Omaha daily bee., 1890-01-05
Art O BE FREE.


One OF the most ~indefensible features
OF the tariff is the duty OF thirty per
cent upon works Of art. Among those
who have appeared before the ways
and can committee during its present
tariff hearings we're n number OF
gentlemen representing the National
Fine Art League, who urged that the
duty upon works Of art should be
removed. The president OF the league
stated TO the committee that that
organization was almost unanimously
In favor OF the repeal of the
duty. An inquiry instituted ONE time
ago among the artists, art institutions
and art teachers in the country regard
ing their views Of the duty on works Of
art, elected over fourteen hundred re-
plies, all but ninety advocating the alb
solute repeal OF the duty, and only
sever OF the whole number favoring its
retention.
Such a remarkable consensus of opin-
ion among the people who it must
be presumed are most inter-
ested in maintaining the tax on art
ought to be sufficient to convince the
members of the ways and means com
mittee and all members OF congress that
there is practically no demand for re-
tanning the duty on works of
art. for it Is entirely safe to
assume that the lovers of art are
not less unanimous than the artists
themselves and the teachers of art in
favor Of making art free. And while
there is no demand for the duty there
government does not require
the small amount of evenu
it annually derives from this source,
and it is obvious that no interest what
ever is subssrved by it. On the con-
trary it Is not TO be doubted, though n
of those things that cannot be demon
strated, that the duty operates as an in
jury. in being a barrier to the liberal
importation OF works of art which would
have IA valuable educational influence.
1t is doubtless true that as a whole no
enlightened people on earth know less
about art than the American people.
There are u few meritorious American
~ Nuo iiO"h Ii VIZ at IN
hibit of the Paris exposition last yea
n this country has produced one or
W sculptors who achieved some fame.
but the great mass of the people has
paid little attention to art. Doubtless
in this as in all other means of intel
lectual improvement and elevation we
are making some progress, but it need
nat ba nrr,,aA fh,t 49, nl v,,,o ,,,,t
necessarily be slow and our at
tainments deficient until we shall
get into more Intimate COM
munion with the products OF the older
nations whose art is the fruitage and
development of centuries.
1t is not creditable to this country
that it stands alone in imposing a duty
on art, though most other countries
would have u much better excuse tor
such u duty in the pressing necessity
they are continually under for ven
But we, having not only. most ample
| sources of %revenue. but an income
largely beyond the Legitimate necessi-
ties of the government, have alone the
~vnenviable distinction of taxing pictures
| duu oLdtutS anu Ol increasing Tue ~
gregate sum of the tax in proportion to
their increased value. A comparatively
insignificant sum is paid to admit an
inferior work, of art, while such as are
o: great superiority are excluded be-
cause the duty adds so largely to their
cost. So long as this condition is main
tanned the art galleries OF the
country must continue to be mea'
gerly supplied with the works o
the masters, and the best among
them to compare unfavorably with the
least meritorious in Europe.
Art, in common with everything else
that contributes to the intellectual i'm.
provement and elevation of the people,
should enjoy the greatest possible free.
dom from restrictions, the true policy
of government being rather to invite
and encourage such means OF popular
education than to erect barriers agains
it. The removal of the duty on work,
Of art is demanded by e very wise con
sheraton.