Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-02-21

a spiritual factor or element in the
state life; and this is stamped upon our
national character, life and history.
In her eyes she regards, and goes upon
the theory, that her people are Chris
tian people and that her sons and
daughters are born In Christian, not a
heather land. If this is not the case
why do we have Thanksgiving day?
Why do we have Sunday laws? Why
do we have chaplains in our army and
navy, and in the halls of congress, and
legislatures? What do these things
indicate, If not national conscience,
and the divine order of state? And,
what does this church tax indicate If
not the going back upon the tradi-
tions Of our country--if not the denial
of the religious element in our nation
al character? If not that, st. Paul was
wrong when he wrote, 1.-THE powers
THAT he are ordained Of God"
The state is sacred because it is so
ordained; and because 1t comes of the
will Of God the anarchist and the rebel
should have no quarters in our borders.
In our Judgment, then this church tax
upon the religious element in the state,
indirectly at least, not only binders its
growth and development. but pro-
clans the fact that the state is u pure
ly secular and goddess institution;
which we deny, in view of st Paul's
statement and the traditions and Gus
toms Of our own country. If this is
not the case we see no reason for keep
ing on our statute books our Sunday
laws. The same reasons and logic
that leads up to this idea Of n church
tax would abolish these laws and
would place state royalty upon every
Bible, church service book, and hym-
nal. IT the state is no longer II
respoctcr Of its religious character we
do not see why these things in the
natural order Of development may not
come to pass; and further that every
preacher should be compelled to pay u
yearly license Of some fifty dollars or
more. For what right has he under
such conditions to cry his spiritual
sale without paying for its privileges
to the state. This would be the
foreigner paying the tax; for nothing
under these conditions would be more
foreign to the state life than these
spiritual matters. In some states at
least 1--WE are not speaking Of Wiscon-
sim these thing may come to pass.
South Dakota and Illinois are both
mourncrs over dishonest treasurers 49,
one II fugitive from Justice, the other
IVY lhHldli tDilIlh, ttlN tttbll ~ ut-
u utter to the amount of some s 100000
And what are these states going to do
about it. 1t may be that they will try
to make up the loss by taxing that
which alone can make man honest.
For If Christian principles will not
make men honest, what will? win the
motto, Honesty is the best policy"
No doubt these treasurers acted upon
this, and when they wanted the money
badly, they said it was not the best
policy; and they helped themselves.
win driving out of the divine element
in our state life help? win this bring
back the old timed honesty which pre-,
vailed when the voice Of the anarchist
and of the rebel was not heard in the
land, and we were true to the tradi.
lions and faith Of our furefathers the
ones who in the fear of God planted
these colonies and stamped their high
tone character upon our national life?