The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-01

what process of reasoning the noble and enlightened statesmen who make our tariff laws ever reached the eonclu- sion that the creations of the worlds greatest painters and sculptors ought to be taxed. In Europe-poor, effete, decadent Europe-they reason other wise Tthere are still men of brains and genius in the old world notwith- standing the contempt of American statesmen for nations which are in- sttnctively inferior to us in pork-pack- ing and cattle breeding, in skyscrap- CTS, in manufactures and all other pro- ductiors that are characteristic of our national superiority, In Europe the view prevails that art is an ennobling and elevating influence in a peoples life. Among our statesmen a more practical view obtains, namely: Art is an article of commerce, from which revenue Is to be extracted. The same principle carried to It's Hgical conclu- sion, would impose a tax on the crea- tions of the ''old masters" of music.
 If we had commissioner of art 1t may be assumed that he would, at the first opportunity, when the President was in consultation with his Cabinet, speak his mind freely in egard to pres emt conditions. It is true the President is "stand-patter' of the straitest sect but an appeal might, be made to him in his capacity of man of light and leading, a graduate of Harvard, a statesman of culture. Would the Pres ident stand pat" then, in his opposi- tion to any change in the tariff--even | the removal orf the tax on art and on public education in which is most beautiful in painting and sculpture? It difficult to say what Mr. Roosevelt would do in such circumstances. If he had reason to believe that the Con- gressmen from Kalamazoo, Dead l Mans Gulch and Porkopolls were still of the opinion that the bottom would be knocked out of the protective tariff if the "old. masters were allowed to come to the tilted States without pay ing a tax, he would probably forget that he is a graduate of Harvard and stand pat" for a grievous fine or these unwelcome visitors. For the the orv of those who favor a tax on art is that the individual American has nc rieiht as an art-loving citizen to fill his home with the best productions of Flu
 ropean artists and sculptors, past and present, even if it be his intention tC give ultimately his collection of mas. terpieces to the American people.
 Why ths should be an offens, pun
 ishable with fine heavier in many
 cases than is imposed upon the indivld nal or corporation which deliberately and willfully breaks the laws of thu | land, our statesmen do not take th'
 trouble to explain. All that they de sire flo do is to penalize the American
 of artistic culture who dares to gratif,
 his love for the best there is in art
 In Europe a man who fills him hom
 with art objects is respected for hi
 tate and ability as a connoisseur. T(h
 idea that he hould be harried by tn
 collector or t0riff duties has not ye taken root in that benighted country Tn the United States, from the Presi
 dent down to the representatives fror
 Kalamazoo. Dead Mans Gulch an
 Porkopolis, our tatesnen stand pat upon the theory that every man
 guilty of wrong-doing who brings int
 this country art objects from Europe
 and ought Ito be mlctedu in heavy dam
 ages. This provincial contention dls gusts American lovers of art and ar
 tists, but 1t pleases our statesmen
 The latter do not care how the AmerI can people may be plundered by thei own manufacturers, but they are de termined at all hazards to make til
 'old masters" pay handsomely for m . vading the United States.
 So long as stand -pattsn'' is consid cred the loftiest statesmanship, 1t doe
 not appear that the appointment or q s art commissioner as member or uh . Cabinet would improve the situatlof All that he could do would be to Volc f the protest of cultivated and intelllgef persons. It might be that the conlf1liS
 sioner would be able to render th B cause of art some service when Antht ny Comstock, the cratic New York re f former, raided art schools becaus f their catalogues contained picture ' painted from models who were not