New-York tribune., 1905-11-26
ART TARIFF PROTEST.
ARTISTS HOLD MEETING.
League for Political Education WfH
York for Repeal.

The meeting to protest against the duty on
works of art called by the League for Political
Education attracted a representative assenibage
yesterday morning which fairly filed the Hudson
Theatre In West 44th-st
Among those the platform Daniel C.
French, j. Alden Weir. George B. Post, J. c
Nicoll. Charles H. Niehaus, Gutzon Borglum. Ar
mold W. Brunner F. E. Triebel. Richard Howland
Hunt and Charles C. Curran. Letters OF regret
were received from D. o. Mills. Frederick Dielman
George H. Story Frederick G. Lamb, Calvin Tom
klrs, Frederic Crowninsheld and Stanford White
Robert Ersline Ely. director of the league. who
presided said that the American artist did not
want protection in competition with his fellow
artists and 1t to his honor that he fought
against protection which ne did not want. and
which he resented and hated
Mr. Ely, introduced Howard Mansfield. represent
Ing the American Free Art League. Of the
organizations working against this aboninable
barbarous and utterly indefensibIe tax
Mr. Mansfield said in part:
Mt It. has as seemed to US that the time has come
movement for the free admission of works of art
We feel it is time for team work. and propose
The present a barbsroas aRu senditSn q the
to members G Of congress and make IA it blush
VII not uT f9s n of art m M II the the auy sr 61 on not of
tariff How does it come that this duty has 6eep
It It's is difficult to get the advocates of the tax to
Free art means more art-more art for art lovers
and more art for the whole people.
Karl Bitter said he marvelled why the tariff on
art was imposed. The revenue to the government
could be only comparatively small. and if the tax
discouraged the Importation of works of art the
revenue became smaller and smaller.
j. Carroll Beckwith was then introduced by Mr..
Ely as the president of the old National Free Art
League, which was the pioneer In the free art
movement. Mr.. Beckwith said in part:
wish we had here the people who do believe in
uuty on because TO talk to you IS like
ra IN 6s 6oas to q o o do not believe there
fill this theatre who believe in it. Congressman
Congress and the Senate do believe in it. That is
popularity of our government
n aer They o pe M fsR bas to ng you ge at rS m ON
the tariff on arr they will say Your theories are
al right but we are in for something that counts
Washington.
Kenyon Cox said that for twenty years artists
had argued the question of the removal of the
tariff on art so often that they growing tired
of stating the arguments. The arguments were
unanswerable. and met only by stolid ndif-
ference.
Mr.. Cox. continuing, said:
I believe the tariff on art is the greatest hard-
cap the government can put on the progress Of art
and be hanged to them. They can't hurt US We
fine arts or for other things which the government
might do. but only stop protecting us
the men who make the government think artists
are set of fools and must be protected in spite
of their teeth they will die. Artists are as
practical other men. When they say they do
not desire protection there are practical reasons
for il.
We are not asking the government TO do any ny
thing which is going harm financially. We
are not such martyrs that.
The livelihood of artist depends on an edu-
Gated public. So long as the public is not sum
GENTLY educated to know good work from bad, 1T
buys nothing or something with label on it. So
long as the American public is not sufficiently edu-
Gated, the American artist will be handicapped by
the fact that he has not had his work approved
abroad.
There are artists here to-day who the equals
OF artists anywhere. but they are not receiving
their due They would receive it in almost any
other country on Gods footstool We want educa-
tion for the good of the whole people, and II we
don't get 1t we may as we'll give up. On that purely
selfish ground we would be willing to continue
fighting to be let alone.
Mr. Ely then asked every one present who be
1ieved that the tax on art civilization
and penalty on culture that should be fought to
orr last brea th'' to arise The whole audience