Arizona weekly citizen., 1895-03-02
Taxation of Church Property.

ED. CITIzEE;-
 Kindly allow me space for brie statement relative to the petition to TaI Church Property, and your editorial up on the same. 1 hope the proposed measure will not become law; but if il does we will pay our taxes and still con, tinue to shout and work for the Terri tory of Arizona.
 Let it be that the Presbyterian Church owne s94, ,S69O67, in property; Why should you tax it? IL yields no in. come, or next to none. If any one of my fellow ownsmen IS disposed to dispute ! this, let him tell where the property Is located, and how much It yields. AL most the entire amount is in buildings, Manses. Colleges, Seminaries, Schools, Hospitals, Asylums, etc.
 These 94 millions of dollars have not been invested in the expectation that | they would yield a pecunIary return to any man, or body of men. The salaries that are paid out annually in carrying on the work of the church are not de- rived in any part thereof from this pro perty.
 They are obtained in voluntary con- tribntions. This is poips that IS per- sIstantly overlooked. Men are ali the while saying to us, "A lot of you men are gettiug your liveng out of thIs in- vestment," It Is not true. l repeat it, the annual expenses of our church are met by voluntary contributions.
 Ag-in l must insist that the church is public institution in the sense that it exists for the good of the public. Our friends who are so eager to tax church property perslstently overlook this fact, or dispute 1t. The American colonies could boast of nine colleges on the breaking out of the war of independ- ence. They were William and Mary, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Kings (nOw Columbia) the college of Pennsylvania. Brown university, Queens (uox Rutge) and Dartmouth. Without a single exception these were church ln- s,itutions.
 The churches have gone on in the work of education from that day to this. It would be interesting to ksow what proportion of the citizens of Arizona, aho enjoyed a college education obtaIn ed 1t in institutions founded by the various churches.
 Furthermore this investment of 94 millions becomes annually the means of raising four millions of dollars which are expended in various kinds of benevo- lent work. More than S600,0O0 goes annually to the work of education direct. We have not only joined hands with the state on behalf Of Indian edu- cation; but also among the reylected of our own population. Twenty-twO schools exist, and seventy one teachers are engaged in the mountains of east Tennessee, North Carolina and Ken lucky. 1 give you this simply IS ample.
 Again the ~eOple who have already con tributed this 94 millions are following it annually with IA millions more to teach our countrymen that the end of an honorable life is to walk in integrity with God and do good to our fellowmen.
 Take an illustration of the manner in which the proposed measure would ef- feet the church. You pay taxes for an appropriation of S50,000 for buildings for an Indian school at Phoenix. You tax yourselves 5000 annually to SUD- port It. lou ICllOW G0lS WlIH Dy the protection of law of which a great deal IS made.
 Our church comes ts Tucson. We put up our own buildings. We pro- vide for current expenses. Our work Is above board. We are honestly trying u do for our Indian wards just what your own school at Phoenix IS doing. It has saved the tax payers of the county s25,- 900 for buildings. It is saving that cum in current expenses to you. Yet you say to us. i've ought not to afford 10 you the protection of the law pnless we tax your property"
 Iu conclus,on: I have moved within & very narrow range. I have tried to be brief. There is much that is perti- uent that I would like to say, sons part of which I believe would be new to many whose names appear on the peti- tion above referred to.
 hereby challenge any one, or more, who is supporting that measure to an honorable. manly and kindly discussion of the proposition at such time and place in Tucson as may be agreed upon.
 HOWARD BILLMAN.