New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-23
LILLE AprLSrS, PETITION AGALN.


recommend an ad raloreni duty upon imported
pictures. somewhat exceeding the present tariff
AS might have been predicted, the tax asked
for by the artists-$1OO on every picture, ana I'LL
additional tax of ten per cent Oh the excess
above ST ,0OO-was considered unreasonable ana
orite impracticable and the rate actually re-
commended would appear to have been agreed
unon for the double purpose OF adding little
to the revenue and giving the petitioners some
fling instead Of nothing, rather than from any
lo1;af :, tho reosonabeness of the petition.
We have little doubt, for ourselves, that oven
the original measure, if 1t could have been
carried would hayo been OF no advantage to
any one. Tho importers OF the moro expensive
nctures assure us, and, even, we may say
nroye to ia, that the addition of 500 to the
nrico would often prevent their sale. 1t may
be orpred on the other hand that 1t would not
have this result, the rich purchaser not mind
inc tbe addition, or perhaps moro bent on having
tho nicturc. the more the high price enabled
him 10 have something that his less wealthy
neiehbOrs could not afford. low TINS mght DO
with regard TO the costly pictures, only expert
once would enable us to decide. But we may
be very sure that the importers OF the cheap
nictures. which are the ones that tho
artists declare themselves in danger from, are
NOT TO be driven so easily from field in which
tliey have promised themselves 80 rich harvest
They are an astuto class, and 1t is not fof
nothing that they have entered upon the noble
task Of educating the American people, ana
teaching them what is what in art. Beside
the noble desire for our regeneration, they nave
n desire equally strong, for our grcenbacks
and though they might, for q consideration,
forget the one, they will not give mp the other
without a struggle. Already it is whispered in
Gath that one dealer, convinced that the artists
petition will be granted, and forcsccng disaster,
has determined to import a small colony OF
second and third-ratc artists, and set them at
work in his building manufacturing here, quite
as easily rs III Paris, the pictures which delight
our public and disgust our academlcians. we
cheerfully grant that nothing can exceed the
impudcncc OF sOmo Of these importers, SELF
constituted teachers and bcnclactOr5 OF our
public. Any one who viii invest gate will find
that for pictures which cost but two or three
hundred francs in Paris, and ale dear at
that, as many thousand dollars are I'M
bushingly asked here in New-loTk.
We are called on 10 believe that tribo q
worthless painters who would bc utterly I'M
known at home in Paris were 1t not for a noisy
clique that blows It's penny trumpets incessantly
in their praise, are men of astonishing genius
and ability, and that we are lucky to get Their
picturcs at all We are even told that if II
were not for the failure OF so many bankers in
Europe and the scarcity Of money that prevails
there, certain pictures could never have been
brought to this country at al. and these are
only specimens of the desperate measures re-
sorted 10 by the men who have determined 10
establish themselves here and prey upon our
gullibility. If Our artists expect to have 1t all
their own way with these men and drive them
out Of the country without struggle, We can
tell them beforehand that they are mistaken.
They may retire for time, but they Will find
a way to return.
We are very glad to learn from the letter,
in another column, signed " An Artist that
the artists generally are not willing to bc
thought DESTROYS of keeping foreign pictures
ont of the country. Bat we know, and IL
cannot he denied, that the leaders Of the
movement contemplated exactly that result,
and that they have long been dcyising means
to accomplish il. We also know that the
best Of our artists arc not cordially IN
favor Of the Increment. aud have either not
signed the memorial. or have done so rehic-
family, and out OF goOd-naturcd compliance.
This must he so, for to be a good artist I'M
plies intelligence and libCality, and this meas
ure is an unintelHgcnt and illboral one, and
experience will prove that ii is q mistake.
We think the artists might have ayaled them
selves of q suIcr If not Of an easier remedy for
Al. 10, 1.frtl l.f.
They might have determined, and il is not yet
too late. to Kill bad work by good work. to
match industry with industry; and thus secure
a position from which no rival could dislOdGe
them, and which no congress could strengthen.
There never WAS q country more generous TO its
own writers and artists than is ours; never one
that greeted more cordially every promise Of
excellence, every achievement. In truth, il
would have been better if there had been SOME
what less flattery and moro Discrimination if
fame and fortune had been harder TO win for,
il is in 40 unkindness that we own our belief
that the present somewhat Indifferent attitude
of the public TO American art is the result Of
growth in the public mind which has not been
matched by q corresponding growth in the work
and aim Of our artists. 1t is human TO complain
of circumstances, of accidents, Of riyalries, as
bars to our deserved success, and TO refuse 20
see the true bar in our own deficiency. But
Cassius had the right Of it when he said
"The fault, dear Brlltus, Is not IN our star
But In ourselves that We arc und0Glngs,"
and the sooner our American artists, many of
whom are men of real talent; half developed,
and of ability that seldom accomplishes all it
might-the sooner these gentlemen resolve that
they will stand up with these foreign inter
lOpers and pretenders-aye, and with tho for
nic &C -, ILL., Il