Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-21
The Taxation OF Church Property

From the Chicago Tribune.
The President in his message has spoken out
plainly upon the subject OF the exemption OF
church property from taxation, and recon-
mends "the taxation of all property equally,
whether church or corporation, exempting only
the last resting place of the dead, and with prop.
er restrictions, church edifces." It is pos
sible and altogether probable, that this
recommendation will excite opposition
among some OF the members OF
churches but this does not dispose of the fact
that the Presidents position il well taken. Ac-
cording to his figures, the church property in
the United States in 1850 which paid no taxes
amounted to, at very low valuation, S83, ,000,-
0O0 In 1860, it had more than doubled. This
year it ls estimated at I'll 000, 900, ,000 and, If it
Keeps on increasing without check, he estimates
that by the year 1900 it will reach sum exceed
ing SO, 900, 600, 600. We have not the data by
which to judge of the correctness of the Presi-
dents figures, but the value OF untaxed eccle-
siastlcal property is simply enormous. 1t is at
least safe to say-and no one will deny the
statement that the amount Of church property in
the United States il increasing immensely every
year, and that all this vast property pays no tax
its protection. Tho immensity of this property
may be realized by remembering what millions
it has cost to rebuild the church property in this
city destroyed by the fire Of 1871. There are
Thousands of churches all over the country val
ued all the way from $1,000 to $1,000, 900. A
1900, 900 church almost invariably atands upon b
100000 lot, and the same proportion holds
with the smaller churches. Every church in this
city was rebuilt after the fire larger, handsomer,
tendency OF all churches, they
grow larger and more powerful,
to develop the moneyed side. to
accumulate property, and TO make display of
wealth, and fashion, and ornament. Some
churches own only the ground upon which they
liz
Trinity Church, of New York, hold heavy amounts
of real and personal estate, and are, III reality,
large, rich, and powerful corporations, receiving
the protection and all the benefits of government
which other corporations have, without bearing
heir proportion of the expense of that protec-
ton. This, Of itself, is a aagrant injustice
to taxpayers, but this not ALL The removal oi
church property from the tax list to the free list
increases the burdens OF taxpayers ten millions
of dollars, and the general revenues of the coun-
try would be deficient to that amount were it not
for the fact that this amount which the church
corporations do not pay is levied upon the
general community in proportionate in
crease of taxes In other words, the
churches are Z" dead heading" upon the tax
paying public, and the church establishments
of the country are supported by taxation of the
whole people III manner exactly equivalent
to church tthe. Under such condition of
things rs this, it is for the interest of church
corporations to accumulate property beyond
their requirement, and, to enter into rivalry
of show and display with each other, the effect
OF which is always demoralizing. There is no
reason either in law or in common sense why
the people as whole should be called upon to
protect the church corporations, guarantee
them in their rights, extend to them the privi-
leges of accumulating wealth, and then be
compelled to pay for it themselves. A church
corporation has no more right to expect that
the people will pay it's taxes than railroad or
banking corporation and the President is sound
in the position he has taken.