Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-12
free Art.

Senator George G. Vest, who repre-
scented Missouri in the senate for about
a quarter of century, made the fol-
lowing speech in favor Of free art on
June 10, 1884:
MY reasons land I think my colleagues
on the committee agreed with mel were
that everything in the way of art, which
eleyates our people, which increases the
love of the beautiful and refined, which
makes us in every respect better people,
should be encouraged by legislation.
The Mckinley act put a duty Of only Is
per cent upon these articles. We propose
to put them upon the free list because, II
great artists see proper to bring their
work to this country in order to elevate
the taste of our people, in order to create
the generous competition between artists
which always is to be encouraged, we did
not think that, with the other provisions
in the BILL it was necessary to put tax
upon the productions of the artists, but
that they should rather be encouraged to
come here.
I had occasion to say this morning, and
I repeat, that no political exigency would
ever induce me to shut out from this
country any work of literature, no matter
what branch of literal ure it might apper-
tain to, that gave new thought and bet
States.
am not worshiper Of the aesthetic. /
am not connoisseur in paintings or In
sculpture, but, Mr.. President as an edu-
Gated man, fit to be here as the repre-
sentative of an educated people, / must
say that one tendency of this age is going
to the extreme, and that is the tendency
to the exclusively practical; that we
should escape, if possible, from all that
seems to be aesthetic or beautiful or
artistic and confine ourselves to absolute
physical necessities.
The greatest peoples of the whole world
have been those who were practical and
at the same time devoted to art and sculp-
ture When the people of the United
States by their legislation discriminate
against art in any shape, whether paint
ing or sculpture, or even literary produc-
ton, then the decadence of the republic
will commence. There is something else
in this world besides meat and bread and
clothing. A people who have nothing else
are on the verge of barbarism. people
who cannot admire art, who esehew II
because it is unnecessary, will soon de-
generate into fit subjects of despotism
AS long as I have place in this body
/ shall vote to encourage everything that
lifts and elevates the people, and, with
out criticising other senators, l should
with my opinions upon this subject, prove
derelict in every way to my sense Of duty
if did not do SO.
When great painting comes to free
peop.e it speaks to them oftentimes with
a voice which oratory cannot rival. Il
teaches them a great moral lesson. It en-
courages them to heroic endeavor II
softens the hard places in the everyday
life of all of us and leads us to that high
er and better life for which every human
soul must aspire.
/ hope shall not be accused of senti-
mentality, for I am not sentimentalist,
but as a legislator representing great
commonwealth, which 1 hope to see adj
vanced not only in material wealth, but
in the love of the good and the great and
the beautiful / shall by every vote and
word of mine encourage sculpture, paint
ing, music literature and all that makes
our human life better.