Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-26
STREET ADVERTISING
VIEWS OF COMMISSIONERS. MAC
FARLAND ON THE SUBJECT.

Commissioner mcfarland wants to see
the billboards of the city abolished, and
says he favors a movement against the
increase of outdoor advertising here.
Il have felt for a long time that Wash
ington ought to lead the way in the regu-
lation of street advertising" the Commits
sioner explained. II would like to see bill
board advertising abolished, and in Its place
advertising on small ornamental structures
erected by the municipality, which should
rent spaces upon them, and so derive a
revenue while keeping the advertising with
in strict bounds. This is the method used
in several foreign capitals, notably Paris,
Berlin and Vienna, while In Berlin, accord
ing to our consul general, the system yields
revenue of over s95,0O0 year.
When you consider that we now receive
practically no revenue from the billboards
you will probably agree that at least there
ought to be a sufficient tax to yield an
adequate revenue as the business Is now
carried on. The only revenue now is that
from the license required of bfllposters,
which is $50 year, and under this any
billposter can use many bil;boards as he
pleases. But Congress having passed upon
the subject In the license law of July l, 1902,
the Commissioners cannot increase the tax,
nor can they rent out space on the streets
for billboard purposes.
Il think Congress should give the Com
missioners power to do both things, and
thus enable them to work out system like
that of Berlin, which would make bill
posting slightly and yield a large revenue
to the municipality. Until Congress does
act, the Commissioners can do nothing in
the matter beyond the authority given in
paragraph 80 of the license law, as follows:
Paragraph Of License Law.
No person shall place, exhibit, main
tain, or continue any advertising or poster
except upon such houses, buildings, bill
boards, fences or other structures the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
may in their discretion authorize in writ
ing for that purpose
ITO this is added the proviso that re-
quires the consent Of neighbors, and also
the exemption of persons advertising on
the premises where the business adver-
tised is conducted. or erecting signs relating
to the IS. sale e., rent or lease OF land upon
eral police power Of the Commissioners
l believe that they might define an area
within which they would not permit the
use of billboards or street advertising ex-
cept as authorized in the exemption of that
paragraph, and also that the size and
shape ana height of billboards might be
regulated. Under the general police power
l would be willing to go farther, to pro-
vide by regulation that there should be nc
billboard advertising outside of the business
streets, and also that unsightiy advertis-
ing should be prohibited entirely. My at
tention has been called to significant pas
sage in Freund's On Police Power sec
ton 1S2, which suggests the idea that I'M
slightly advertisements may be prohibited
under the police power.
Congress has vested a general power In
the Commissioners for the protection OF
lives, limbs, health, comfort and quiet OF
all persons. which might properly be test
ed In this relation by such regulation
as l have suggested