New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-27
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM.
Wbot Trustees Hare Been A0'S 70
Accom- plish-Gen. Cesnola's -A'd.

o'+iei - ~ Art The MetropOh-
e, Museum is insovent only i"
management -t+,c,srn ~ one has
. ns-t,le imagination, an easy nc ,,sof,1 in
sic nen but TO create a 81 80 generation
..-.to, during the lifetime "a ~ -. in
.,,-es other qualities than I'0' ,,,,sa,,, of
-,so-ote critic The Metropoii'@l - hoe,
o0i4S' <aad and for many years mas
Art was ioui1e H,r+aIned and directed by such
ano no" 80 New-York merchants and pro
-, 90 John Taylor Johnson heIllS -
s y1yiIIiarn T. Dodge, J. u a a.
3aa- -. Morgan. Frederick ". hhlhelai'N''
- (-boate. EIihu Root, John . heiil-eOS'
radwalader. William I. b40uGe'', 90.
D Avery. D 0. Mills, CorneIus le-i1e w
80 e Garland. William c. Prime Ftopet'
T,aeo-esf " L. Andrews W hlle-a" -
80 several Of whom have acquired !HteiA
,ionsI regulations as Collectors ''''1
sound art. ~. e.,,o~ sax-s.
..-ba Evening Posts" critic further says
late General Cesnola despite an ~ IN he sx t.
80 tbTo11ch well known lllatlol.s u IN stted for
and in6rmites o. Tempe. s II would be i'm
Us ~ mis- rirue, 10 dwell upon li!e aG ~ in
shortcomings of his -nDTeciate the task
80 les before Nj. Morgan II snoui. oe ,9osfe 10
- director created atmosphere MS Tcse
le - 80 research that his IDEAS nadu! 5e
above those Of Jealous co cone - Ieff behind the
understood but ILL., and that ne mas l inaeouately
singular spectacle q great "a I'5eT and Without
eIf @se-. al e,-uerT stan This anomalous con-
60 i Mr. AIorrans opportUn!t ..r.o+os ~,
AFCiacSo cS-esf.,ess az the task-noihing IKE an
s-Jgegr stable 70 catch YOUR lt1Ie '-a nf 9. tob
serlo1Sy; t- ron the beginning viii afford an II
Tesistihe appeal 10 me men IN Of the previ-
ous administration has conpe'-Ss'' -11eeoSogicai
T-5sTe IRON the point OF view OF ~
IA
Es-rsssirr Ease starts have been nduc - ne
80 u-ii5 b. precisely what NJ. Morgan ana ms
sen s, cSotse 70 make it, While expert cura-
f0rs are catching up with aFrtaIs o. e- lii End
displaying and catalogllng e1Iiols, sf+i1+s for
tber greatest usefulness in making acqls!l13ii
their several departments unoeI a e,tratHrs and
Only By the corporation OF director. 81 +a Rogers
.rasrees can the great income from me - e.
estate OS - acol.istton have cost the MI
eeun1 tens Of thousands OF dollars unnecessarily
The trustees OF the Museum realize the re-
rponsibility incumbent upon them and are NOT
thin skinned They are accustomed to Criticism
and commentator. and generally more OF the
Corner than the latter. They welcome praise
OF blame founded upon knowledge and ln1el4l-
cerce. The Rogers bequest made the Museum
rich bu: this fund is applicable only 10 me puF-
chase Of objects II art books, etc. For nam
-erance which includes scientific cataloguing.
haudbooks. classification. descriptive tablets ana
arrangement Of exhibits, as well as running
been. To GO IN these respects what the trus-
tees would Ike 70 Go would cost at least S5o'ooo
WIN some friends give this for this spe-
cisl object or better still, make an endowment
supllcable 70 q maintenance fund? This is the
one pressing need Of the Museum. and always
has been We have no hope al present that the
city viii increase its annual appropriation for
this purpose. For example, the catalogue OF
the important collection Of musical instruments
given by Mrs John Crosby Brown cost S22OO
What the superbIy illustrated catalogue Of the
Morgan porcelains cost no one knows but Its
owner.
For several years there was deficit IN yearly
expenses. made good, az rule, by the trustees
personally. Mr.. Marquand gave $4,000 in D
per cent bonds for what he then designated as
the deficiency fund" The trustees have re-
Gently estab lished e rule 10 receive 10 requests
With embarrassing conditions. Formerly when
{ valuabIe bur miscellaneous collection was be-
,uaethe6 with the condition that it must be
exhibited as & whole. absolute and scientific
classification was morally and legally irnpossi-
bic. Il seems almost hopeless 10 make our
critlca. friends understand the conditions last
above noted. Il goes without saying that it
would be most desirable 10 secure an expert
corps OF learned and scientific curators. whose
names and regulations would give security for
sound learning and judgment. Only money has
been and still Is wanting for this undoubtedly
desirable reorganization. If money had been at
The disposal OF the trustees this would all have
been accomplished
AS 10 our late director. General d Cesnola. his
death Is q distinct loss TO the Museum The
selection q his successor will require grave
consideration. He had his limitations and fail
!ngs like nos. Of Us, and was broad enough 10
b conscious OF them. He knew that he lacked
tact in dealing with the public. He was an in
oefatigabIe worker in the interest of the MI
scum. and had very estimable executive and
administrative qualities. His annual budgets
were models Of business exactness. He had an
aversion 70 creating a debt without means in
sight. Every president Of the Museum consid-
cred him invaluable SIS ar aid to the administra-
lion. President Nerquand once said to ne that
Il General di Cesnola was not retained as dl.
rector he would resign his position, both as
president and trustee. Mr. Marquand had giver
20 the Museum more than q million dollar!
n money and objects of art and had devoted
years Of constant and most intelligent attention
&c nls duties. Friends OF The Evening Post
III regret that its caustic criticism of the lat
N-5eSCof was not delayed until after his funeral
Lei rs glance al the history of the Museum
=. snott eetall \ public meeting for the pur
pose OF discussing the proposal 10 establish
museum % art was held IN the theatre Of III
-floa League Club on Tuesday evening. No
'e[L.oer - ls69 On April Is, 1870 the lsgisla
u re state Of New-York granted an &C
o -ico! porsIon TO the trustees. Immediatel.
l-SI carer 10000 was subscribed as q nucieu
y ms ooJsct- On December !, 1871, the trus
ices leased the building known as No 6S1 Fifth
SEer n. tne.e opened their first exhibition OF
--lt = =. 80. and subsequently in 1873 ant
oHtu nc CONNECTION Of The first building in Cen
}:a' Park tEc Museum occup!ed the Dough-
house. - = est F0urteenth-st
% @rr4 ., ISL, an act was passed authorfz
- l.e Department Of Parks 70 erect q rer1na
80 LSine for the Museum in Central Park O
~ oC@er public park, square or place In tn
- OF New-fork. A committee was frorne
f2teIy appointed by the trustees IN 60
Lae commissioners OF Public Parks In regard :,