New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-26

have a perfect right to build this elegant
| and costly church it they can afford 1t, and
| if it accords with the principles of their
| religion, of which they alone are to be the
| judges; I merely wish to remark that
| churches of this character may fairly be
classed as luxuries; and as such are pecu.
| liarly adapted to taxation. Many good
Christians deeply lament the expenditure
| of SO much money upon ediices which
minister to the desires of SO few, and
to those few during only . few hours
in every week But l tell those lament
ing Christians that the only way TO keep
within bounds the erection of these
and equal taxation. The Tribune tells US
that our Episcopal brethren are about to
erect in this city cathedral that is to cost
81, DOC, coo. 1t will most likely cost five: and
there is one gentleman interested in the
scheme who could build it outright, gold
candlesticks and all. by assigning to it his
surplus income tor two years. Among the
500, 900 each. l would put it to the justice
of the American people, and would submit
it to the heavy laden tax payers of New
York, if it is fair to the laboring men OF this
city to exempt such an edifice as that from
taxation. If it is to be exempt from the
charge Of SUI porting the government, then
the government ought to be exempt from
the charge of protecting it, There is par
ticular reason why this subject should be
its pet virtue; ours is benevolence.
The works of the pbilanthropists
appeal 80 powerfully to the heart
and SO kindle the imagination that it is easy
for US to attach an exaggerated value to
them. In truth no virtue more needs in
structiHg, restraining and guiding than be-
nevolence. If may trust my own very
mi Of T
that, generally, very benevolent charac-
ter Is weak character. A weak character |
is usually extremely sensitive to the apprO- |
baton of others, runs readily to vanity |
and an ignoble lust Of glory, and in its ex-
treme development is not far from madness. |
The strong are just. And justice is far
rarer, nobler, higher, more difficult thing
than benevolence. But benevolence being
the popular virtue OF the century, there is
a general propensity to win it's easy and
lavish honors. Hard old msney- makers,
after long life of hard dealing. amuse a
drearv, childless, friendless, loveless old
age, by founding institutions of which we
have too many already. and consigning
masses of iIl-gotten property to the spolia.
ton and mismanagement of tiustees
A just taxation Of these institutions will
but lnvigorate those which have right to
5xist, and gradually extinguish those
which never ought to have been called into
being.
America has been the paradise of dead
heads. Perhaps all good dead heads in
other lands, when they have died, have
come to America; and we know for GER
.ainty that many have been translated here
Without going through the ceremony of
lying. Deadheadism in the United States
las been cause of widespread demoraliza.
lOn Ali Washington was more or less |
corrupted by it. The franks of members of
congress used to lie about every where, and
,eople grew rich upon the mere waste of
he capital. As to railroad passes, l was
nee told that nobody but fool ever paid | ,
lis fare. Base was the slave that paid.
SUIT OF late we have been making an effort
o change all this The late Horace Greeley
vas one of the first to set his face against
he deadhead principle in ali it's ,
manifestations. going so far as to put down d,
is tour cents every time he took
opy OF the Tribune frem the counter OF his t
wn office. When the late Horace F. Clark 8
tfered him in Chicago free pass to New =
ork be refused it, and denounced, with
is usual vehemence, the entire system of q
'ylng to get something for nothing. The t
.anking privilege has been abolished h
lieage is allowed no more. Free station
~ and penknifes are a Renaissance.
hese three great measures of reform suffice v
redeem whatever errors of Judgment the il
at Congress may have committed The :.
lllroad corporations are making vigorous
tort to break up the fraudulent system of n
zee passes. Conductors of newspapers no it
niger quarter members of their staff upon q
otels., The tree liss is everywhere and in
Terythlng struggling to get suspended. 1t
mans to erase from our statute books the | G.
tire catalogue of exemptions from taxa d
on, and to adopt it as an inviolable princi- f,
e that whatever property the State pro- t,
cts shall contribute its quota to the States
pport, OF, if the churches and institutions u
efer lt-no taxation, no protection. Ell