The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-28
Tu,ing Church Property.

1t Is not very long since number OF
newspapers, the lNTELLIGENCER among
them, began the discussion as to whether
such vast and increasing amount Of
property as il now held, in one shape and
another, by church corporations, should
be exempted from taxation. This dis
cu.sion very soon attracted widespread
attention, and ELECTED responses, in the
form Of communications from the people,
tlnl'soon male manifest the fact TINT there
wN deep seated popular aversion 10
any Mcl, wholesale exemption Of property
from taxation. The President Of the
United States sagaciouSly Discerning this
popular feeling, struck responsive
chord whcnin his late meSSage,he 'leclar.
ed against this Wholesale exception and
in favor Of taxation. Since the agitation
commenced with here and there an
exception, nearly all our exchanges have
arrayed themselves on the same side
with the President. A recent article In
the New York Tribune shows That tile
value Of church property in that city Ia
oslollOws! Protestant Episcopal, $7,50O,-
OOO; Roman Catholic, $5,lOO,OOO; Presby.
lerian, Sl,5jO,OOO; Reformed, $9,32O, 900;
Methodist Episcopal, $9,lGl,5OO; Baptist,
$l7Oj,OOOt Hebrew, Sl,545,OOO; all other
denominations, $3,6ls,5OO; making Il total
SSSOO,OO0 invested in church edihCes in
New York city alone. The whole church
property Of the city Il said to he worth
from SSO,OOO,OOO to $9O,OOOOOO.
lnan article read by James Parton lie.
lore the "FrCe Religious Association" Of
Ne York, in 1879, on the subject Of tax
Ing church properly, the speaker, who
probably reflected the views Of that body,
opposed all exemptions, and in the course
Of hi' remarks said that before the
French revolution two acres out Of five
Ia all France belonged to the church.
The church was so good judge Of land
that in Il large number Of parishes the
chnrhs two acres were worth more than
the peoples three. England waS in
like condition before Henry VIII. broke
nPthe ecclesiastical institutions and Secu-
lA'ited their rroperty-that il, stopped
eSempting it from taxation.
The Methodist Episcopal denomina-
sion includes far more members than any
other in the United States, and Ia 1870
owned property valued at $G9,s6l,l2l,
which was almost $lO,OOO,OOO more than
The whole property OF the Roman CaIho.
lies at that time, $lG,OOO,OOO more than
tho property Of the PtesbyLeriuhs, and
%SOOO,OOO more than the property Of
The BAptists. The Rev. Dr.. Curry, editor
oil the Christian Adrotaie, who ia conver.
'ant with the prevailing opinion among
Methodist Clergymen, heartily concurs
with the President In his belief that
ehntch property, excepting cemeteries
and possibly church ediGces, should be
taxed, but Is not prepared to say that in
hi' opinion all church property should
pay for its protection.
The Baptisls, in 1870, according to the
census, owned property to the amount Of
NlBOS,l0s The Rev. Dr.. Armitage, Of
New York, leading clergyman Of this
denomination, iavOrS the taxation Of all
church property excepting cemeteries,
houses otpublic worship,and such church
Institutions rs are not run for a fiscal
revenue, and tend TO diminish pauper.
Ism by caring for persons who otherwise
would he thrown upon The public for sup.
port.
Roman Catholic church property in
lsIOwascstimated at $0O,0s5,550. Promi.
ocnt clcrgymen Of that denomination Op.
pose the taxation in question, holding aS
arnlc that this il matter for the States
TO decide.
The Congrcgationalists in 1870 owned
church property amounting to $26,069,-
C'S, Several prominent clergymen Oithis
denomination in New York have ex.
Pressed themselves in favor Of the Presi.
deNrs recommendation,