The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-17
BEAUTY IN THE USEFUL.

USEFUL. Ills Shlll Ill VIC lHNChlloh Va
production of works of utility has placed
him among the very foremost OF the
worlds workers in the useful arts. In
this regard our American Artisans stand
unrivaled The general detraction has
been that their products lack beauty OF
form and finish. 1t is on this account
that foreign workmen claim superiority
for their products, and challenge us to
competition in the markets of the world.
Our attention has been attracted to
this subject by recent speech made by
that very learned and philosophical
statesman, Mr.. Gladstone, at the opening
of the art exhibition at Chester, Eng
land. In the course of his address the
distinguished speaker remarked, as a
matter of encouragement to his country
men, that in his opinion the English arti-
sans and manufacturers would always be
able to overcome the obstacle of Ameri-
can tariff protection by reason of the su-
perior beauty of the articles produced by
their British workmen. In support of
this proposition Mr.. Gladstone stated
that the Americans had been too busy in
invention and were too hasty in execu-
ton to make their work beautiful; and, /,
therefore, could not successfully rival
English products.
1t is always wise to learn from our ad-
versares. We therefore willingly accept
the criticism of England's most distin-
guished statesman, which without being
entirely exact, is not entirely unjust.
For, it is true that our American workers
in the useful arts have been too busy in
turning out their wonderful products to
supply the needs of waiting continent,
to devote time and study for making
their work beautiful; and perhaps too
eager to realize revenue from their works
to attend sufficiently to their finish. But,
while such may be the facts, the circum-
stances attending the rapid settlement Of
II new COlltlHtlI ldNC DCCH oucii 40 hoC
only to apologize for but to actually jus
tify this busy haste in the production of
their much needed products.
Nevertheless, while accepting Mr..
Gladstone's not unfriendly criticism, we
accept it as true more to the past than
as to the present of American production
in the useful arts. And this we think
Mr. Gladstone himself would candidly
admit were he to spend with us single
half day in the admirable Exposition now
open in our city. He would there see
Cincinnati built carriages, with the elc-
gance and beauty of which their light
ness and comfort, the numbering vehicles
of England would bear no possible com
parison. There he would see that COM
mon agricultural implement, the plough,
light and graceful, beautiful enough and
bright enough to serve the place of jew
elry. There he would see that universal
worker, the steam engine, presenting it.
self in a garb of finished beauty that
would adorn a boudoir, or embeliish a
palace.
These are referred to as representatives
of common class Of a thousand things,
all beautiful, and yet made for common
utility. And all these 90 to show that,
while Mr.. Gladstone's criticism was not
altogether unjust in reference to what has
been, it is not altogether exact as to what
now is, in reference to American work
manship.
We would remind him, likewise, of the
very significant fact that, for both ele.
gance of design and beauty of finish, oul
American specimens of plate commanded
the highest encomiums and received the
most valued premiums at the late Inter.
national Exposition at Paris; and there
so attracted the admiration of the Prince
of Wales that His Royal Highness
ordered a full set of American plate fol
his own use. He did more: He allowed
them to be placed on exhibition in Lon
don, and connosseurs there pronounced
them more beautiful than anything that
British workmanship had yet produced
Facts such as these are sufficient tc
signify the growth of aesthetic genius
among our American citizens; and that
it will not suffice for foreign statesmen tc
assume that, because the slower and
more elaborate processes of European
workmen have heretofore produced ar
ticles of such superior beauty as to over
lap the barrier of our American tariff, il
will always continue to be so. 1t must
be considered that, in such arts, the
Useful must always precede the Beauti
full. Such is the natural order of de-
velopment in all things. The genius Of
our American mechanism has achieved
p"rmanence in the former, the other is
sure to follow.
But certain as is this natural order Of
succession, it is equally certain thai
American artisans have not achieved the
completeness of that succession. We
proudly admit that they have gone fal