New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-28
POSTER TAXATION.

The disbursement of the subway stations by
advertising signs may work good in the END II
il arOuseS public sentiment to new appFecia-
ton of the abuses of the whole poster business
and leads to intelligent regulation OF oliiooards
in line with the practice in other enlightened
countries. One of the strong arguments against
the subway signs is the fact that the subway Is
by law part of the public streets OF New York.
and it is pronounced outrageous that any adVer-
Using concern should appropriate to its own use
the public streets. That however, Is just what
advertisers do all over the city. Years ago the
curbstones were habitually pasted over with
posters colloquialy called gutter sn1pes Some
advance has been made, and that particular
form of street disagreement is prohibited. But
still the billposter is in other directions allowed
to do pretty much as he pleases. He may gen
orally, but not always. actually attach his signs
TO private property but their value is entirely
dependent upon their real use Of the public
streets and their opportunity so gained to force
themselves upon the attention Of the passerby.
Now the advertiser has really possessed him
self of public franchise. He is exploiting the
crowds But for what the city gives him he
would never dream of displaying the posters.
This is recognized in France, and the advertiser
is forced TO pay TO the public something for this
privilege Of demanding its attention. The tax
is at once a revenue producer and a check on
poster excuses. A similar tax IS imposed in
Italy and in Belgium. Their example furnishes
suggestion which many persons interested In
the Identification of our cities have hoped would
before long be followed in this country. The
city confers franchises on street railway cor
porations to run cars. The companies are char
tered for transportation not advertising bust
ness. Yet they assume the right TO use their
cars for advertising in the public streets well
as for transportation. Many lawyers doubt their
right to engage In any such enterprise. If the
courts strictly construed corporate grants it
would certainly be denied them But If in our
happy go-lucky fashion we have let them estab-
lish by usage that right as incident to their
legitimate business, at least the people can tax
the value Of that privilege, just as they tax the
value Of the privilege of running cars at all.
Every advertising sign displayed In sight of a
public place, except the signs on the particular
premises where the business announced is car
ried on, should be subjected to a stamp tax
The tax could be graduated so as TO be no seri-
Gus burden upon small signs while discouraging
the monstrosities which disfgure the landscape,
few years ago a bill was introduced into the
legislature to tax posters and excited consider
able discussion Its supporters had little hone
OF passing it, for public sentiment was not yet
ripe but they wished to famlIiarize the people
with the idea of poster taxation, which is prac-
Used in other countries, and it will find favor
here in proportion as the popular taste advances
Certain interests will, of course oppose the tax
They want free hand for their abuses But
such opposition must gradually give way as the
benefit to the general community from the reg11-
lation of poster advertising is better understood