New-York tribune., 1901-07-15
|NGLISH POSTER LAWS.
.,osars To TAX ADVERTISING SIGNS
paPIp PROGRESS In MUNICIPAL
REGULATION

,uses and trans are notorious offenders
- .he English railroad stations are compar-
- % nothing with us, except the platforms
-. Manhattan Elevated Railroad here in
~r.york And yet limit has now been fixed
.,oad which the British advertiser may not
He has still, TO be sure, greater freedom
vt ,be advertiser on the Continent and be
his appreciation in the use he makes n,
81, more and more this is conforming tn
,,ual limits. is brought more nearly into those
'.onable bounds that are the bulwarks Of all
~. freedom. distinguishing it from sheer ex
-. and from the barbarous unrestraint that
- soon become self-destructive
mat such limit has at last been set is largely
-. 10 the public sentiment which was crystal
- eight years ago in the formation of a ma
ANA organization This is the Society for
s.cking the Abuses of Public Advertising
sde 100 unwieldy for frequent use, and there
s,. popularly shortened by coming the word
.s,sps" from its initial letters
4scaps's" campaign has been conducted from
,sO well conceived principles The folly of al
,crine any personal preference and feeling 70
,asrnine associated action, together with the
,ovelessness Of dealing with all the individual
,sss has been recognized, and the effort Of the
.nse.y has been first TO point out the reason.
sssness of an official control Of public adyer-
,sne and second TO secure legislation that
stau exercise such control.
70 evinee the reasonableness of the project has
rrcyed step not merely toward securing the
legislation. but-a result which is often obtained
| with greater difiiculty-toward developing and
stimulating public sentiment which will de-
rsnd the laws enforcement when it has been
put on the statute books Accordingly the So
cisty advances q regular line of argument which
carefully summarizes under the following
convenient and suggestive heads 1t is believed.
il says
That the present license causes discomfort or
loss Of enjoyment to many, and that in the alb
ssace Of authoritative restriction il must grow
.sr beyond It's present limits;
that beauty or propriety of aspect in town
and country form as real part of the national
wealth any material product and that To
save these from impairment is a national in
,srest;
That the recent developments of yexatiouslv
obtrusire advertising have not grown out of any
necessities Of honorable business but are partly
he result of a mere instinct Of imitation and
partly are a morbid phase o. competition by
which both the consumers and the trade as a
whole lose:
That restriction. regards the size and po-
sinens OF advertising notices, would not be a
hardship 70 those who want publicity Since all
competitors would be treated alike, each would
have the same relative prominence:
That. as large sums Of public money are ex-
pended on institutions intended TO develop the
liner taste, and on eGifces of elaborate design il
must be held inconsistent with established pub
lie policy TO permit the sensibiiities thus i'm
parted TO be wounded, and architectural effect to
be destroyed at the discretion of a limited class
Pushing its campaign along these lines, the
sciety-with G fairly steady membership of
about thousand regular annual contributors,
this number including many OF the best known
names in England-declares its purpose to be
a~he So
rural scenery and the promotion of a regard for
ignity and propriety of aspect in towns with
special reference TO the abuses Of spectacular
adrertising" II seeks. first, then, to procure
sgslstion whereby local representative bodies
VIII be enabled to exercise control by means of
bylaws, and, second. il regards with favor and
has sought TO secure, "the imposition Of mod
crate tax or duty. for imperial or local purposes
On exposed advertisements that not obvious
necessary notices" This latter effort which
has as yet been vain in England, and the argu-
meats adduced in its behalf in order 10 obtain
the support Of the Chancellor of the Excheauer
ior such a national inlpost make an interesting
supplement- 10 the poster taxing laws Of France,
which The Tribune recently reviewed at some
length
The preparation of the national budget for
issS-l9OO revealed the probability of a deficit,
and Richardson Evans, the honorary secretary
q the society, began at once 20 press the sub
lect CT tax on advertisements as a new source
81 imperial revenue on the attention of Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach, the Chancellor Of the Ex-
chequer.
uncially the Chancellor could consider only
ue question Of revenue-that, at least had 10
N The primary consideration-while the secre-
uTy Of "scapa," personally caring far more for
d,ro,
tAe proposed tax. was obliged 10 keep this argu-
nent in the background, presenting in the main
'he questions financial aspect. His idea, how
eve, was that taxation of advertisements
Souid operate only TO reduce the general volume.
He said:
-, ~ would not be to any large extent a protec-
s avn against what are probably from the pictu-
isss4ue point of view the most harmful displays,
s.eee Few shillings more or less would hardly
- - the calculations of those who systemati-
esiE Resort TO field boards. sky signs, metal
s.aaues and so on. But duty would almost
- - AMY render unremunerative the of the
-o!i scattered bills which nfest the rural road
Suen' z large proportion of which are condemned
!" every one on moral grounds 1t would also
$3.50 49, 70 reduce the aggregate area of posters on
ana walls. and would encourage ad-
te improve the artistic character of
- ssA appeal TO the eye, rather than to multiply
Trh.saltely the mere number Of staring sheets.
-es would find IL TO their interest 10 try to at
and witness
~ MS first letter presenting this matter to the
sAanoeuor Of the Exchequer Mr. Evans. on be-
- VI me society, made this summary of the
su''eht OF public utility. and directed the at
.A'oh OF the treasury TO the example of nearly
continental country as decisive as to
~ 'aiue OF the duty purely fiscal grounds"
etec france specifically. and urged further
- 10y 'he duty would be easy to collect by means
- sSmps- The Chancellor. replying, said that
matter OF revenue alone concerned him, and
Neu mat he did not see on what grounds a
- oh advertisements could be defended unless
-. .paper advertisements were included" On
'aptef point Mr.. Evans responded: