National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-07


ution Of an education In faiths for an educa-
Ion In facts. "Diyiue truth" is no tender
liant that needs to be nurturcd In hot-house;
md no doctrine which Ia really Of Divine
origin will incur any danger by the fullest
Ind freest contact with the facts Of human
existence and Of tho material universe.
We ought, perhaps, TO apologize to our
readers for reopcning questions upon which
he American mind Is so thoroughly made up, |
Is II Is upon those OF popular education and |
he separation Of Church and State. We re-
urn, then, briefly In conclusion, to the proc- |
ical matter at issue In the present contro-
rersy, viz. the heavy burdens imposed upon |
taxpayers by the exemption from taxation
Of church property In this District. And
while VIC are far from wishing to make In
vidious distinctions between different de-
nominations we cannot conceal the TACT that
these burdens arc imposed In an unduepropor-
ton on Lchalf Of the Church of which our
Subscriber" Is minister.
or course this does not arise from any par
TALLY shown to that Church In the law, but
II Is an incidental result Of the character Of
Its property. We stated In former article
tuAt tnC VI RnoItiy was "oouh
ono fourth Of the total value Of church prop
crty in this District, and we called attention
to the fact that Il conslstad largely Of land.
The full Importance Of the latter fact, how
ever, will not be appreciated unless II
Is remembered that the special assess
ments for improvements are made,
not upon the pdiue Of property, but upon the
extent Of Its frontage. There are Protestant
church cdinccs In this city worth, perhaps,
one hundred thousand dollars, with 'front.'
age not exceeding sixty or seventy feet, while
Catholic property, OF scarcely equal value,
In some instances occupies the greater part Of
two or three sides ofasquarc, and has front
aye Of hundreds VI feet. When the cost Of Inn
provcments amounts to ten, twenty or thirty
dollars the front foot, the aggregate amount Of
taxes transferred from such property TO other
property In the vicinity Is immense. Yet II
must be remembered that the large tracts OF
land thus exempted from taxation are steadily
Increasing In value, aud that the very Inn
provemcnts Of which the Church re-
ceiyes the benefit without cost are one
Of the principal elements of this increase.
The effect, II each case, d precisely the
same Us II our authorities took SO many
thousand dollars out Of tho pockets Of our
taxpayers and transferred 1t directly to the
Golfers Of the Church. In some instances
within the knowledge Of most u our readers
the special assessments on all the private
property on entire squares are exactly
doubled In consequence Of the land on the
opposite side Of the street being tho prop
erty of church, and many of tho persons
whose taxes are thus enhanced arc strug-
Cling under great difficulties to clear from
debt the humble homes which have cost them
| the unrcmltting toll and close &C onomy Of
half lifetime. Aud on whom are the taxes
extorted from such persons conferred IL
the cSse Of the Catholic Church, at least
they arc virtually given to the clergy and
bishops, who arc practically irresponsible
even to their own congregations, for the use
they make Of the Church property.
| A HERALD REPORTER essayed to "intcr'
view" jeff. Davis at the New York hotel
Jea. Davis essayed to snub the Herald re
porter. J. ID. succeeded. The result was {
publication In the Herald Of the fact tina
1.-THE Confederate chicftain wore q slOucl
Tho o,r,,rs.,i,r r.nor,od sbows ,ha, Dayi
h.s resolved m rcma,u .cn,irelv apar, from
politics now" and that he does mot intcnt
to "lcave the country" for Europe or an,
other foreign haven Of disappointed rebels
.nch mo, a. .Icg Tbev giye ma az mucl
l,n,o,m.,io, re,.rd,no the noIi,icsI onin
Ion. Of tho leaders In tho late rebellion
We suoyr., howcycr, that s,m, o,bc
Pan, PRIV bc scnt IN ask the ucx-Prcsidcnt
WHO, S.,.m, of tho hoon.,tirt vh,c,
hc worn in Gc,r,,ia or The widow
in whose company In, travelled a,
n Nc,nnhis raiIro,s Answers In these oues
fiona wopId moi only dcvcl,p somc rich NOR
sells of scandal Int throw additional light q,
tho moral character of the leaders Of III,
..lost cause," we know that left ia NOT OK
ccedinglv and overwhelmingly popular viii
bis late followers, and We merely submit thes
spgycstIons for the purpose of allowing hin
nm opnor,uuity tn explain the mysteric
which nrovokc that unnopu,aritv In fact w,
desire that he shall rid himself of the hmm
,a,lon that be ia not only n noIiticaI imhcciIe
but a moral rcprobat.,
| 60
| HE roLirics OF THE SOUTH irequehii!
get so oaoiy nihea 'hat inc uninitated ar
unable 10 explain inc many lneonsistencie
which are apparent 10 then. FOR instance
we PRINT 'nis morning series Oh resolution
whien aro sa,a W nave oeeh u,tercu ny III
hePuoncah Executive Committee OF III
Fourth Alabama district denouncing Gen
I