The herald., 1895-01-20

Taxing Ohurohes.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD -
Dear Sir: Please give little space in
the columns. Of your paper 80 that a
reader may air HE opinions on the much
discussed church question.
Shall church property be exempt from
taxation? My answer is no. and my
reasons are the following: II should be
the earnest desire of every voter in
America that equal rights to all with
speoial privileges to none" be allowed
TO prevail without the slighteet regard
to lite consequences. For with equal
rights to all and special privileges to
none" there can be no wrong done. On
all sides our people are complaining OF
the inequalities that exist, and OF the
special privileges granted to few. Yet
we turn about and enact laws to the
effect that certain creeds and societies
shall Escape taxation. This ia morally
wrong and grossly unjust. and no intelli-
gent man who has looked into this
church question csn honestly say that a
good stiff tax would be wrong.
II we are going to allow church prop
srty TO escape taxation for the simple
fact that II is an organizer of morality
and purity In our midst, the time is not
far distant when this special privilege
will croate q national disoord that will
be hard to lull, and en- octopus will be
growing In our country that mey give
ne o. much conoern "a did the taxation
OF railroad in our last election.
Already hundreds of millions of dollars
are invested in church property that
Ia bringing in a handsome income, and
prominent people in our cities and met.
fopolitan districts arc aecumulating I'M
told wealth under the cloak of and in
the name OF the church. II this special
privilege ia continued end we enact
special laws to protect the same how
long will it be till ctizens will put their
property in the hands OF the church
that it may escape taxation7 In die.
trict in New York church owno 14S
tenement houses, bringing in large in
come, with no taxes to pay. Has the
church gone into business on its own
account?
II 90, we must tax il just as We do
private citizens and corporations. In
our Methodist church (by the way the
one to which belong) i can point you
TO college that Was built by members
and endowed with the enormous sum of
$4,000. put at per cent interest.
This interest was supposed to pay the
salaries Of president aud professors. and
students were to be charged q very
nominal tuition fee, but they have with.
out cause added to that tuition fee an
nually until it now amounts to $50 per
session. This tuition and interest on
endowment amounts to something like
5000 per year.
Many a mother has worn calico
dress all the year and stinted and saved
that her son or daughter might receive
the advantages OF this cheap school.
Many presidents OF colleges and minis
tors in our Methodist church draw SAL
aries that our state governor would envy,
and since only a email percentage
Of our people derive a direct bene-
fit from this society or corporation,
is 1t not just that they should pay to
the community tax for the privilege of
holding some OF the finest real estate in
our cities
Another point that ia becoming q
criticism is the fact that church fairs
and entertainments charge admission
fee and pay no license fee. II churches
are going to give side shows for the sake
OF money getting, without paying a
license, let US take the tax off theaters
and other public places OF amusement.
Jesus Christ drove the money chang
ers out of the temple, but If he should
return to earth tomorrow he would have
q job ON his hands II he got them all
safely out OF the church. As Method.
ist, am in favor OF our church paying
ito taxes, and not try to sneak out the
back door with the CLOAK of morality
and enlightenment over it's head and
face. If at the present day religion can
not bear q tax, it may better shut up
shop and 90 homo. l favor the taxing
Of church property 6rst, last and all the
time. j. D. DRAKE.
Los Angeles, January 18th.