Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/35

 THE CHURCH IN THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT 21

value of the ground used, on which the tax would be com- puted, would be lower than at present ; first, because land now idle would be forced into use and would come into competition with all other land ; second, because the speculative water would be let out of all land values. Then, too, it is on the whole juster to a corporation like a church, which is constantly renewing its membership, to tax its members evenly from year to year for the use of its ground, than to draw the entire purchase price from a single set of members in a few years. Practically this is usually impossible ; most churches when they have secured property are compelled to carry a mortgage debt for a number of years, thus distributing the exertion over a longer term. But under the present system, after interest has been paid for years, the princi- pal is still as big as ever and will have to be paid some time. Under the single tax there would be no principal to pay.

The only churches that would be less favorably situated under the single tax than under the present system would be old churches holding valuable land in down-town districts of our cities. At present they are often enabled to sell at a very great advance over the price once paid and with their booty to move up town, buy a fine site, and begin over again. This process would be stopped. If the stampede of the down-town churches were checked in this way, the mourning would be great, but not universal.

In the second place, the churches have a stake in the entire question of the distribution of wealth. If the present tendency to accumulation should continue ; if the middle class should dwindle and our country be filled with a great proletariat would the churches be profited thereby ? We have Christ's word for it that the kingdom of God does not flourish among the rich. We have our own observation for it that it does not flourish among the very poor. The churches seem to thrive best among plain and sturdy people, who earn their living in the sweat of their own brows, but who are not harried beyond hope by the cares of the morrow or driven beyond their strength by the exactions of their