New-York tribune., 1889-12-31
THE DUTY ON WORKS OF ART
PLEA OF ARTISTS BEFORE THE COM
MITTEE on WAYS AND MEANS. d,
REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE CHEMICAL IN
DUsrRY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS = DlF'

pusrRY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS - DIFF.
FIsRENcEs OF OPINION DEVELOPED
tnr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBusEI
wasb,pston Dec 3O-The Ways and Means Com
mittee Of the House resumed its hearings on tarit
schedules this morning, listening 10 suseosuV"D
offered by various representatives OF the C"eh"''
industry socaed The duties proposed IN thc eeias0
bin OF last winter were rule SATISFACTORY W N
manufacturers Of chemical products though souo
slight changes here and there were reques'eu' i. NJ
was a strong protest for instance. against pu'uns
carbonate of potash the free list as the raeS Vi
the Senate bill had done, and an argument was "Su
nv a Philadelphia manufacturer NJ r. Aneh' ior al
increase Of the duty phosphorus oil from ~ oe"'
a pound-as fixed in last winters senate s"'''''''
TO 25 cents. ,, ~.
ter digerences of opinion were also developed at
,oaav,s herring one firm asked for the abolition Oh
all duty OIL alcoholic spirits used In the arls "ho
another opposed any change In the present sceuuc'
Mr. Roscngarten, who represented the fhllaocip""
Manufacturers Club. made plea for duty on qulhc'
No one else backed him up in this. Ihe broohNh
suIphur Works had q representative on hand 10 pro
nose the scaling down Of the duty on suphn'a'ou
aour from $40 to Sl5 ton. The most sweeping re'
ducton suggested however. that on works OF ar'
which were considered somewhat curiOusY' uh"cr
the head of chemicals.
The National Free Art League, through It's presmehI
J. Carroll Beckwith. and Its secretary, kenyon OoA'
urged vigorously the Imposition oi H'u""S ""'
inal duty on impOrtatiOns OF art WORKS A"c'iodn
artists they said did not want TO DC protected against
forelo competition and greater freedom in tie pur-
chase of paintings and satuary was needed ior e au'
vancement OF art education in this country. An
abolition of the duty works OF art would IN uier
oplnon. act as stimulus and not as hlndrance 70
American artists.
The committees session lasted several hours ana
every one present had full opportunity to express
his views II was remarked that the Democratic
members were much more anxious to get lieht on
the schedules than they were when Dir. NILS was
uniting together his Dark Lantern" Dill MAJOR
Mckinley favors free and impartial hearhg' al"
Is taking pains to have everybody heard Never
theless the committee is making creditaoe progress.
:, Win nrohahlv sit every day this week, except
Wednesday.
Soon after to-day's hearing was begun MI Arm
strong the president Of the Pennsylvania salt COM
panv advocated the imposition Of a specific duty OF
A cent per pound sulphate OF soda lnstead Oh
the present rate of 90 per cent advalorem' W. b.
CogsweIl, of Syracuse representing the Only manu-
factory of soda ash the country said that the senate
tu was satisfactory so far he was concerned.
lie informed the committee that the dividends OF his
company were small. lie did not thnk that the outS
of IS ton could be taken of soda ash ana s business
make any profit unless the price OF labor were reuucel
lie admitted that English and Belgian companies were
interested I'm his company. over two-thrds oil inc
canital invested in his company American capital
To manufacture a ton Of soda ash SIX tons OF COAL
lime salt and other materials were required
W. D. Farls secretary Of the Baker Castor OH
Company OF York. protested against any icducuon
of the duty that material The present rate oi
duty WAS equitable and reasonable II castor beans
were admitted free then the duty on the oil might be
reduced lie also favored the placing OF duS Vi oo
cents gallon on alizarine assistant
f. Rawolle Of New York. manufacturer of glycerlne
and alcoholic varnishes argued in favor OF aDoishs
the tax on all alcohol Of reducing the present taA'
II the tax were abolished the varnsh which ne no"
sold for 80 80 could be obtained for less than 81
William II. Manning. of the Albany Chemical Com
pany New York was opposed TO free alcohol Tor use
in the arts and manufactures
Henry c. stewart, of Philadelphia, who spoke about
oxides Of iron, advocated increased duty on earth
paints The Senate bill improvement on tire
present law.
j. Carroll Beckwith president of the National Free
Art League advocated the total abolition Of duty on
works Of art Kenyon Cox, secretary OF the same
league, spoke in the same vein. He represented
protected industry, which did not want 20 be pro
tected The duty on works Of art was hndrance
to the progress Of art in this country. In lo74 the
Union League Club had sent out circularletter to
artists and associations asking their views on the
subject of duty works Of art. Fourteen hundred
and thirty five replies had been received, and only
seven OF these favored the retention OF the present
duty A few favored change from ad valorem
10 moderate specific duty. but $40 were in favor Of
a total abolition. The National Academy Of Design,
at its last annual meeting. had passed resolution In
favor Of q small specific duty, or total abolition OF
all duty The present duty was unjust ana as
courteous 10 foreign artists. w. A. COihn OF the
Executive Committee Of the League, said that the tax
ing of foreign works did not help American artists,
but rather put them in inferior position The duty
was tax on education. There no duty levied
on works Of art by any other country which pretended
TO be civilized.
Henry Mertz, of New-YOrll representing the ana
line Industry, advocated new classification Of the
duties on anane dyes. which would result in an aver
age increase Of or per cent.
Robert W. Leslie, Sf Philadelphia, representing the
American Improved Cement Company, advocated a
specific duty of cents per 100 pounds on cement I'M
ported in barrels and cents when imported in bags or
bnlk.
= NJ J. Rosengarten, of Philadelphia, favored the i'm
position a duty Of 10 cents ounce sulphatc OF
qunne
A. L. Thompson, Of Baltimore, advocated an increase
10 40 per cent Of the duty enumerated chemicals.
The committee then adjourned until tomorrow.
when gentlemen interested In the manufacture of glass
and earthenwarc will be heard