Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-11-01
CHURCH TAX. .xo.r
EDITOR PosT-INrELLlaxxcER:

EDITOR observation-disclosures:
As the taxation of church property is
one Of the issues to be voted upon at
the approaching election, / desire to
present to my fellow citizens few con-
alterations relative to the question pre-
sented. First, would enquire what Ia
expected TO he gained by taxing church
property, (that is to say, the building
and the lot upon which it stands, as
none of the religious congregations de-
sire further exoeption)? Now, as rea-
son for multiplying our educational in.
situations, it is urged that by multiply
ing school houses the number of jails
for criminals will be lessened, as it is
urged with increase of education crime
will be lessened. This is not exactly
the truth stated as il the mind Is edu-
GATED and the heart left uneducated, you
will not diminish the number of crimi-
nails by simply educating them from
chicken thieves to betrayers of public
trust and oounterfeiters. But not to
debate this point, will state what ia
claimed TOR our educational institutions
can be truly claimed for ohurches-the
teachers Of morality. Il is when moral
ity in q community increases that crime
diminishea, and Woe versa. So the
question is, whether the few hundred
dollars gained to the city or Territory
will equal in amount the money re-
quired for the erection of jails and PEN
itentiaries, and the maintenance of
their inmates 1.-THE criminal class).
And bear ia mind this tax ON church
buildings will never reach q sem wor-
thy of consideration by the State, for
the reason that there will be built no fine
church edifices while this tar ia exces-
sive ne fine brick or stone churches
will adorn the city, but only, az now,
cheap wooden edifices, suitable for
small town or village. bat nowise credi-
BILE TO a city like Seattle, much less for
the metropolitan city in time to come,
a. brick blocks and fine residences are
multiplied. Why 10 it that the picteri-
ais OF the West Shore representing our
city, whilst showing fine business
houses, palatial hotels and private resi-
dences, contains no representation Of
church building? And the answer,
which should cause Christian residents
of the city to blush, Ia that the city con-
tains not church worthy of represen-
ton. What idea 10 this fact to convey
TO people abroad--a CITY of no church Is,
or none worth representing. Look at
our fine school houses. buildings that
adorn the city. whilst none but cheap
village churches are TO be seen, or will
ever be seen, whilst this foolish and nm.
Just tax Is the law. Unjust, say, for
where 10 the Justice of taxing morality
and charity2 People contribute the
money to the erection of churches, and
then are taxed on their gifts of charity
for holy purpose, for certainly houses
erected in honor Of. and for the worship
OF God, 10 for pious purpose bat for
those in our midst who care not fer re-
ligion, present other considerations.
They, at least, take some pride in the
appearance OF our city. Will they not
confess that fine churches and cathe-
drals, that but for this tar will some
time in the near future be erected,
would certainly greatly improve the ap
pesrance of our city Then take into
consideration the employment Of labor
and consumption of building material
that would be required to erect such
church buildings, and all can but con-
fess that the benefit would be general,
and not coBfiued TO religious conQrega-
tons. hops the few lines I have
penned will afford food for thought and
reflection 10 your many readers, and
that Seattle will at least give to the
question of church property tax-yes-|
No-a most EMPHATIC No. Look close
to your ballot, and nee that 10 is plainly
written thereon church tax No.
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