New-York tribune., 1902-12-11
COX FAT0Ro ART BILL.
DT CESNOL4 4PPROFES 1T
farmer .soyy Paintings GraUfdtc
IN Museums.

art circles discussed with interest the article
I'm Yesterdays Tribune regarding the movement
of representative artists of this city TO put art
works on the free list The BILL which will be
introduced in the House of Representatives this
winter by Congressman Lowering, of Massacnu-
setts and which provides that works or art
which have been created fifty years prior to the
date Of importation shall be free Of duty Is
considered to be an extremely moderate one,
snd to represent rather what the artists OF TINS
country hcpe it may be possible to obtain than
what they demand.
KENYON Cox secretary of the committee on
tariff on works of art. of the Fine Arts Fedora
ton in a talk yesterday with a Tribune re-
porter said that he had recently written 10
Congressman Lowering. of Massachusetts, who
had consented to introduce the bill in the House
Of REPRESENTATIVES and to advocate its adop-
tion for his advice as 10 the best course of pro-
cedure The question had arisen whether it
zvould be best to introduce the bill independ-
emily now or to wait until II had been decided
whether or not there would be tariff commits
sion as recommended by President Roosevelt
# such commission should be appointed and
he artists appeared before them, they would
ak to reasonable men Mr.. Cox declared, how
ever that he was in favor OF going ahead at
once in having the bill introduced, and went on
70 say:
NO OBJECTION TO THE BILL
$50 far as know there is no objection what
eyer to this BILL The question Of the entire
freeing of art from duty might evoke some OBJ
lection but the only objection We've heard is
from people who think we should ask more
Many wanted to make the provisions OF the hiii
broader in the covering of works of the minor
arts. tapestries and vases. for instance, but we
decided not to do ii. because We thought we
would ask for the least that seemed reasonable
THE tendency of all works of art brought TO
this country is to gravitate to the public mu-
seums The particular absurdity Of the tariff
from the point of view of protection is that the
artist doesn't want the protection We have
maintained that man might be a most con-
sistent protectionist, and not want a tax on art
The fact of the matter is. 1 see it. that
art is one of those things that have always pro
duced their own demands, and the more arr
people have the more they want. Art should
he so common and so generally difused that
people will feel they cannot get along without
it 1t is d general artistic education when
creates demand for art and that is the result
Of existing art good and bad: anu, personally,
should be perfectly willing that those VINO want
had art should have all they want of II, know
ing that gradually they would educate them
selves TO desire better art and to recognize art
when they saw it wherever it was produced
IN FAVOR OF TOTAL REPEAL OF TAX
The Society of American Artists has always
been in favor of a total repeal OF the tax on
ert and we went to the societies outside OF
New York for their cooperation in having the
tariff repealed because the societies of this city
could be counted upon in the movement.
From general report there are a number OF
men and women who are holding pictures
abroad because they viii not pay the tax on
them. J. Pierpont Morgan has Raphael for
which he paid large sum, and Mrs Jack
Gardner has a Botticelh, and they VIII not bring
them over on account Of the duty.
Il have gone into this fight mostly as a re-
=alewed assurance that it is not American artlsts
who keep the tax art.
General Louis P. di Cesnola, director of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, said yesterday
that he had always been in favor of free art,
and that 2 tax the fine arts was barbarous.
He thought the proposed bin would cover the
ground. and while he could not speak for the
trustees of the museum the subject, he felt
confident they were In accord with him in this
expression Of opinion
WOULD FINALLY REACH MUSEUM.
The purchases Of works of art by Mr.. Nor
gan and Alr. Widener, for instance the general
went on to say should be encouraged, because,
while they may buy them for their own enjoy
rnent, they cannot Of course live forever. This
museum created by bequests and gifts. Mr.
Morgan has two three collections abroad
which would make this museum fine There is
the Mannheim collection of objects Of art loaned
by Mr. Morgan to the South Kensngton Mu-
scum. but which must he removed from there
Mr.. Morgan has been extremely generous, and
has given us gifts after gifts To the Garland
collection he has added eighty three pieces
since his return from Europe, and that rate
the collection may be rightfully known
the Morgan collection. Mr.. Morgan Mr.. Wild
ener and others may want to enjoy for years
the works Of art they purchase abroad, but if
these works were brought to America the next
generation. least, might see them in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art"