The sun., 1904-12-14
ADS SA1EDADREARY SUBWAY
THEY GIVE 4 NEEDED TOCCH OF
+ COLOR, SAYS ARTEMAS WARD,

whose Firm Put EN- In-And Only AdVer
Using Revenue Made the Road Possible
lie Declares-Edward IL. Hall Lam
g. baues Disbursement for Private Gain
{ The Sphinx Club dine1 at the Waldorf.
Astoria last night and then heard several
kpeakers discuss both sides Of the subway
sign question. Honors were with the signs
at the end OF the argument, as they were
at the beginning, for the members OF the
Sphinx Club are in the advertising business
They even cheered enthusiastically when
one sign expert declared emphatically
advertising is greater than art
Edward Hagaman Hall, secretary OF the
American Scenic and Historic Preservation
Society, had been especially hidden to take q
fall out OF outdoor advertising and he did It,
after apologizing for treading on the corns
OF such OF his hosts as had any.
Il believe that public opinion is with
the newspapers against outdoor advertis-
Ing. he said, "and include the advertising
In the subway under the term Outdoor
advertising / think also. that the ad-
yertising men display weakness when
they decline to argue the matter and
kllege that the newspapers which crticise
do so only because they believe that adver-
tising has bsen diverted from their own
THE iiberty,ofSthee outdoor advertiser
should be hnited by the feelings Of the
majority oflhe people. believe that a
person is al entitled to protection from
the other senses, No. one can say that
because posters have become 80 common
and widespread they cannot be re;
strained. Outdoor advertising has reached
such lengths that some Of US think 1t should
II have reached the conclusion that ad-
vertising that forces itself on the eye and
offends Is an abuse. In this city adver-
Using has gone beyond all limits. We're
foofed in, foored in; we're prisoners OF ad-
vtrtising. Advertising confronts us on
fhe elevated roads, in the street, and when
We descend into the innermost earth, Ward
& Cow still pursue us. l don't think the
public objects to a small amount OF outdoor
advertising but think it has gone 30 far
that the limit OF tolerance has been ex-
ceeded.
~ object to the subway advertisements,
not so much as adv vertisements, but be-
cause they have invaded realm in which
the public had expected to enjoy decora-
lions which had been put in at great ex-
pense. Tt$iJsft 91'nr tllf artistic and sani-
vertisements have been put in against the
will Of the people and without proper recon-
r,ense to the city, .y,.....
fMr. Hall concluded by expressing his
belief that outdoor, advertising should be
tn xed In this city as II is In Belgium, France
and in some cities in England.
The Sphinx Club applauded his senti-
nients politely, but was enthusiastic when
Artem1s Ward. who isn't 80 humorous as
Ms ramesake, defended the advertisements
Il the subway on behalf of the firm Of which
re IL a member and which holds the contract
for keeping them there.
! Mr.. Ward declared that the subway sign
iS now a dead issue. Not an edito rial had
been printed on the subject for a week.
he said, so he rather disliked to reopen the
case. Then he asserted that it was only
the revenue from the advertising that
enabled August Belmont tc, agree to finance
the subway and that the advertising clause
in the contract With the Rapid Transit
Commission was put in after due deliber-
alton: ID, ..l,, ;,y .
what are we coming to?" he asked.
Are we, because of criticism. to give up
the right OF contract? Are we going to
make a contract and then give 1t up because
II ofTends somebody? Now, about the bit
OF color on those subway station walls; .
Il went into those caverns, those sta
amy signs in them, and they looked mighty
dreary and lonesome. There were long,
plain, white tiled walls, relieved only by
blue line. Now there is a touch-just a
touch-of color on fhen- and thinkit Is an
''''G'GnrHpi NJ "m periectsy sstsfied that II there
fifty persons in this city would have taken
There was lots of applause for Mr.. Ward.
Arthur W. Brduper president Of the Archi-.
tectural League. saId be hadn't anything
thought that the slsi,s "a the subway we're
" inh arnnouionsF ~ He thou ght that adver-