out to
fgl our battles, conhdng them to our honor and had
League Is endeav0lng TO cuftall the little help
which Is asked and needed to keep these poor
children OUT OF our already oyefcrowded amshouses,
no less than S2OOOO IL given to an inebuate asylum I'M
also given 10 keep the amOries In excel
lent order when it should be the pride OF the soldier
il was OF reengine boys In days gone by, keen
their machines bright and pride to ITS company the
CITY 9ny trng @ an engine mouse @ an Pelh Hnyarp-
ment by cutting down onr ehaIitles-espeeally our
Of Education receive their share let them use for the
class reaches but let them not grudge share also to
those it leaves out and who consequently must come
under the class Of charities. hope Legislators will
not listen To these penny wise ana pound foolish
Leaguers whO i'm their beautiful and extrayagant Club
House. are fear comfortable 20 be able 10 think Of
appreciate the condition Of the poor. ~.
CRemdrks-It is always poor economy to
commence retrenchment anywhere, in the eyes
of those who are unpleasantly affected thereby.
But, if there are improyident and uujustfable
appropriations of public money, for Inebriate
Asylums &C., that is a first-rate reason for
cutting off those appropriations, but DO reason
at all for making Others
This is not merely question of economy.
We solemnly protest, in behalf of nine-t -tcnths
of the taxpayers of our State, against taking
their money to support the teaching of any
theologc dogmas whatever. Our Government
was instituted for no such purpose, and every
dollar thus misapplied is virtually stolen. It
was an abuse wien the sum SO perverted was
small it has since grown with friglltful rapid
ity, and it must now be stopped. If the Leg
islature does not arrest it, we appeal to tho
Governor to do so.
1t may be we'll for the Catholic Fathers or
Sisters to open ragged schools aud feed a: well
as teach poor children; though, in our judg-
ment, these schools are nurseries of Pauperism,
and tend TO expose Romanism to reproach as
beggar- breeding religion. All this, however,
is the affair of people of that faith, and none
of our business. But when they call upon the
State or the City to impose the burden of its
support on taxpayers of all creeds or of none,
we do most strenuously protest. Gentlemen at
Albany put through this job if you dare! IL
you do, you will raise a whirlwind that will
sweep from you your ill-gotten power.
Ed. Trib.l