Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-04-01
"MGDonald'S ViCtoru."

M6D0naldS Vi6t0fD.
EDITOR or TIE HERALp:-In the
Teller Of last week read an article
entitled .'McDonald's Victory regard
ing our assemblyman's bill taxing
church property assessed at over $l5-
600 Although the bin was defeated
in the assembly by vote of 80 to 81
Mr.. Me Donald's Iooks upon the re-
suit as a victory, because he succeed
ed ~ placing the assemblymen on rec
ord, and'in token eli his satisfaction
he returned home with a smile light
ing up his features.
The reason for McDonald's pleasure
is then, (by his own admission through
his mouthpiece. the Teller that he
now has the names of the assembly
men doubtless the cream Of the low
er house, who believe the passage Of
such a measure would be nexpedient
and unjust. aud that the A. P. A.club
will henceforth swing over their heads
It is pItiful state OF affairs when an
assembleyman 50 plainly intimates
that at no distant day honest eonvic-
ton in our legislature must yield to
coercion and intimidation by secret
order. an by no means opposed Ia
the a. ?. 4. ia their profession Of
principles but / am unalerablv OPP
posed TO such a miserable scheme Of
Legislative corruption as is plain to be
read in the Teller article when taken
with other matters of common know
ledge am glad to know tina. such
bargain is discountenanced by con-
siderable branch Of the order. and
that among the opponents Of the Me
Donald bin were several well-known
members Of the American Protective
Association.
The bill, had it become a flaw. would
have subjected to taxation a very
great number Of our churches that
could but i'll afford the enforced con-
tribution to our revenues, and which
in justice and on grounds Of public
policy should be exempt 1t would
be a difficult task to find iii any large
city in the state (wherc surely the
need of churches is great a church
whose property would assess below
$4,000, for the price Of real estate in
such locations is very high and the
cost Of constructing the church ediice
is also higher than in the country 1t
may be true that there are few religi-
establishment inthe state that hold
large amounts of property; but where
this is true il is also true that the
charitable work done by these institu-
lions (and of which the state is reliey-
ed) IS enormous But still further,
the fact remains that ninety-nine
churches out of hundred own moth
ing but the church lot. the building
and perhaps a parsonage and upon
these the law would impose heavy
burden, for such churches lead fru-
gal existence. Yet his law would
spread its drag-net for these as well as
others and ignore all distinctions.
Church property under our existing
law is to certain extent exempt.
without discrimination between secfs,
because public worship is public bcne-
fit and is universally Sc held BY all en-
lightened governments; because il is
All important element iii the stability
Of civil governments because the
Christian religion is the world great
est ciyilizer and because its exercise Is
IN innocent mode Of pursuing happi-
ness Hence the Indirect encourage
ment. BY exemption, i put upon the
broad ground Of public policy
Whoever contributes 10 the support
Of churches, also contribute, t. pay
the taxes if any, which are imposed
upon them. But as most persons who
pay taxes at all, in some form, and
with some regard to their ability,con-
tribute to the support Of churches, it
Is Of little Importance to the general
public whether taxes are levied on
church property Or not, as whatever
is collected from such property, while
it goes to diminish what will be col
lected from individual property, will
at the same time increase to the same
extent what the individuals pay for
the support 0 religious instruction.so
that the burden in one case will be