New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
APPEAL TO PRESIDENT.
Artists UW Try To Get HIS lid
TOzCard Repeal of 4rt Tariff

! Alden Weir informed Tribune reporter last
week that he and several other artists active In
The movement for repeal Of the present tariff on
urorks Of art expected soon to make a personaI
sDpeal to President Roosevelt to interest him in the
massage Of the bill which provides for tba f-ee g.,
portaton Of works of created fifty years before
the date OF their entry into this country Mr. Weir
expects to have conference on the subject in a
few days with ]. Carroll Beckwith, Edwin How
land Blashfeld and Kenyon Cox. the committee on
tariff on works Of art appointed by the Fine Arts
Federation. and then visit will be paid to Presi
dent Roosevelt
Mr. Weir declared that the tax on art was most
absurd. and the ahsurdity of it was in the idea
that American artists wanted protection As mat
ter Of fact. the good artists were in favor Of the
repeal of the law
When air. Weir in London last year he
learned that collection of works of art estimated
in value at over 100000 was owned by Bos-
tonian. and would be kept there so long as the
tariff on art not repealed. All great works OF
art in tine were bound to go to the museums II
not this generation possibly in the next, and the
bill which it hoped Congress would pass this
winter would satisfy those who were interested in
the repeal Of the present tariff The tax now in
keeping out bad work also kept out the good
william N. Chase was Of the opinion that there
was point to be made in favor OF the tariff on
ancient or modern art Pictures or sculptures were
in competition with each other. as there were
no two alike. The phase most detrimental to the
American artist was the false valuation placed on
foreign productions. Mr.. Chase continued:
should hope that this bill would go through as
beginning Of the end to have absolutely free art
nothing 10 prevent any artist abroad from packing
his bag and coming to this country The more
prospects Of the men at home for patronage
can afford to buy and understand There IS not a
collector in the United States that did not begin
wH S the cTo6 Pr8 e d m US 0s1 esf easeS sr
vice, and would not exclude the cheap pictures
g 4 Us here ha
any tax on art al all and especially that pen
here. When Sargent and not long ago visited
the London home Of J. Pierpont Morgan We saw
ings ETC. worth 81 600 600 II the tariff on art were
part OF his collection to this country
Charles De Kay. formerly consul general IN Ber-
lin said:
oocted the gentlemen in Washington called upon
naIionaI Capitol as open and encouraged lobbyists
in their own interests The artists. however. were
pert, no art critic. no art collector asked his
denrhs Of their own ignorance NV considera bic
acquaintance with artists leads me to state that
aTts are nether taking nor Writing men as
rule; and even their organizations are not bust
and this great injustice was peTperated on the plea
unjust legislation should be undone at the earliest
Personally I don't believe in specific or other
duties works Of art The bill TO come before
Congress represents a minimum OF justice to the
collectors Of sculptures. paintings and works Of In
ousrriaI of the United States. the museums
and the artists. It is difficult how any objec
ton be made 10 Il. except the part OF men
who fail utterly realize what the higher educa-
ton is. Considering the great Nberalty Of Ameri-
in presenting works OF art TO the colleges and
art Of the various cities in the Union, it
IS clear that legislation IS cutting of the supply,
that without compensation in any serious addi-
ton to the national income The situation is one
that travelled and thoughtful Americans feel very
keenly. Those who do not cannot realize the
value Of these objects educational for our artists,
collectors and the pubic at large may at last re-
act to the argument that Il is q piece OF folly TO
prevent the accumulation in the United States or
objects which must necessarily increase In value
as time goes or yet a little inquiry as 10 the ex
ira ordinary advance In the valuation OF genuine
old masters would assure those who only open
TO such arguments that position toward works
imported into the United states is one lilal
marks q nation of fools.
The trouble seems TO be that in this country peo-
ple have no respect for the opinion Of men who
have nassed their lives In the study Of a given
franc OF education Our legislators appear to have
some respect for the opinion Of physicians, an over
vvhelnine awe for the power OF men who have
made their money IN steel and cotton: but they
sweep aside the opinions of those who have given
their time to matters OF less practical sort we
are ali houing that the new Congress VIII have
more enlighten-nent-