The Tucson citizen., 1902-01-27
WHERE THE TARIFF PINCHES.

The eStcemeu. ENpIN7o' vi i'o9 80
geIes which has a very friendly ieeI-
ing for a protective tariff generally
and very ardent liking for the tariff
on sugar and fruit which comes with
In immediate radius OF its own pattern
al care. is very much disgusted with
the tariff on art, While We fully re-
cognize the absurdity of a tariff on art,
We are not disposed to consider 1t
greater outrage than a taritt on sugar
ar blankets, and in consequence we
cannot go the whole length of our Los
Angeles contemporary learned and
csthetic grief. The Express states It's
special case tnus:
One of the odulties-not to say out
rages--of our tariff law is the duty OF
90 per cent it levies upon works OF art
AS everybody knows, Mr. j. =. Nor
gan. of New York, has IN the last few
days purchased in Europe the ''Mado-
ma" painted by the great Paphael 1or
the Convent of ST Anthony OF Padua
For this noble work of art Mr.. Morgan
naid 5000, 600. Unless the New York
millionaire gives this painting to some
institution like the Metropolitan Muse
nm or the Corcoran Art Gallery he can
not bring il to this country without
giving the United States 100000 for
the privilege of importing this master
nierp of art. He cannot addd it to his
nrivate collection in New York. or
nlace it on exhibition in any of the
,f uithnllt hand
ing over in advance 90 per cent OF its
value TO the customs officials. Our GOV
ernment does not encourage wealthy
citizens to form art collections. Inc
man of artistic tastes who intends 20
buy works by the old masters must pay
into the Treasury of this practlcal
Government 81 for every s. that he
spends in the art galleries of Europe.
The Los Angeles Express, as stout
general supporter of high tariff duties
should not forget that our tariff is
levied for revenue and for the protec-
ton Of "infant industries We do not
believe that there are enough Ameri-
cans engaged in importing the WORKS
of Raphael. OF Reynolds, of Gaines
borough and of Rubens to make the
revenue derived from importatiOns Of
great paintings of importance to the
Government. The tariff must be i'm
posed then, principally, for the protec-
tjon of American artists. Have we any
infant" old masters in the United
States to be protected from the Rap
haels and Reynoldses and Gains
borough, who have been dead SO long
that their bones are dust? Surely there
is no American worthy Of the name OF
artist who would put a tax upon the
productions of these men of genius,
whose works are the delight OF all who
can appreciate the painters art Great
painters are born, not made by tariff
duties. We might pile tariff on tariff
and yet not produce Raphael or a
Rubens. 1t is true we can build up a
tin plate industry or establish swoolen
cloth and shoddy factories by pro-
tective tariff, but genius cannot be
evolved out of Dingley act. If there
are any infant old masters in the
United States they will come to the
front and make themselves famous
without 20 per cent duty on works
OF art.
The Chief of the Customs of the
Treasury Department is quoted in the
Los Angeles Express as saying that
IF Mr.. Morgan intends to wait until
he can bring to the United States with
out paying duty the painting he is re-
ported to have bought he will have to
wait long time. Congress is the only
power which can lift the tariff on
works of art This being the case it is
probable that Mr.. Morgan Will obtain
no relief. The statesmen composing
our national Legislature have shown
very plainly of late that they will make
no concessions-nO even to the worlds
immortals in art. They fear that if
they put Raphael and Rubens on the
free list they will be asked to remove
the duty on sugar and steel To the
average protectionist there is no DIFF
ference in principle between a duty on
a painting by an old master and duty
on a pair of boots or a suit Of clothes
made abroad. Boots, clothes and paint
ings are all products of the rpaupcr
labor" of Europe of the old
masters were very poor, it must be ad-
mitted-and it would be un-Amcrican
to pull down the protection barrier. So
Mr.. Morgan must come down with the
hard cash and pay duty on mis- paint
ings. The American principle must be
vindicated. The Treasury surplus must
be kept up to the maximum; our ma
tive old masters in embryo must not
be handicapped by competition with
the genuises of past centuries.
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