New-York tribune., 1873-02-22
LErTERs FROM THE PEOPLE.
-r2rE GAS AND GENERAL TAXAlIon'


.,~,,,r CAS- AND GENERAL TAXATION
....,,eprv SuorIp RE EQUALLY vAy-D-
ALI ,rrF OPINION OF = CLaN0fNAN'
"a. Fdtsor Of PhS Trtb"Hc.
Go. nraminent clergyman OF tlus cry Vlou
-, st..lcs his views upou the action oi ti' h"''" "
.,,er7,eu en- -hc free ras question ana "So "''
So General subject OF taxation, az follows -
II ronic 20 inquiries respecting my op'Ni"" '' 'u '
,l,o rosrI OF Aldermen, passed on tne ''h '"''"
hoA " ,. , ,,l, s,.u not be- taxed 20 pay ior gas
- f,- the accommodation Of churches ana
III and other urlilo and private buildings VIII
l, , that it is stem iu thc right dlrecuon So I7
=, , ofuiou simply an act OF Justice OF I'D ol"'i N"'
:. th, removal OF great wrong irom lhc "Ner"u''e'
-. NJ tho city. and the stopparc OF source OF
- fralids TIE persons Who own OF frequent s'oh
-. arc generally the wealtmer class and they are
=, and ,l1ht 20 bc willing 20 pay what is tor the' own
,,,,ol9tiou TO is mean. as wei as UNJUST 20 opHgc
,, r,or and those who do not frequent such pIae'
- nav the gas balls for them. " an real esta"
also of every k.nd. and no matter 70
,,bop belonging, had Go pay taxes ahu
...,.sr,euts great good would be accomplished II
,r,li make church corporations and other corporate
-. most excellent vigilance committee over the
.r,,,aD OF nroneriv There no more Shre'Vd ener
If and t-iIaut men, where their own m'ereste arc
erc3 than thcy are. n they had 20 pay taxes t'ey
oui look after taxation, and take care that u was no
s+ r excessive. They would he exposed % eXtrdva-
rrf . u D.
18 insist ,n honesty and economy, and II the public
,,.,, -f9aa De- stolen the churches would ring with
seruurisuous and the best men m the community
,vouIf la uu in arms against thieves Now they are
n,t OF ia Iareut because their poorer neigaOors who
nrn. never entered their churches have 70 pay the
t,xs iar en aud big hearted. generous legislators
rat a assessments without being ASKED TO do 80 or
eourc they never expect any return FOR them generosity
.f other peoples expense.
whether % unjust ACT 20 make one portion OF the
ssrmuuty pay the taxes Of another, would not hHe
u decide 10 certainly looks unjust. To make man
nav for thing Le never uses, and from when ne &c
rfys no aeutdt looks ike injustice. It looks ike wrong
70 make the poor who never knew the luxury OF
cushion u rich church pay the taxes Of the nch man
who eriovs his ease rcspectablty aud poty IN such
places T. 10 wrong, should Doe redressed AS soon as
possible. 7. persisted n, not only present evils. uut
evils u -hc future VIII come upon the prQperty-owne7s
III sid tht curses ike chickens come home 20 ronst
a. do wrong and Injustice of every KIND come home.
sooner later, 20 Iu0st on the perpetrators IN uN
= Great raspret for them But The duties of properly
ought o Dee also sacred and equally respected Oeheve
that property las JUS duties Is We as Us I-As, anu n
the duties not sacred and performed. the rights VIII
long De respected nor secure II an property hau 9
bear Dos share OF tat0l IT'S rights o prlle' l'o io @
b. Det secured, fOI 30 one WISHES 20 dle WHAT es
him tu tighten or bear his own ouIleus' ~ We MMe
exempt 'le property of any portion oI tc community
from taxation fnc rest must pay increased taxes .lu
bear heavier burden ANA RENE tulDei lti 10 is ol.eu
and who derive no benefit from whatever, that have
20 paF the J.Xes OF their neighuors -
Besides, -Ac exemption OF certain property from
tax.I.au has "a tendency 20 make the managers Ol
churches and other institutions acquire ana hold unpro
ducfiFc property than Tor tncn Julh IN
crCIsIu- usClc-slr the burdens OF the community III
they had 90 Dy taxes ike Others tht} Wouu noo phN
what was necessary them, and keep 10 n productive
condition The state viii sell the property OF s citizens
fer vueut ui taxes. and after certain tnc -lFe
rEht Of he state 70 Well, them If one portion oI
the community pays certain number OF wears the
taxes Ot another portion is 10 lot virtually tle owner oi
Tic exempted property And may 10 NOT III justice de-
Bat the question ls, Is 10 NOT equity ANY now, II
has ot.Eu Jed 10 cJlsc4tOu, which l5 always dcnur4-
hke politicians has often in the history OF the world
manifested great sho" or AueIaLty Dy eAe.Dp p-nE g
vast amount OF prop .rty rom tatllon b-t u e-tI
m bankruptcy poverty OF tht people anu cnll'citlou
To avoid such consequences, sOOuerOr later an property
euCh TO 5e equally taxed COnnsta0n u Wis,tiui an
d.mCradZu- TO Is fruitful Of endless litigation, and
spreads strife and bitter hatred among the people Tor
generations.
The exemption OF some property from taxation neoos
statcs Lg rate OF taxation on other property causes
h-h rents. and dear means OF living FOR the abOriug
rhCv have been cursed IN tAe Ola mcIld, ana
from winch we VIII NOT escape we are l.t
OI World 0netOurtA OK the propery OF the realm,
tR Others lle-tllrd. lld lu others OuelaI Vas exc nut
ron E-lIuu. What was inc consequence l-f}
nearly M when obliged 70 depend on then own internal
paupeI-u aud finally ended ia revolution ald cUulsct-
ZION It s believe. admitted ullus1phlc truth tlat
t same causes under the same clrcuIu stances VIII pro-
t.s effects. L-t us, lLeL, learn WISDOM from
"a. u ul n-IItauCs of others, ana MAKE l property
be.I Ife share VI ue common burdens. We VIII tAus
escape injustice. dishonesty and paupersIu as well ar
BY exeuPlug amy property from taxation, ana when
pcol. Do -l wrong they sure 60 end wrong. Let us
cOrst.- Itd take now departure before IL s TOO late
htu OT., Ieu. ~, 1873. -