New-York tribune., 1902-05-04
AMERICAN ART INDUSTRIES
THEIR PROGRESS IN THE LAST DECADE
HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.
OUR ARTIFICERs ADAPT OR DARINGLY
TRANsMUTE THE ART IDEAS AND IRA
DITIONs OF CENTURIES THE HERR
TAGE OF MANY LANDs-SO DOING.
THEY CREATE NEW SCHOOLS.

The question often arises in the mind Of the
thoughtful student of American economic condi-
tions, why is il that, while the great majority or
citizens are agriculturists whose products are
practically unprotected in the open markets Of the
world. industries receiving every possible
assistance and stimuus?"
The answer may be found in the fact that it is
the men who have developed our arts and crafts
who have the true secret Of industrial prosperity
in their possession. and on whose shoulders the
burden of working out complex industrial con-
ditions TO a successful solution is laid.
There will probably be s90OO0,0OO expended
in New-York for buildings during the present
building season, and S3000o0OO more for alterations
and improvements 1t may be fairly claimed that
readers Of The Tribune Will spend most of this vast
sum- and object of these papers is to point out
10 them what applied art really is. and to teaGSn G
genius and high ideals of their architects and fur
viii have Accomplished Very little Of the purpose OF
The Tribune if the result ends here dhis Is the
civiliZation-when they are asking themseINes
its effacement shall be the law of evolu-
ton hereafter; whether men shall be dlamonqs Eq
cut and polished to angles and facets ght ABSORB
ing and light giving. or whether humanity shall be
spread out on the level sands OF the reGed!ns ocean
OF life and action; whether domestic life shaIi
sban axant1aiIL- settle every family with an acre
AND a haif of groI1nd 70 raise the years stock of
potatoes. and confscate any tubers that exceed
Do not be biind-it is beauty and none else, that
IS on trial for her life 1t should not be forgotten
that without beauty We die
In this momentous struggle the country must turn
salvation TO the legal cult-that is bound TO
precedent; not TO the pedagogic class-these are
no longer law givers; not TO the agTlculturallstS
these have not learned the laws Of co-opera-
ton; 10 the great capitalists ana
trusts-because they have but half the blocks
in the puzzle. 1t must look to the industrial
artist the who has found the Lax of beauty
and lives by IT. and who assemblies and unltes
other men. often regiments and armies OF men,
under that law. These the men who unite
England, America France, Germany and Japan
in an indissoluble bond. whose creations
bring together and teach widely different ma
tions 10 appreciate another. These men. who
at dream and actualize, who create and or
ganiZe, who experience the heights of ecstasy in
their lves-which is art-and administer responsi-
bities of hundreds of other lives. which Is man
hood and citizenship-these they who shall save
American civilization if ii shall be saved: These
ere the children of light. Some Of these friends q
The Tribune are rich and powerful; some OF them
are comparatively Ioor and obscure; but all are or
the stock that laid the civilization of Europe in
the Middle Ages; that brought about the Renais-
sance: and goes back, that built up the civ
ilizations OF Carthage and Babylon and Egypt gave
us our very alphabet and started US on the path
of development we have ever since been treading:
II is wholesome for US to consider the meaning or
their lives.