New-York tribune., 1902-02-01
LAW TO CONTROL POSTERS.
PLAN TO MAKE THEM SAFE AND NOT
OFFENSIVE TO THE EYE.

danger or offensive to the eye Is engaging the
active attention Of the Department of Build
ings. An important step toward their regula-
tion has already been taken in the preparation
Of a bill, which originated with the American
Scenic and Historic Preservation Society of
which Andrew H. Green is president. AS counsel
for that society and acting under its instructions,
Colonel Henry w. sackett, who is also member
Of the board Of trustees, drew the bill, to be
presented by Assemblyman Francis G. Landon.
The title of the bill is. AN act TO impose tax
on posters. and providing for the disposition OF
the money collected Hereunder"
Provision is made by this bill for the collec-
tiSl of tax at the rate OF one cent for two
square feet or fraction thereof, on the surface
of every poster exposed to public view upon any
land attached 10 any part of building or
other structure erected in this State. The term
poster" shall include any surface OF whatever
material bearing impressions marks in the
form Of words, pictures or otherwise. exhibited
publicly in order to spread information of any
kind except notices in judicial other official
proceedings. and notices advertisements re
quired by law to be made, given, posted pub
lished. and posters placed upon or attached 10
any part of lot land. building structure.
with reference to the business, occupation or
profession conducted on such land, or carried
on in such building or structure. or relating to
the use 10 which such premises are applied or
TO the sale lease other disposition thereof
The surface Of poster taxable under this act
shall be determined by multiplying the greatest
length by the greatest breadth thereof on which
any words, pictures or other characters appear.
Every poster taxable under this act shall have
attached thereto in conspicuous place a stamp
or stamps, as evidence that the tax thereon has
been paid. Such stamps shall he procurabe
from the County Treasurer, or in the city of
New-York from the Controller. The County
Treasurer of each county and the Controller Of
the city of New-York shall retain from the gross
amount of taxes collected for the sale of stamps
pursuant 20 this act two-thirds thereof to he
applied to the general fund Of the county for
which such tax was collected or, in the city
of New-York. 10 the general fund of such city.
The remaining ore-thrd shall be forwarded to
the State Controller. and by him paid into the
treasury of the state to the credit of the general
fund thereof The State Controller shall annu- /
ally. in the month Of January. report TO the !
legislature the taxes received by him pursuant /
10 this act.
Any person who in violation of the provisions /
of this act posts or exposes to public view. or
causes OF authorizes 10 he posted exposed to |
public view any poster upon which the tax shall |
not have been paid. as provided by this act, is /
punishable by fine of 81 for each and every /
poster so unla wfully exposed. Any person who ]
wilfully destroys, mutiiates Injuries any poster
upon which the tax imposed by this act has been |
paid. or the stamp stamps thereto attached |
is punishable by fine of 81 for each offence |
The act is to take effect on September l. 1902
Colonel Sackett said yesterday in a talk with |
a Tribune reporter:
'"The matter of the regulation of street ad- /
vertisements has been attracting a great deal |
Of attention of late years. not only in this coun-
try. but in Europe France has for q. consider |
able period imposed a tax upon posters much |
larger than is proposed by this bill, and the |
effect has been very materially TO reduce the |
size OF such advertisements, and to make them |
more artistic. In Belgium the movement has |
been even more successful' The tax there is |
about twice what is proposed by this bill, and |
acter of the billboards The consequence has |
been TO relieve the principal cities, like Brus- |
sells, almost entirely from the worst evils OF |
unsightly advertisements.
In England the Society for the Suppression Of !
Abuses in Public Advertising, composed of some |
or the most prominent people or Englan1, mas !
done much to suppress the worst abuses. That |
society proposed that tax be imposed upon |
such posters, but no law to the effect has been |
passed. An act Of Parliament, however secured |
through its influence does give to the mu-
ncipality there the right 10 control such adver- |
tising by ordinance. The result has been al /
most entirely 10 do away with sky signs in the |
largest cities with such immense advertise |
ments, for instance were put over the chalk |
cliffs of Dover. They have repressed everything |
of that kind, but they have not sufficient con- |
don, and they are still agitating for the stamp |
tax.
There has been number Of interesting ef-
forts in this country on the part of municipal !
ities TO control abuses OF this kind. In Buffalo, /
at The time Of the Pan-American Exposition, the |
effort OF the city to limit the size of the big /
billboards was sustained by the courts, and |
similar ordinance in Rochester has been sus- |
tained.
In one Of these cases the Appellate Division |
Of the Supreme Court said:
1t is a fact so patent that judicial notice may |
fairly be taken of its existence, that the modern
system Of advertising by posters is such that one
hardly pass along the streets of any large |
town without being compelled TO gaze upon ad- |
lnfrequently offensive in their character.
In its Rochester case the Court of Appeals |
said
that great principle Of law that every yields
portion Of his right Of absolute dominion and |
the rights of others so that others also enjoy
drance This rule is essential for the mutual pro
lection and benefit Of every member of society. !
II is taking private property for public use !
but salutary restraint on the noxous use of the
private property by the owner.
The officers of the American Scenic and His
toric Preservation Society are: President. An !
drew H Green; vice president, Charles s Fran |
els of Troy: Frederick w De Voc. J. Pierpont !
Morgan and Walter s. Logan; treasurer Ed |
ward Payson Cone; counsel Colonel Henry w |
Sackett; landscape architect, Samuel Parsons |
Jr., and secretary, Edward Hagaman Hall.
William NJ. Aiken supervising architect Of the |
Manhattan Department of Buildings, said the |
present law was not explicit enough. and some |!
of the regulations had been loosely interpreted !
The only restriction the department could find |
in reference 20 the signs was that they could |
not be more than ten feet in height, must be |
strongly constructed, and where they were |
above the fire limit they must be constructed |
virtually of metal; that is, with metal frame /
covered with tin or galvanized iron All that |