The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-26

found impossible to raise money for new
building, especially as no effort whatever has
been made TO secure the cooperation of the
public at large, or to excite general interest in
the project. More than this, the old squabbe
between the artists and the Academy has been
transferred to the Board of Directors, aud the
house is now divided against itself.
One party insists upon devoting
its energies to the establishment of an art
museum in the Park, and the other is deter
mined to stand or fall by an Academy of Fine
Arts in the heart of the city. Each party is able
to advance many sound arguments in favor of
its pet plan, and each party is determined to
rule or ruin. The long and short of the whole
matter is that the affairs of the Academy are in
hopeless muddle. Not only is there no money
to be had for the erection of building but it
has been found impossible to carry on the
schools any longer; so the instructor has been
dismissed, and the Academy of Fine Arts is to
all intents and purposes dead and buried, with
but a limited hope of resurrection.
This condition of things is lamentable on
many accounts. Most intelligent persons will
readily admit not only the desirability but the
necessity for an art institution in q great city
like this; and the vigorous manner in which art
museum projects are being pushed in New York
and Boston renders it of extreme importance
that something should be done at once in the
same direction in Philadelphia, especially in
view of the centennial celebration which
is rapidly approaching. The Academy
of Fine Arts collection, with all
its defects, is decidedly the most important In
the country, and 1t is an admirable nucleus that
should by all means be made use of in starting a
new art institution, if it is posi- BILE to do so.
The Academy OF Fine Arts however, has always
stood in the way of those who were disposed to
start live institution, and rather than it should
continue to do so, it would be much better to put
aside all idea of utilizing its collection, and to
begin anew without paying any regard to it
whatever. If the gentlemen who have the affairs
of the Academy in charge, however, are dis
posed to take an entirely unselfsh view of the
situation, and to adopt truly liberal policy,
they may yet be able to do something. They
all have much influence, which, If rightly exer-
cised, would secure the aid of many who are
now either Indifferent to all art projects or who
hesitate to support any enterprise of doubt
full advantage. There is no time to
be lost however, for the idea of a new art insti-
tuition is increasing in popularity every day;
and if the Park faction of the Academy board
is shrewd enough to avail itself of the advancing
tide of public opinion, it will soon be afloat on
the high sea of fortune, with every prospect of
accomplishing important results while the con-
servatives will be forced to remain where they
are now, stuck fast in the mud, with nothing to
do but to pass their days in gazing regretfully
at ''Death on the Pale Horse" and other works
of high art now adorning the walls of banks
and warehouses, and echoing in their souls the
poets words:-
"Of all the sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these-It might have been"