New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-18


into existence.
TIE MRTuoDIsTs.
AS the Methodist Episcopal denomination includes far
more members than any other in the United states. the
subject OF church taxation made an the
baiot-box. this denomination would leading in
huence ON the result According the Of 1870,
the Methodist Episcopal Church OF the United States
owned property valued al sos. s54 121 which almost
SlOO0oooO than the whole property of the
Catholics at that time Sl6.OOO.OO0 than the prop
cry OF the Presbyterians aud S2s 100000 than
the property OF ths ifptis,s
North, which owns nyesiyhs OF all the property of this
denomination IN The country, show that the value Of ts
church edces increased almost threeold IN the period
OF MS ereatest prosperity from lsdO 10 ls9O In lsJs
It's church edhces we're va ued AZ Slo,-226lO and ia
Nauet at slS.55=,O54 ami parronages al r2,6633ls
show ina an increase IN year ~ ths period of ~72S
thar ti rsto of increase rani,llv ar,,oeSfeT
ana thc pars"nages at G-622JO; IN 1870 tine church
edlaets We're valued az s526l43Sl and the parsonage-
te churches, and 431,2S3 on Che par-onagcs That
the yearly increase has been Diminished dignity since
1870 Is shown by the statistics Of recent years
In ST. the churches Were valued al S66332,5sO ana
the parsonage at $s,j42.j54 In 1873 the churches az
S6s,-se SD and the arsOuages at s9.6Ot23U making
an increase Of - 9JG35 on the churches aud SlU6l 600
ON the parsonages IL seen THAI while the yearly rate
of increase in the valuation Of the edoes of the church
10y new investments appears 10 have been diminished
par,onages was more than doubled. II is within the
erty of the Methodist Episcopal Church IN 1850 Will
amount 10 at least Sl00,oJJ000.
in 1873, the richer Conferences Of the Church held
property follows; NcwIor6, S3.954,0O0; New-Yors
East, Nleh mglldos BrooAiyH, eASs5,yo0; Pmladri-
pa, 5000; Conference "a Pittsburgh f2cJ-ouo;
conference OF Rock River. MLieh lhend.s Nh,Hs1'
Cincinnati, including a quarter oi ONO, rl.-s-,-OJ
The Rev Or. Curry eitor OF Jhe CtrjsilGH Adrocqtc,
Methodist cer symen, m conversation with TRIBUNE
reporter SAID that IN common I'm the -Ject OF secular
@g.t Lp Ind
Thought and conquered fuzzy ~ the views advanced hy
the President ON botl topics particularly iu regard "a
from tue message: woud suggest TIE taxation of all
property equally. whether c1urch corporation,
exrmptius ON the last resting place of the dead.
and possibly, with proper restrictions, cilIch
edldces' AJl the President los sumlnar}
had recommended taxation OF all church property.
Dr Curry was not prepared 10 1c4nes,e ln
tnat extreme position, although he aekncM lgse'i ti
within certain limit, colerc cations W it'le mocy IA
property of congregations Owning CHURCHES ana catae-
worth two millions ~ church cCucts were
exempt re thought that maorlyO OF hetlO.sis would
not bee pa favor oi taxing "hhts ured Tor p"Ou' "o-
ship They might 5cquVscc I'D the taxation ol all ol"ei
were taxed he burden would he greater tan many
Methodist congregations could carry. lie fr4Hghncitd
some time 40. and voted down because many con
gregauuus eDud NOT exist tlelr property were taxed
Be tlslt nat 95 pei cit II the church property of
the country would he exempt on the principle oi exempt
, t drr ii,tI - I'M Inc rpca-,e wa. fro, a. class
Ielt r v.,s5 number oil way- in nich proprt Is can
.enucr. uuproductye. Brotherloods and 1sjcrhcod,
ana uhilrale- thought might Dec exempted D. the, re-
uCyeo tic puaIu ot Iaucrism sometimes Ac icll tndt
could favor genera. and sweeping taxation. LIST SUN
he met English cnuIchhan lu London "ud asked
him t Doe ga Not ,ihk me vast church e."w ntn's ID
tn--ud we're am INJURY % ne chuicn ihr Ltri many
.coH lodged tla, lac Thought t'y were, aud that lnc
u4-u Cuurcn would DC better ior it Il they were al
wiped out
THE BAPUsTs
Ia the OF 1870 The Bapts Of the country stand
fourth in respect OF their church property,
which is estimated at S416osl9s. The denomination
Itself has not heretofore gathered statistics OF tins kind
and impossible ascertain accurately the value OF t
properly at the present time. indications OF fee
growing prosperity may De- gathered from tho fact thai
10 500 the denomination owned 1920 churches and in
cIaacl 01G l3i members. In ls73 the churches Num-
bored 4054C and the membership I.G33,JjJ' and the
rate ~ increase is believed 10 he steadily auneutng An
officer the denomination sad That there was differ
opinion IN the denomination de To Inc justice aAd
rNptG.tury of t1uItu ttNdfon .
Baptist church holds very strong and decided views con
corning cAIch taxation IN conversation van, q /.
ne o o, ,.' 80, Inc sl,ii.ct of tseins uptaNed
cLuc IroI crty Cor IN one part of hls nc>si &c e ee
' ~, M, o,iy he Ii.t resting
church. edIces; and IA another part, that d church
property -la.l bear its own proportion OF taxa |
non Here lie seems TO iuclude church eIlc.s |
with the rest. Ny first objection to his proposition D.
that he calls The attention OF 'ooeres To TINS proposed
taxaou. and deems d Of vital importance ilai AZ .
- -es- thc state, SHAH bt required g" declare iHt
an church property -lii oe ago. N,i''s -,', m
mo- ifgu o neriee WIN tle question "ar Nay oi , Ae'
uulcss ch0oses TO impose iaA ui"n chuit property iDf
the support Of Inc General 'ol cram hl ~ iii-. .',
of question even whether Congress had umt power OF
not That woum depend -omcN What upon TIE n'e 10.
In The article prohibiting established religion.
II free exercise has me same si-n.l i,..,5
as the term ,iret uddt' Hads "i t1
ayaou then the Constitution does not admit Of church
properly being taxed at an Bat that Coh-iess '., no
power require tAe states to impose tax don cLuich
property enough, ANA yet Tie fresd u ASSUMES
erty Tor their o"n Use az ,taeS. VINO ever ue'Iu
that Aad right To- require the states 70 TAX
e states " nat they sail nOt tT - IN the
CASE o. Ded states bonds. out who eyer Gea beioco
dlt't'e ~ ll-o , ~ f'r a. iIii1.. NUM-
If Congress chooses o. tax church property Io tctlH
purposes worth thinking about hul oi III 70 -suhe
tnlI own i' he .fls ia tlX rb.ire1 property IS
- NJ =, ia t,r ,ropositiiu ol the President because lac
Irs Ia Adoption upon a false assumption. de ASSUMES
~ ISIS is about SIOuU,OOO,0OO, ANA prOphe-
s1.s mat in 1890 IL VII be S3COO.UOO,- /
600 Now. the assumption that the dH lA'd
church property reaches tese figures IS purely n ta
ous In some II the States church property Is taxed
now including cnurci ell iccs. La New-l ORR al church
property lands. HOUSES ind stores pa 'oht2e
etc is taxed while church cahce- are eAenpel AN
sure II would be difficult 70 snow That twenty millions OF
church property are cAemplcih chttcH c'.,nvo9 49,
luded LEI the President gave Us thc lsuIcs. lldN'f
O all cluIcn lDcflN exec ptlhs ctIIot4i'
houses of public worship, and sucH chIch Institutions 40
tr NOR nun Tor a. fiscal revenue, ana icud 10 diminish
uer,U bv caring persons WHO otherwise would De
thrown upon the public for support
TIE ROMAN CATHOLICS.
The property Of the Roman Catholic Church IN The
diocese OF New YORK Is estimated By one OF It's most
prominent clergymcn at S50OoO0O. This is only !
an estimate IL covers church ediGces and the ground
nm which they stand converts, theological semDaries
colleges asylums and some other property Tie paro
cal schools asyums Tor the nrn and for charitable
,,,-,,...s AND educational establishments are exempt