The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-01
An Able A. Sument ON the Question OF
Taking Chna ches, Colleges, dc.

Am Able A. gument ON the Question OF
Taking Chnl ches, Colleges, dc.
Tby President Flor, Of Harvard >Uptversityl]
: The reasons for treating these institutions
IN an exceptional, manner Is that (having no
selfish object in view or purpose of personal
I; Raip) they contribute TO the welfare of the
State. Their function is largely public
function. Their work Is done primarily,
indeed, fer individuals, but ultimately for
the public good. IL is not enough to say OF
churches ard colleges that they contrbuteto'
the welfare oil. q. State. They are necessary
10 the existence OF q free State. They form
mid mould the panic character, and that
public character Is the foundation Of every
thing which is precious in the State, in
Guiding even IT. material prosperity. Toede.-
yeaop noble human character is the end for
which States themselves exist, and civil
liberty is not good In itself, but only means
to that good end. The work OF churches
and iDsti u,ioLs OF education is. q direct
work upon human character. The ma
terlal prosperity of every improving COM
munity Is a fruit OF character; Tor IL 10 en-
ergetic, honest, and sensible men that make
PROSPEROUS business. and Dot prosperous
business that makes men. Who have built
I'D the manufactures and trade of this bleak
and sterile Massachusetts? A few men OF
singular ssgacity, Integrity, and courage,
backed by hundreds Of thousands OF men
and women of common intelligence and
: honesty The roots Of the prosperity are IN
: the, intelligence. coursge, and honesty Mas
: sachusetts to-day owes It's mental and moral
characteristics and it's wealth to eight gen.
erations of people who have loved and cher
ished church, school, and college. I'D,
~ Such 70 the .abst lutte necessity Of the pub
lie work which the institutions of religion,
education, and charity do that If the work
were ,not,d by these private societies tee
State Mould be compelled TO, carry it on
through its own agents, and at its own
charge. In all the civilized world there are
but two known ways Of supporting The
greet institutions Of religion, high education,
and public charity. The first and common
est way ID by direct annusl subsidies or APP
preparations by Goyernment5 the second
way Is BY means OF endowments. These
two methods may Of course be combined
An endo ~ment In this sense Is property,
once private, which has been consecrated
forever TO public uses. II in one generation
, group OF people subscribe to buy piece Of
hand, and :buid church thereon, that
church 4s so inalienable eude wIneht for the
beneGt of succeeding generations. 1t cannot
be diverted from religious uses or ever again
become private property. To tax
such eado wmentsisto reduce the good work
Cdone by them, and therefore to Increase the
work to be sdone by direct appropriation OF
-G0Yerknent money, unless the people are
willing to accept the alternative Of having
less work of the kind done. II the State
wants the w0ix done 1t has cut two a%erna-
y tives-itean do it itself or it can encourage
..and- help benevolent and pubaie-spirited in..
J LfxsS L. H. n 10 I'D rrnox,
Tue atsse argument 'in fsyor of the Eek.
.emption Of 4nstitntiops OF religion, edEca-i
rtiop, and charity 6aem taxation being conehl-i
ssfVe l6Iess it can be rebutted, I propose to.
consider successfully the VarioHs attenPtsi
asiiich have been made to repel orevsde it.
49, The drst objection which propose to con I
slider would be- expressed somewhat IN thisi
fashion by one who felt it,: "I admit thsts
chnrcbes, colleges, and hospitals are useful, /
and doznot wish to see their good work
diminished; but these Institutions get the 1
benefit OF schools, police, road, street-iamps. !
prisons, and ccourta, and should help to sup.
port tsiem; their. friends and supporters are |
generous, and will. more than make good |
what the ipstltHti0nsE aanaslbute to the city |
or. town expenasso The meaning of this /
suggestion is Just this: The body OF tax
payers Ia 9 gwen community having, through
She pablics spirit and generosity or q few oil
their Aumber, got rid OF one OF their princi-
pal shargess-natnely,s the support ,of thei
igs.itnttois q religion, high education, and
ehsrity.-propa2e 70 avoid pairing their full
proportion of che remainipg charges {gr
pahlfc purposes, ouch as schools roads |
pFasnEs, sod police. They propose, .hysssx
ing tie oins.tiutiosS which fhe tbenev cieBt
fswsesyb lished for the benefit OF the Whsis
bcdyS throw -upof1 thcsp saHe puptic-
spirited nod generous men an undue shane
sEfhs other public Cha tees. To state the
ssn6 thing .in another 70 Fn1 . 9heis are IA
Ihe ssRmanit3 common 4 .hsfgss, "a, BIC,
D, ard B. a has been prom ded Aerby AfeK
pirate persons at their owl = eost, ssd the
snrden OF .atheE tax.payers- ha : been TO that
extent iIghtened Z; thereupoH itA o ~. payers
Az & Let us take part of the NJ oIey which |
hsse men have given for A ana pse y, Tor
aeaSing charges b, G, d, sndE. On + friends
sho tded foe AtssWiii give sotnSs more
ar that psltp pose, and WE skali 'scaps
part OF our share OF sh8scossof psosi. tfng Ia
Or ID, sS,s 70, aud E.1 Il Ia st once apparent III
nat this 0pjectto both tIyQRieai and III
asss nIogicsi because d. ehaseh9sp pl)egss. III
% hospitals suDsefYs the highest pubic h.
Dss Lhefes5 no sreason f0p ulakIng them Hsl
otittbpis 4o ths fesl6E sptbllc chsfXe5 Iltl
% mean hsesttse q dsli bssaselS fenosss IL In