The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-09

X Is ais" commended that the regulations
imposed by the Superintendent Of Public
BulIdinEs and Grounds is without author
ity OF law. and this opirion Is endorsed nv
some of the most prominent lawyers in
this city 1t Is not at all improbable that
4, some attempt to test the legality OF the
regulations Will be made Such "A test has
been att mpted, but in the case cited.
while the police were advised of the in
teat, they would make no arrest.
A prominent citizen OF Washington.
who is also an enthusiastic amateur pho
tcgrapher, has the following to say on the
subject.
The people OF Washington and Of the
t. country at large are not slow TO give
credit 10 Colonel Bingham for the work Of
his office in keeping in good condition
the parks and public buildings al the
seat of the Government. No reasonable
. person would complain OF any rsguIa-
, tons necessary to effect this end The
prohibition of the taking Of photographs.
l except with small hand cameras. in the
public parks. except under , .rrnits is
/ sued by the Office Of Public Buildings and
/ Grounds seems TO be entirely unuecessa-
ry- In his recent public statement. Colo
mel Bingham jusJifeS the prohibition on
the ground that the use Of tripod instrtl-
I better class, attracts curious people to
the lawns TO the frequent injury Co the
grass and shruLbery. In other words ne
admits that the offence is not Iy thu. pho
tographer. but 10y other persons Just
no" the paSteboard permit operates 20
keep away the aforesaid curious people
ana prevents injury 60 the grass and
ShruuDeTy Is too difficult "a problem for
] summer study The permits ISSUED. ] am
( informed, are for from two or three days
10 q week.
The photographer If resident OF
washington. when he desires To take pic
I-res Tor amusement az odd times is sub
lectrd 10 the lnccnVeuieuce az least Of
having TO apply frequently for the Tee
HeWal OF his permit If however Dc is
a tourist and threc-fOur ms of tho tour
. lists OF today are amateur photographer.
Pie, or she. does not know how tr pro-
coed 60 secure such permit. and iu most
cases. is forced 20 reliuguish getting "a
E''i picture Inc Photographers OF
Washington. therefore. are not alone in
terested in the question. but b. Affects
the country al large
THE word has gone forth that in order
10 take pictures Of public places in Wash
lngton II Is necessary TO go through red
tape proceedings. and this has uudoult-
| tdly Kept many a visitor from the city.
The authority Of Colonel Bingham office
Is confined 10 the euforc. NJ 81 rules
and regulations for the care and TrataC-
4 ton of tho public buildings and grounds
When IL Jranscends that 10 is without
( force.
"A NFt-4I-NttfhNft law FtfCrT OF the ~
eminent. an amateur Photographic. who
has looked into the question some what.
mas expressed the view that the uTuhIuI-
lion Of any kind % cameras IN the parks.
when properly used, is without authority
of law A number Of prominent members
OF the local camera club are interested in
the subject. and IL has been suggested
mat one OF them shall without permit use
ms tripod camera In one OF the parks.
and. II arrested and snt 90 Jail. immsd-
lately sue out writ Of habeas corpus
he Of ID.
the regulation II the regulation is valid.
efforts VIII bc made 20 obtain legislation
or the question If 1t Is invalid the public
Is entitled 10 know that u IS the exercise
of an assumed au.-Ority. u would seem
10 be- wiser 10 instruct park policemen To-
see that no person using camera shall
In any way violate the regulations. than
10 have an uuueC, ssary restrictive reguIa-
ton which Is source Of annoyance 10
the public.
-IE Philadelphia the Fairmnuut Park
| Commission. whose authority IN the prem
Uses Is ample issues small CA rIs o. auv
reputable applicant. which ar. good during
the year OF issue Why could not Colonel
Bingham al least modify his regulations
so as 10 issue a permit. say a. small
/ round-corner,d card like a railway pass.
good Tor The year and avoid the necessity
OF applications for frequent renewals In
conversation with gentleman who had
I I'm mis- possession permits issued by Colon
/ d Bingham, he SEATED that in his view
this was the principal objection TO them.
that Iu his own case h- was unable To-
. take pictures he desired within the limits
OF IA" permit, and that he had not asked
its renewal because ne could not tell when
ne might have au opportunity. that Dc was
only az odd times. possibly on "a Sunday.
could use his camera
I'm conversation VITA dealers in photo
staHhie supplies In this city it Do learned
that The feeling Of Tho photoEar piers on
the subject iS very strong and That fba
regulations as they exist at present ara
considered as unnecessarily hurdsusorne
colonel Elusham.s reasons for the order
are considered insufficient for 10 can
hardly Dee said that tha tripod camera
lh-s" DAVIS is an object o. curiosity % is
claimed that the permission To- use hand
cameras, and prohibiting Of stand or trf-
pod cameras. operates IN favor OF pro
lesSloEal photographers for the most part
because cameras OF the latter character
are necessary IN order tv make large
ana satisfactory picture. the largest hand
gamers not taking picture larger than
Professional photographers rarely r5sa
50 small an instrument so that II one
wants large picture Of any Of the
places or objects Of interest % which the
restrictions apply. he finds n easier -
least to purchase one from the prof. So
louai photographic than TO 20 10 the
trouble necessary 20 obtain "A permit 10
years ago 10y General Wilson when anna
trur photography was in it's infancy is
not properly applicable now when mil
lions Or money are invested IN the manu- I
faclure Of phOtORra DhiC materials and
supplies. and nearly every one is an ann /
attur photography. OF would like 10 be
Tn" aUthO.--y 90 permit the use of
hand cameras implies authority % ok
cludc them Under the present reruIa- I
uOuS they are permitted when used in |
the hand. i'm other words. iu snapshot .
work But. the advanced amateur. soon |
learns that the best pictures are not I
made when the sun is the brightest but I
rather early in the morning or late iu I
the evening. az which times snapshots /
cannot be- made because Of the weakness |
Of the light. and even for small hand Z
cameras "A tripod Is necessary. The re-
suit is therefore practically speaking. /
hand cameras can be used only when I
they can be used as hand cameras. that I
is, in snapshot work for a portion OF /
the DAY only.
III Colonel Bingham can validIy ,x,r-
else the authority he claims no reasons .
eNi list why the Commissioners of the Dis
tTlCt az Columbia and Of course local au-
th"rltiss everywhere throughout the I
country. may not restrict the taking pf /
pictures within their jurisdiction iu the /
same WAY. The American people do not I
take kindly 90 any unnecessary r-Strl,-
lions Of their liberties or the enactment |
ana enforcement Of unnecessary laws /
and regulations II would De far more I
tD the interest of Washington to give UNI /
restricted liberty in the matter Of taking /
pictures within its limits. while AZ the /
same time prohibiting any undue license !
respect 90 the millions Of amateur ulD-
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