The times., 1897-06-26
SCHEME TO PROMOTE ART
Plans of Mir. Graves and What
Is Said Of Them.
MODEST FEE AND BIG RETURNS
Alluring Inducements Offered As
piring Students to Join the Ma
tional Cc-ope rative Society of
American Art-Its Incorporators
and Its Promoter.

81
American Art has been Incorporated under
the laws of the District OF Columbia, Its
objects, as stated in the articles OF in-
corporation, being "to foster American
art" The incorporators are Mr.. Arthur
Gordon Graves, Mr.. Horace Macdonald.
Mr. Jerome uhl, Mr.. George S. Chase, and
Mr.. j. NJ. Vale.
An inquiry concerning the National Co
operative Art Society made by Times
reporter. yesterday, develops several IN
tcresting particulars
tits found that Mr. Arthur G ordOn Graves
is the initial mover in the plan, and That
the other incorporators know very little
OF it. Something of their views is given
in another part of this article.
Mr. Graves has explained his plan In
part to several Washington artists. 1t is
also outlined In the proposed constitution
of the society, now In the possession Of
Mr. Graves, but which several people have
seen The dea OF Mr.. Graves Is first 10
establish branches all over the country
in every large city. These branches Mr.
Graves Will negotiate. Each Of them
will be entitled to hold exhibitions. To
these exhibitions members of the society
who are artists will be entitled to send
their pictures at their own expense and
risk.
Membership In tie society shall also en-
title one 10 receive miniature copies of
al. the best of tie new pictures, to be
made by the society In large numbers by
new process. Mr.. Graves constitution
further proposes that large copies of all
these best pictures shall he furnished to
members of the society at cost price.
An initial membership fee OF So is to be
paid by everyone who joins.
Certain Washington artists are d;strust-
full OF Mr.. Graves and his society. There
is some murmuring and some open insinua-
tions even.
The plan. in the first place, with the
exception OF the paragraphs relative 10
the initiation fee, is thought by many to
be, In a measure, nchulous, airy, i'm
pTessionistic. But inquiry has ELECTED
the following definite facts, W hich are
thought to be much more than nebulous.
There is in the constitution of the So
clety proposed list OF judges" whose
duties it win be to decide on the merits
of the pictures subruittedt to the exhibitions
This is fine list, including twenty or
r -
St Gaudens among them It is an i'm
posing preface TO the remainder OF the
constitution.
This is only "prorosed" list, however,
aud unfortunately it win be necessary to
revise it materially Several OF the artists
mentioned have written the stronge 81 kind
of protests against the use of their names
by Mr.. Graves. These protests come with
great regularity as soon as the gentlemen
are questioned about the association.
Interviews with the four gentleme who
cooperate with Mr. Graves as founders of
this society leads to the Information
that two Of them, Mr. Vale and Mr.. Chase,
are lawyers with no knowledge of art
or of the association Mr.. Vale is the
gentleman who wrote the articles of in
corporation, and Mr.. Chase was a con-
xcnlent gentleman, with an office across
the hall from him. in The Atlantic build
ing They only become incorpOrstors at
the request of Mr.. Graves, because it was
discovered to be necessary under the Dis
trict laws that three incorporators should
be residents of the United State and also
of the District of Columbia.
Gr. Vale sad to Times reporter that
his art knowledge was hardly enough to
allow of a good job at painting the
town"
Mr.. Mcdonald and Mr. Uhl told The
Times mau that NJ. Graves had come to
them bravely behind a most attractive
pair OF wniskers, and that they had con-
sented to let their names be used almost
before they knew it.
They weIe not personally acquainted
with the gentleman, and considered the
scheme almost too large for Mr. Graves
to accomplish.
Said Mr.. Nc Donald: 1.-THE gentleman SAYS
he wiches to give the next three years OF his
life to art, and that after that, on secure
foundation, the society will be able to do
wonders This is a most beautiful plan
There ale few poor gentlemen so self
sacrificiEg''
Mr.. Graves plan, as he has developed it
to others, however, is not so entirely self
forgetful. He wishes to secure So from
every new member of the society. Three
dollars OF this amount is to go to Mr.
Graves while he is PROSECUTING for the
society. The other So he believes VIII he
ample for the needs of American art, as it
comes directly under the fostering care of
Mr.. Graves The gentlemen hopes to secure
from ,Q00 to 1900 members each year.
Mr.. Graves reached Washington some
weeks ago from Boston, and from an
artistic point of view the chief glory
Of this gentleman seems to be his
whiskers, which are square cut, parted in
the middle. and luxuriant. One remembers
nothing else Of his personal appearance
after first interview, it is said
Nothing of Mr.. Graves history ante
cedent to his reaching Washington can be
learned, except that he was once before
In the city with another "art society,"
plan of the same nature The sole features
of this plan, SO far as they. have yet de-
veloped,. were an Initial subscription Of
So for membership fee. and a finely en-
crossed certificate OF membership.
Shortly after Mr.. Graves left Washing
ton the first time there, came notices to
Washington artists that the gentleman
was no longer authorized to collect mem
bership fees for the art society.
The present whereabouts of Mr. Graves
cannot be learned. None of the incor-
porators Of the National Cooperative Art
Society" With him know it, A diligent
search yesterday afternoon failed to locate
him.
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