Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-25

8 That providing for q duty OF 25 per /
cent advalorem on books, paintings /
and statuary. This criticism is not /
however. confined to the Democrats, /,
although they are making the most |
noise about it and approach the verge
of hysteria when declaiming against
"a tax on culture" A tax on the nee
essities of life never has been known to !
disturb them. Their tariff doctrine, in
theory at least, is to tax the tea and
sugar, and like necessities, so that /,
everyone must contribute to the rev.
enue, the poor man in greater proper ,
ton than the rich. Protection being
unconstitutional from their point of
view and the raising of the entire rev. ,
enue from the common necessities be-
ing impracticable it would be the most
natural thing in the world for these
tariff reformers to look for increased
revenue from just such a source as this
duty on books, statuary and paint
ings, which is not supposed to afford
protection of much consequence. But
as the Republicans have done SO they
are afflicted with great concern it
would seem. There is that about this
proposed duty. which is repugnant at
first thought and careful consideration
may yet be able to avoid it. Neverthe-
less, after hearing the explanation
made by Chairman Dingley the adop-
ton of the schedule by the majority
of the committee seems to have been
a very reasonable thing to expect and
the talk about it's being tax on cul
ture is in the main chiefly nonsense.
There appears to be nothing really
the duty to books for our free public
libraries and upon statuary and paint
ings intended for public galleries.
Books, statuary and paintings for pri-
vate individuals should be subject to
the duty if the revenue is needed. But
it may be considered impossible to
make this distinction and if SO the
libraries and public galleries will have
little to support a complaint. An at
tempt is ing made with fair show of
success scure the protest of library
manae nents to this feature of the bill
on the ground that a distinction can
and should be made. Chairman Ding
ley has pointed out the gross frauds
that have been practiced heretofore
under this free admission of these
works. He says:
THE frauds that have been prac-
ticed on the revenues under the guise
of ministerirg to popular enlighten-
ment have been multifarious. Take
the matter of books, for example. Sup
pose we were to exclude from the duti-
able list certain classes, like scientific
works; who is to decide whether a
book is scientific or not? Our customs
officers aim to put as liberal a con-
struction as possible upon the terms of
a tariff law and what they leave I'M
done in this respect the courts are sure
to make good. The result is that any
thing and everything comes in. 1t is
the old story of bolting-cloth and hat
trimmings over again. Under other
conditions-that is, when the country
has all the revenue it needs from other
sources-many allowances might be
made for such construction, and we
could afford to frame tariff law with
distinct reference to it's being admins
tered in that way. But as things are
now, we must make our classification
as simple as we can, and cut out every
thing which will be capable of mis-
construction or deliberate evasion.
I'VE are accused of being enemies of
art culture in America, because we
have placed a duty upon paintings and
statuary. Our critics fail to grasp the
fact that ample provision will be made
for free admission of art works which
are to be exhibited free to the people
If the provision we have made for
that purpose is not broad enough in
terms to secure what we are after, we
will amend it so as to satisfy every re-
quirement. We do not see, however
that we should be advancing the cause
of popular art education by letting
every millionaire4fll his private gallery
with pictures and statues from abroad
merely for his personal delectation and
that of his friends, without paying
something for the luxury. He can Ger.
tainly better afford to contribute thai
much to the government revenue thar
the average taxpayer; and why SHOULD
we not make him pay the same fol
his private pleasure that we make the
professional importer pay for bringing
in art works to sell here at profit?"
President Tichenor of the board O.
general appraisers is quoted as saying
Il don't know why we should make
all these free gifts to educational ant
religious institutions. 1t is not thu
poor little crossroads schools, that ash
for an educational exemption, but tn,
richly endowed universities. They car
afford to pay the duties on what the,
import. Take the churches, also.
have not word to say against any o.
them, or their work; but why SHOULD
they send abroad their designs fol-
affairs and pulpits and lecterns, and tbs
like. to be executed by the hands o.
foreign workmen. while American
artisans are at their very doors able
and willing to do the work, and need
ing ii THAR c,brtr%oro.0 U,I