New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-18
ART IOR LILLE PLOPLE.

ART FOR THE PEOPLE,
Whenever the country turns listening ear
toward Washington there comes from the lob
bic, Of the Capitol the >hrll voice Of Mr..
Thomas Donaldson. of Philadelphia. inyclshng
against free foreign n, for luxury" Why
Mr. Donaldson should persist in waking the
echoes with his bitter cry we do not know.
In fact. the why and wherefore OF Donaldson
are known to no man. The term LOBBYIST mas
a specific meaning but Donaldson full mean
ING remains unexplained. When hc alternate
" bullied and caiolcd the Ways and Means
Committee. Donaldson allowed it 20 ho inferred
that he spoke for American artists. But on,
If the 1.435 American artists who replied to
the Union League Club circular, only seven
declared themselves IN favor of the 30 per
cent duty upon works of art. As seven is to
I.453. therefore. 50 j. Donaldson io me artists
of this country This seems 10 ha'" been APP
pfcciatod hy the Ways and Means committee.
which received DonaId>on> petition " signed
bv leading American artists, and promptly
voted 10 remove the 30 per cchs tax. Ih'
National Academy Of Design. which is the lead
Ing organization of artists, the society OF
American Artists and other societies in short,
declared against the present tax. hut Donald
son Of Philadelphia still claims TO speak for
American artists and he continues 20 fill
the Hobbies with his cry Of free for
cign ant for luxury" Nc' the simple fact j.
tina, free foreign art" means increased skill
and therefore greater command OF luXuncs
for artisans for working people, whether IN
the West or South, or last.
r. viii be- granted ~ a general proposition
tina, compensation depend, upon skilfulnc>~.
and that skill depends not only upon natural
ability but also upon training and study. The
man who ,hovcl> clay earn, less than the
hrckmakcr the hrckmlkcr less than tho
skilled potter, and the potter less than the
sculptor. The hOu>c-paint"r earns lc>> than
the decorator. and the decorator less than the
thoroughly accomplished portrait painter. But
10 acquire rank rs a painter or sculptor OF 10
cain command of any Of the finer industries.
there must be full and free opportunities for
the study Of good art. If good AT Is heavily
taxed and il. coming discouraged We are dis
couIagi1ie the Development not only OF printers
and sclllptoi~ but also Of wallpaper and carpet
designers. metal and wood workers. and all
manner Of skilled artisans. few years since
"Thc Century Magaznc' published "A review
Of the work done by art museums ana art
school, throughout the West. in Chicago. st.
Ionis. Cincinnati Milwaukee and other cities
II WAS shown that the director, Of these insil-
utionS were awake 10 the importance OF teach
inc auulicd art and thus ma>ire, the productive
ness Of the West more valuable. They aPpicrl-
ate the practical worth Of free art. They re
alizc that the children Of the IRON miner and
the Llack,mith may develop into artist artisans
if thcv have free opportunities for the study of
art. Every year money l. paid 10 foreign de
sinners which should be and can be pald 10
American artisans trained by free association
with examples Of good art. In France. Eng
land Germany and Belgium industrial art con
tributes "A most important part 10 the wealth
of fine nation. We are susceptible Of a similar
DEVELOPMENT. Can Congress afford TO ignore
all this. and TO check home industries by con-
inuing 10 impose Il 30 per cent tan upon the
| essential means Of training?
We can hardly suppose that many Congress
men will be mislcd by the fact that works OF
ART for museums are now admitted free. The
work, Of art which are in our museums have
come almost invariably from private collections
and sales. 1t is the exception when a painting
| or statue is purchased abroad for one of our
usually IMPOVERISHED museums. In this city
within very few years the metropolitan
| Nusnum has received the Wolfe collection of
modern paintings and other modern pictures
which were taxed when imported by their own
crs and the Marquand collection of "oli
masters" One painting. an example OF Sir
Joshua Reynolds. was sent directly to the
Museum from abroad. Not Il single picture has
been importcd by the Museum itself, and like
story could be told of other museums. The
practical hcpfulncss of the clause exempting
| museums has been strangely exaggerated On
the other hand each of the three largest picture
sales held in this city within ten years has
Welded paintings to one on another museum.
In n word. the museums themselves are able to
do little. but the free importation of works Of
art and their constant dispersal mt sales will
| surely fill the galleries of orr public museums
| West and East with the means of education.
Let it be remembered also. that free art will
mean an increase in the number of exhibitions
and private galleries accessible to the public,