The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-21
OBJECTED TO ASSESSMENTS.
Session Devoted Entirely to Matters
of Finance.

of Finance.
The basis of assessments for diocesan
purposes brought on considerable discus
sion at the morning session.
The finance committee through its
chairman, Hon. Rufus j. Bullock of At
lanta. presented its report. 4 vigorous
debate began as soon as its reading was
completed, the assessment table showing
that the expenses of some Of the parishes
would be materially increased. Especial
objections were made 10 including in the
basis Of assessment monies expended for
charitable purpose, mission Sunday
schools and taxes paid on church prop
erty. those not being considered by the
directors proper items for assessments.
Rev C. H. Strong moved that the report
be recommitted and the committee in
structed 10 return an assessment on the
parishes prorated as heretofore, T. e., on
the basis of rectors salary, choir expenses
and current expenses. The report, Mr.
Strong believed, If adopted, would work
great injury 20 the larger parishes.
Bishop Nelson mentioned the extreme
difficulty of the finance committee in COM
pihDg such a report and urged that the
convention come to a definite conclusion
as TO what constitute current expenses,
specifying precisely the items on which the
assessment Is to be based.
MIR. Strong pointed out number of
items included in parochial reports which
were not proper subjects for taxation For
that reason he desired the report recommlt-
ted He also thought that in city like
Savannah, where the local taxes were
heavy, IL was unjust for the church TO
subject the parish to q tax upon those
taxes paid on church properly. Under the
report of the committee some parishes
would have their burdens of assessment
increased one-quarter of one-third, while
other parishes would have theirs proper
tionately reduced, although fully capable
OF paying as much as In past years.
Chairman Bulloch insisted that II was
useless to recommit the report of the
committee. II could do no more than 1t
had already done. Parishes that believed
they were assessed too heavily could make
statements to that effect to the conven-
ton and secure relief
Mr.. e. S Elliott pointed out that Christ
Church was being taxed on the expenses
of maintaining two mission Sunday
schools rent for the buildings. etc, merely
because the money paid out for such pur-
poses had been included IN the parochlal
report under Sunday school expenses He
maintained that it was unjust to consider
these as current expenses and Christ
Church be subjected to a heavier assess
AuSHt as IL result. GQef the report the
basis of the assessment on Christ Church
was increased to 7,07S
Mr.. H. c. Cunningham spoke forcefully
on the same line. He believed that the
heavier assessment on Christ Church was
absolutely unwarranted by the facts in the
case. It's Sunday School mission work
actually subjected Christ Church to an ex-
ira tax Of 500. He objected TO such items
being used as a basis of assessment as be-
ing both fictitious and unjust.
Bishop Nelson held that protests of this
charcter would continue indefinitely until
assessments We're positively based on spe-
cihc items. As long IS the matter is left
to the discretion of a finance committee
such trouble win inevitably ensue.
Col. j. II. Estill referred TO the former
utter absence Of system. There was Their
no way TO come TO any Arrangement by
which the various parishes could be made
10 bear the burden equally. Il was decid-
ca at Griffin that certain items should be
accepted as representing the income Of the