Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-12-23
The Taxation OF Church Property.

From he Chicago Tribune.
Tho President Ill his message has spoken ont
plainly upon tho subject OF the exemption OF
clutch property from taxation, and recon-
mends 'the taxation Of all property equally,
whether church or corporation, oxempting only
tho Last resting place Vt tho dead and with prop.
er restrictions. church ediiices." 1t 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 tho fact
that tile Presidents position is well taken. Ac-
cording to his figures. the church property in
tho United States in 1850 which paid no taxes
amounted to. Mt u verylow valuation, ?S3, OOO,-
900. In 1860, it had more than doubled This
year it is estimated at L00O 000, 900, and, If it
keeps on increasing without check, he estimates
that by the year 1900 it will reach a sum exceed
ing 81, COG, OO0 COO. We have not the data by
which to judge of tho correcvness Of the Presi.
dents figures, but the value OF untaxel eccle-
siastioal property is simply enormous 1t is at
least safe TO say-and no one will deny the
statemeht--thatt the amount Of church property in
the umtei States is increasing immensely every
year, and that all this vast property DAYS no tax
Its protection. The immensely of this property
may be realized by remembering what millions
it has cost to rebuild the church property in this
city destroyed by the lire OF 1871. There are
thousands of churches all over the country val.
ued all the way from $1,000 to s1,O0O,N6O A
$500, 900 church almost invariably stands upon a
SlOO,OOO lot, and the same proportion holds
with the smaller clutches. Every church in this
CITY was rebuilt after the fro larger, handsomer,
tendency OF all churches, as they
grow larger and moro powerful,
10 develop tho moneyed side, to
accumulate property, and to make display OF
wealth, and fashion, and ornament some
churches own only the ground upon which they
stafU ptnnrH l1ppL aud l,i.a
Trinity Church, of New York, hold heavy amounts
OF real and personal estate, and are, IN reality
large, rich, and powerful corporations, receiving
the protection and all tho benefits of government
winch other corporations have. witt cut bearing
Their Proportion of the expense OF that rrotec-
ton. This, of itself, is fragrant Injustice
to taxpayers, but this not all. The removal of
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 conn.
try would be deficient to that amount were it not
Tor the fact that this amount which the church
corporations do not pay il levied upon the
general community IN proportionate in
crease Of taxes. In other words, the
churches are dead heading" upon the tax
paying public, and tho church establishments
OF tho country are supported by taxation Of the
Whole people IN manner exactly equivalent
to church 1.-THE. Under such d condition of
things as this, 1t il 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 dsmoralizing. Thoie is no
reason either in law OF in common serse why
the people as 4 whole should be called upon to
protect tho church corporations, guarantee
them i'll their rith y, extend TO them tue pliyi-
eSes of accommodating wealth, and then be
compelled TO pay for it themselves. A church
corporation Las 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 portion he has taken.