The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-09
TRAVELLING FROM THE RECORD.

That paragraph of the Presidents message
which relates to the exemption from tax O
property belonging to church societies and
associations is mere political clap-trap. There
is no form Of church property that is subject
to United States tax; therefore it is not a mat
ter which in any way whatever concerns the
Federal government in any of its three great
departments, and least of all the Executive.
Whether church property is universally
taxed or whether it is universally exempt
from tax is question which does not in any
manner affect the Treasury of the United
States The information impaired is inter-
esting if true, but it has no more place in the
Presidents message than statistics from the
last census of the Chinese Empire. How
many bonds of the United States may be held
on this or the other side of the Atlantic by the
representatives of religious organizations we
do not know. II the President had COM
planned of the exemption of all such bonds
from taxation. including fully fifteen hundred
millions of dollars worth of United States
bonds which we know are not held by reli-
gious societies here and in Europe, ana
which we know are not taxed, we might take
the complaint as something else than the
efervoscent gas of an ambitious politician.
Grant know that Congress does not tax church
buildings, church appendages. or church
graveyards; what occasion had he, therefore,
in communication to Congress to refer to
this subject at all !? Illinois can If she plesses
exempt from tax any church property within
her borders; SO can Louisiana; SO can Massa-
chusetts; so can Maryland; so can California;
so can and do all these and all other States
But what has Congress to say about the mat
ter Simply nothing at all; it has nothing
whatsoever 70 do with it.
Citizens may be opposed to speculation in
charity, and property-holders who pay State
and municipal taxes may well complain when
they are underbid in the real estate market
by the low rents Of property which pays no
tax. The practice Of exemption may have
been carried too far-a m after which we are
not now canvassing-but whether wise or
foolish, whether Of good or bad result and |
bearing, the matter is for the consideration of |
The individual States. Congress can not legis-
late upon the matter in any way whatsoever
In stump speech in Missouri Gen. Grant,
f candidate for the Legislature, might have
injected the paragraph relating to taxing
,hurch property. If elected as q member OF
hat body he might introduce a bill repeating
III exemptions Of religious and chari-
able donations or other property held by
eligious societies except graveyards. The
MEASURE might be popular = and it might
lot. At least it would come with
n the sphere and functions Of the
aw-making and tax-imposing power Of the
State. But addressed to Congress it is mere
r,aun fasme,,, a manifesto to which that
,ody can make no response, empty declama-
ion, challenge sent to windmill Xerxes,
logging the stormy and turbulent sea, was
lot esteemed philosopher; but where shall
We class the candidate sor renewed Presiden-
ial honors who thunders before Congress on
subject entirely foreign to its sphere, its
unctions and its duties?