The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-13
flor the Dispateh.l
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yEao TAXATION o. Stautch EA0PGEsS Sc
raises very delicate question--deIicate be-
cause Ii seems to be opposed to the interest 0!
very delicate and sensitive people, some OF
whom are inclined to look upon those who
appear to oppose them Us opposed TO Him
whose people they profess 70 be, ard are ir,-
esined TO think that all who are not of them
are against them; consequently he VINO has
the audaeity to proclaim views In favor OF.
taxing church property must expect 10 oe
consigned 70 The farther end OF the nroao
road by the policy class Of church people.
But property is the basis OF taxation Wnether
sonrce az revenue or not "a Taxpayers opin-
ion. in your Saturdays paper. to the COM
frssy Notwithstanding, and nothing short OF
a special and partial law can exempt any spe-
cies OF property from bearing its proportion
of The expense Of Government profession.
Accordingly, special law has been enacted
70 exempt all church property, and submit
ted to by all other institutions SO long that It
appears like persecution 10 talk about repeal
ing that law, or even to modify it by taxing
all over two thousand dollars.
Ga Taxpayer" seems to think that
church property should not be taxed because
il belongs to no one in particular, Or brings
in any income to any one, and Is no credit to
any one. II the special law wss repealed,
and measures taken 10 collect nonresident
taxes, an owner would be discovered that
would be ready to bid on the property. II
property was taxed according to the pecu.
mary income from IL there would be but III.
tie taxabie property in Virginia at present.
ALI the farmers houses-in fact, all dwell
ings In cities occupied by the owDers-wouId
be free, with all the Ornamental! and unculti.
waited lands, all the diamonds, silver-paee,
jewelry, pictures. pianos, with all other nu-
steal instruments, furniture, pleaSure.car'
riages and horses. &C., DC. Many. Oh the
farms at present are no pecuniary beneht 10
the owners, as the produce will not pay ZOE
the labor expended on it.. Some o. them
cannot be sold for the taxes. This is we'll
knows fact, which speaks very plain to every
patriot, whether be be interested IN church
property or not. All are alike Interested in
saving the country from repudiation, as well
as the souls of the people from peldition;
for O true Yirginian could not be happy IN
heaven il he had to hail from disgraced
country.
There is another view Of this question. A
special law exemptipg church property from
taxation smells OF Church and State-one OF
the odious things that weaDed Us from the
mother country. This law is wedge, well
entered, better calculated to split republic
filed with corrupt politicians than any other
form of government. This is one reason
why it should be repealed. Another is, the
churches are looked upon by outsiders who
feel aggrieyed by the law as responsible for
it, when, will venture to say, that whoever
is familiar with the history of its origin knows
that it was got up BY demagogues outside OF
the church, and supported By those who did
not wish to appear opposed to so large and
respectable class of people. But there is
large class of the best Christians in the
churches who prefer not TO be under obl-
CATIONS to the politicians. They would rather
rely on the Word Of God, which says: "Trust
in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou
dwell 10 the land, and verify thou shalt be
fed"
The fanatics and hypocrites, who are only
parasites on the churches that can flourish
on nothing less than the Tree OF Lille, will be
found garrulous against taxing church pro-
perty, and perhaps some well.meaning Chris.
tians may differ Oh the subject. ~
"a Taxpayer" says ga vast majority OF
church. members in Virginia are poor men-
sons of toll" The same may be said OF those
not mem bers, who have nothing to rely on
but their toll; whereas David says: 81 have
been young, AID now am OLD, yet nave mol
seen the righteous forsaken, or their seed
begging bread?' The true Christians, there
fore, in their security from want, will not
envy the ungodly poor in their freedom from
the care of church property, but will cheer
fully &C; as agents OF The Lord Gf they pre-
fer not to call il their wu property land pay
the tax on it out of pity, instead OF hartor-
ing q feeling Of wrong towards the poor
indeed! ANOTHER TAX PAYER.