New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-18
WORKS OF ART AND THE MAILS.
TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ACE
or MARCH 8, 1879.

OE MANU- D. OF
tn the Editor Of The Trlbnne.
Sir: II Is announced that tho Treasury Department az
Washington has issued orders for tho seizure OF prints
photographs and other reproductions OF artistic vi
natural objects which may be received by post IrOni
abroad as being not mailable. TINS Oruer l. d Wv
Of tbe more rigid construction of the act oil 'oneIeSs
Of March 3. 1870, on which the reasonable appear VI
many persons injured by it has served fr SUM- S0a0
pest 10 secure a more Just and liberal ruling IL Ma,
well be said that the positive enforcement oi '"is ia'es'
order will cause dismay'; in fact II means ulS''''t
aud min. Under the conditions imposed by the present
rulo the business Of dealing in the conlhlodlteS III
question upon the plan which mas maze IL Vi "o
Greatest public utility will be Impossible inc Pa'rohs
Of the dealer in prints and photographs may w "Y"oN
into two classes, those who purchase iorelsn p"wo
cranhs and prints as we'll as domestic productions ir
esneo,,oraI Or nractlcal use. and those who collect them
for nnrp,v ncr,onal pleasure. Among the for7neS VINO
are IN the great majority, may be Included ue hns%
zI,es and te daily newspapers, who are constantly
rpnu,ring photographs for thelr hlustrdilohs' Con0e'S
and universities throughout the country VINO seek 10
productions Of the nncient and modern art OF inc Uu
vvor,d Cor Illustrations Of the lectures given 10 the
students; artists. architects, decola'orS' uoe'sNelS INV
manufacturers in every branch.
To serve the purposes OF these patrons 1t Is necessary
n maintain a complete line Of the publications among
uIdch they find their selectnns. To MAINTAIN te u-
,..u,rr,od seouence OF this material II Is necessary FOR
me 10 post or cable orders TO Europe almost "aHy anu
10 receive the prints ordered as promptly as po's'orc'
The endless variety Of tho publications nnuers II ur
nossihlc for them to be ordered in considerable QUANTITIES.
au, % s+ated periods. The stock must be continuously
norov1,t and enlarged. This would be impossible by
Tho s,ow process OF f~rcightage, with delays IN smppihs
ard in delivery here. BY ordering per post tHS ue
livery has heretofore been most effective Ihey nav
been made at the place Of their production' recelVeu
her. in properly mailable shape, and l nave had Only
m r. thap ,ny a. MY nOn
thoro and 90 have my clients in steady supply OF whaV
.no- demand. To receive q supply by express, SUB
tool 90 Cnstom House and other delays, would Simply
,noor q constant and rlInous interruption In the coh-
tinuirv Of my catalogue and cha0uc HIeeularlVS III '0
listing Of its individual numbers.
n Is = veltmown fact that all freight from abroad
Is subject TO much delay, whereas parcels Dy posi- nave
a reliable and definite standard or schedule OF ueuNery,
nv Tho importations of small packages directly by man
trc dealer il enabled to import many costly ana cho"e
civilizations. fr which there Is only a limited sale' Out
which are Of public interest for exhibition. Moreover
uuder tho postal arrangement which is now set asiue u
WAS posIble for foreign publishers 10 keep us Suppicu
with samples OF their publications as soon as tneS "p
pearcd. These could then be examined ana ulNplaSeu'
Those for which there was a demand conld De eoruercu'
those for Which there was no local market could DC re
1000 As thc dutv. % per cent, on NIL these lmporta-
tions il paid before delivery, the Government II thte
gamer either way. Under an eXpreSsage system wlum ny
eonMiH%9" SAMPLES 9S viii be practically ruled out; The
nnhlisher cannot send samples on approval, j ne
rrnust wait for weeks to make up an express package,
- can the dealer afford TO give carte blanche as 70
quantity and lose the duty on large parcels OF soVlS
which may prove unsalablc. uboro
for many wears / have supplied English publications.
IN Continental firms. ! cross frontier after ir1htleI
tr,thont yonerous or arbitrary Government inteN
ferance: only in Russia Is there n trivial ana mereiI,
nominal freight duty on printed matter. Iut aiteT
hive returned TO tbs country, l am not only called
nnon 10 nav a duty unknown abroad. hut. while |
Wish TO be understood as paying without objection, !
am now actually denied even the privilege OF paSIaS
n practically useless for me 10 Cndeavor 10 conuuct
my business on a merely reasonable basis. II u IS
ihe nurposr Of the Treasury Department tO cripple the
ort Industries Of this country, and to DESTROY trpIes
built M in the face Of great difficulties ana as,
the decision OF the Department about which ] write.
ew-Nor Aug. IL, 1901. FRANK Ihuubh'