New-York tribune., 1902-02-10
A BILL TO TAX POSTERS.

Assemblyman Landons bill to impose tax
of one-half cent a square foot on advertising
| signs is a we'll considered effort to deal with
great and growing nuisance. The Tribune has
hitherto frequently spoken of the abuse of post
ers, given extended accounts of the steps taken
TO regulate public advertising abroad. and
urged that our American States profit by for
eign examples and protect our cities and rural
| scenery from the epidemic of ugliness. 1t there
fore is most gratifying to see a definite move
ment being made by Mr.. Landon with the ap-
proval Of the Scenic Society, for embodying this
| idea in law. The tax proposed by his bill is
extremely light, much smaller than that i'm
posed with excellent effect elsewhere, and we
are frank to say that we should prefer TO see
the tax graduated more effectually to discour-
age the great monstrosties of poster adVerts-
ing and offer an incentive to advertisers to
seek public notice by handsome signs occupy
ing small space. Unless our people are utterly
vulgarized there is certainly as much advertis-
ing virtue in attractive persuasion as in ugly
visual assault. While a graduated tax would
be more effective in this direction, il is 10 be
admitted that the plan proposed is simpler, and
simplicity is desirable if law of this kind TO
which people are not accustomed, is to be prop
erly enforced. Under it large posters will be
penalized somewhat and if the dscouragement
- nut Suuucleul 10 ulOutIdIe tue elSu DdluLeTS
ambitions the graduation feature can easily be
grated upon the law.
The Appellate Division. in the Fourth Depart
ment, recently said "The modern system of
advertising is such that one can hardly pass
"along the streets Of any large town without
being compelled TO gaze upon advertisements
which are enormous in size and not infre-
| "quently offensive in character" This privi-
| lege OF holding up passengers in the public
| street and compelling them to look at soap and
| pill notices is not a natural right The street
is made for no such purpose, and those who
| thus use 1t may rightly be taxed for the value
| of the franchise enjoyed and subjected to regu-
| lation in the prosecution of their business The
| government, at great expense. makes streets
and highways, and it is only just that the bust
ness man who hawks his goods in them should
| contribute to the public revenues. The push
cart owner has TO pay a license, and he is not
one bit more of nuisance. and he does not
more really use the street for his place of bust
ness than does the advertiser who forces every
| passerby TO consider the virtue of his wares
| Mr.. Iandon's bill is not calculated to inter
fere with a moderate and decent use OF public
| places for poster advertising. The tax is not
| heavy enough TO burden any advertiser in
making his business known to the public 1t
| will, however, tend to stop senseIess duplica-
! ton OF signs. They are now turned out by the
! thousand and scattered broadcast in mere wan
! tonness. Where you see one, you are likely TO
see a dozen advertising the same article. A
! few posters would do just much good and
mar the landscape far less. The duplication is
largely matter of senseless competition. When
all are subject TO the same restraint advertisers
will find just as much profit in more moderate
| displays. So, too, regards size If all signs
were smaller small signs would be as effective
as large. There is apparently no limit to the
poster riot, If the matter is not regulated, and
the only way TO save our cities and towns from
being overwhelmed with signs is to undertake
policy of strict regulation, which can be most
| effectively enforced by a tax