New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-19

ton. while England and the rest OF Europe VIII De
mented purchasing power of those things which
natural and acquired advantages enable them TO
produce better than as yet. Hasten the
day! f.. B. III
Yonkers, n. Y. Jan. 10. 1895.
NEED OF TAXING CHUAOH PROPERTY.
EXEMPTION CHARACTERIZED AS AN INCREASING
DANGER TO THE STATE
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir 1t is gratifying to notice In your article
entitled Taxing Church Property in Wiscon-
sim in last Sundays issue. that sew
eral ministers in that State have expressed them
selves in favor Ito a certain degree) OF the taxa
ton of church property. and that most OF the
clergy OF Wisconsin appear to think that puphc
opinion demands the passage of law of some
sort taxing church property"
1t is gratifying because 1t would be but an act
OF justice. The injustice of exempt!ng church
property from taxation may be illustrated by sup
posing that the property Of certain community
IL owned. one half by church corporation and the
other half by an individual (he may be Roman
ist Protestant. Hebrew Agnos,c). We Will
suppose it necessary that the sum Of $1,000 be
raised by taxation II the property be equitaby
taxed the Church and the individual pay one half
IS 900 each But II the church is exempted from
taxation then of course, tho full burden Of taxa
ton falls on the individual and ne IS compelled TO
pay the whole tax G00OO
There is no difference whatever as 10 "hether our
legislators openly donate much OF the public
money every year for the support OF the churches
or whether such churches are exempted by egis-
lative action from the operation OF general tax
law Either act is rot only Unjust, out uhcon-
stltutiona-the ore directly and the other Indirect
ly Soft it be true the late Judge story, OF the
Supreme Court of the United states, says. that 1t
Is unconstitutional for any one to ne 'oHnpeiiea
to support any place OF worship or maintain any
ministry against his consent" Thomas Jefferson
says: 1T is wicked and tyrdnnical to Compel any
man 10 support religion In when ne GOES hot oe-
lieve The exemption of church property from
taxation Is but phase OF violation oil the prl-
cple Of separation Of Church and state; "hlch
principle is the cornerstone of the Republic
Washington. Franklin Hamilton. Madison and
Paine were most pronounced in condemnation of
any violation of this principle
President Garfield said: The divorce between
Church and State should be so absolute that no
church property any where in any State, or IN
the Nation. should be exempt from equal taxa
ton James Parton speaks or tine ihhhlte
wrong of taxing a workngmans home 10 its full
value and letting a 100000 cathedral go tax
free" The Rev DR. Shipman Of Christ Churcn'
says: THAT which Is protected by the govern
ment may justly be compelled to MAINTAIN IT,
would like to all church property
throughout the land taxed to the last uo'ai
worth"
Similar utterances have been made by many
other of the clergy. The Independent and many
others OF the religious press have adyocateo 'he
taxation OF church property. The Bapusts oi
this country have been more outspoken than any
other denomination OF Orthodox Chrisuahhs ~,
ss sUr Oh TIM rne Bappist Preachers Association OF
Baltimore not long since voted III FAVOR Oh '""'"s
The Jarvis Street Baptist Church, OF Toronto,
recently adopted n resolution against the exemption
trary to the principle which ought to regulate the
relation OF the State to all ecciesiastica ooueS'
saws The Christian Statesman. .,.,
States according d to ,s The o Rey s se s o in
$50 s3 cco co., according to Samuel Roberts Of the
Iincs Social science Club in 1880 $40 90 eoG; ac-
in 1880 81 5oOooOoo; and General Grants estimate
was for 1900. 50 00o. 100000 ,.
property about doubles decemnally; 80 that we
may expect at the above rate OF inerease 10 see
nropertv in this country reached In 1850, and per-
haps 100000 10000 within the lifetime OF many
Are not these figures appalling? Are they NOT
alarming? DO they not er tHrh in ne the history OF
the world when a remedy was found Tor tne m
Justice of Government support 10 rne from tax
atom thus increasing the holdings Of the Church
In The Tribune of February. 1873, is commu-
monncng the wrong to the non-exempt by the ex,
emption from taxation OF church properly, Win
General Grant says Such vast amount OF un,
taxed property. receiving all the protection ana
benents OF the Government without bearing its
proportion Of the burdens and expenses Of the n,
same. viii not be looked upon acquiescently by
those who have TO pay the taxes; and II per.
mitted to continue will probably lead 70 , spea a,
trouble in our land. perhaps before the close OF
The nineteenth century-possbly OF sequestatoh,
without Constitutional authority ana through
blood" x, ,.,,o,,,,or ,uo
AT the beginning of the French Revolution Two
afths IN quantity and more than one-half IN value
OF the real property in France belonged 10 me
church What the consequence PAM
ruptcv pauperlsm and finally revolution ana con-
nscation 1t is a philosophical truth that tne
sam causes Under the same circumstances VIII
produce the same effects Let us then learn WIS
dom from the folly OF others ana make All prop,
ertv hear its share Of the common burdens ana
thus escape injustice. dishonesty. paupersn reT TO-
luton and couhscation We commenced wrong ny
exempting any property from taxation. LEI Us
take a new departure. before IL IS 100 idte'
James Parton. - e.a.o. ,,htoh hoe
california is the only Of our states when mas
had the courage and the honesty TO tax all plop-
ertv eauably. May we hope that the seiiti ,s
~ iustce may so prevail that ere long every other
STATE in the Union will emulate the worthy eX-
ample of the Golden state :, r.prp
New-York. Jan. g. 1885.