, 1875-12-23

Opinion nt Il Clergyman.


Tho Ros. Thomas Tanoll, OF New York, written
M follows to tho IriIHHe al that city, in favor
ot taxing church property tho Batuo na oil othor
property:
IL tho Ei':ar nf ihc Nt,a Fort Ttfbnna:
II Ill real estate. of every kind, md no matter
to whom belonging, hatl to pay ts1oa a,,l
motifs. Erea. gnul wonla bo accomplished. 1t
would mako church corpotatsola mud other cot
porAte bodies 4 most excellent Vigilance Com
nlittoo oscrtho taxation Of property: ThotO nro
no moro hlrewd, energetic and vigi1nns 1IelI,
wl.nro tlloir owu interests mo coucorued. than
thoy arr. II they bnd to pay tsxoa thoy would
oois aFtcr taSatle;,, md taho caro- thut
it was. mt unjust Or excessive. They
would ho exposed to rxtravaEauk md tH-
hunest expenditure Of tnh.c 'uo.oy. They
wond inslht TN honesty and ECONOMY. md IT tho
| public money should DO Bsolon tho churches
would ring with dcnnncthtlonH, and tho best men
IN lilo community wouId bn up In nrgns a8ainBt
| tl,inyes. Now tl,oy aro sIlent or indifferent, be-
cu,lao their poorer nelgh'ors, who probnbly nov
ontored their churches, hayo to pay tAotr INK
os for tbcm, while onr big-iicnrtca, genorouB
! ablted to .lo 10. OF course. thoy nryrr expect
any rcturn FOR thor generosity at othor pcupa'a
| e1ponso.
| Whether 1t is an unjust act to mako onn por-
tton of tho community pay tho taxos OF another,
/ world not hko to decide. It certainly looks
unjust. To mako IL man pay for thiiiY tlo nos-
Or ,sEcB. autl from which ho derives III bonelit
looks like Injustice, II ioos like wrung, 10 ukp
aAo POUf HUH M5tp H0fEA AuNh kuO luAUif VI
cuaiiiun iu rich church nay tho taxes OF tho
rich man who enjoys LtH oaAe, rospectabtllty,
| md pety in aucIl rlaccs II 1t II wrong, IL
should DO re6reHho1 as aoon M possible. II Por-
astod IN, not only present evils, but OWLS u the
future, wiil como upon tho rropolsy-ownors. 1t
! IL haid that cMrsoS, like ch,ckenH como home to
raost; 10 do wrong and injustice of oyoEy kind
como homo, sooner or later. to roost on tho per-
petraterH. LII my opinion tho rights nf property
| arc worry sacred. llayo n groat respect for
| thcn1. But tho duticH OF property ought to 10
also saored and equally respected. beliuvo
that property has ia duties M w9ll hB its rsshtH,
| and tf tho dificB arc not sacred and performed,
tic rights will not long 10 respected nor Hccrro.
II nj! property had to bear ts shIro OF taxntiotr,
tta rights to probation would !o better secured,
for no ono wishes TO inJuto what l,oIps
exempt tho property of any portion Of tho conl-
| 1n,,nity from tRaation the rcHt must pAy ILL.,
csenscd tnxes, and bear hearlor burden. And
rcnombor that it Ii often tloHo who hayo no III
| taroat In tho excepted property, aud who doriyo
ITO benefit from it whatever, TINT haSo to I,ay the
| taxos OF .heir nciglihprn.
Bes!dos, the exemption Of certain property
| from taxation has q tendency to make tito matl-
| ngolB of chuEcneh aud other institutions Mcguire
and hold rnprodnctive more property than Ia
Necessary for tom, thus inere nslug uso!eaHly the
burtlcns of the community. II they had to my
taxes like otlle's they would hold only
It in y productive condition. Tho B:alo
will aoi tho property OF its citixoaa
| for uotl-naJnent Of taxes, anu after q certain
time give q valid title to tho purchaser. No one
questions tho right Of tue state to do 50. We'll,
tLos. il ono portion Ut tho community pays for
o certain nunlbcr Of Years the taxes OF puotller
portion. is 1t not virtually the owner OF tho OK
exempted nropurty? And may It not III Justice
donand 1t Z This IL serious Wow to take uf
taxation. But tic question tB, III 1t not oTnttY?
Anyhow, It alaa often Iea to cpntlaeutioD, which
il nlwayH demoraztng. and ought II possible to
bo avoldod. Tho stass. Ike our politicians, has
sSiI {1I NJ I'm tfasfn
gEoat show OF 'ibrrall.y BY oxompting vast
amount Of property from ta1atlon. Tut
1t cndod Ia bankruptcy, poverty u tho
people. and contlHcalon. In avoid auch
ought to bo equally taxed, ContRcaton IL
wnstcful aud dsn,oraiiziug. II IL fruitful of
ondIcsH litigation; and spreads strife and bitsor
latfed among tho poop1c for generations.
Tho exemption Of somo property from tax
alton nccessitatus high ratio Ut taxation OIL 9th
sr proportY CAUSES hiSIl rants, mud dear Moans
OF living for tho laboEtng cassoa mud ultimately
leads to paupcrisu. with which they I,aYe been
| cursed In tho Old World, and from which 80 will
not escape II NO Gre not wiao III time. Il ID said
that In sotno countries Of the OLD World ono
fourth OF tho property Of tho realm, III otlera
one-thlrd. and in nthofs one-hhlf, was oxompt
from taxation. What WaH tho consequence ?
They nearly al!, when Obliged 10 depend on tl.olr
own internat 1osourceH, canlo 10 bankruptcy,
poverty OF tho tr,aHHes, pauPeTisin aud finally
oNtad in revolution and oontiscati0n. It IT,
Ha1no causos under tho Batuo circumstances will
produce tho same e!fecn. Lat liz. then, learn
wisdom from thu folly aud mlsfortuooa Of otlsoss
and mako al property bear ts share Of the com:
mon burdens. Wo will thus escape injustice
di1lonesty. and paupcFisil. al vol! ~ revolution
and co1,tlscntion. We Laro commenced wrong
by oAcmpt,,lg any property from taxation; acd
wlsca peanle tlegtn wsonE they sre sure to end
wrong. Let uH cu1.Atdcr, aud tahe . now depart.
ure beforo it /, too lato.
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