The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-02
A SECRETARY OF ART?
FOR NATIONAL MUSEUM
Dangers Innumerable Lurk in the Proposal Says
 aaBaltimorean.

The Fine Arts Federation, the Soci- ety of Beaux Arts and the American Institute of Architects have initiated a movement for the creation of a nation al department of fine arts, the head of which shall be a member of the Presidents cabinet. Hitherto the American people have been engrossed in material development, to the neglect of art. So little regard was had in fact for the arts that adorn life that when the Dingley tariff was enacted a heavy duty was placed on foreign pie lures, statutes, etc, with the object, apparently, of excluding them from the United States
 American art, conceived as of the same class with manufactures, was to be "encouraged' by keeping out com peting art wares, even though these might be the best means of educating native talent But this backward stage of art development, according to s. B. Trowbridge, chairman of the arts committee, has been outgrown and the American people are now becoming az excessively artistic. Our industrial and i financial future" he tells us, is as- sured, and the energies of the Ameri- can people will now be turned into fields of art"
 Every great interest of the country must be represented in the cabinet, and art has now become a great inter- est, especially with successful captains 1 of industry and finacial magnates all of whom take more or less interest in pictures, sculpture and porcelain and make collections that cost many mil | lions
 The head of the new department With a big D-need not, we are told, be an artist. Artists are emotional peo- pie and lack. executive qualities" "A man for such an office says Mir Trowbridge, should have rare admin istrative ability. This new department would have control over the govern ment works in the United States, the erection of public buildings, the laying out of national parks the establish- ment of museums and, galleries in va rious cities the requirement. of works of art and the stimulation of universi- ties and colleges in the education of art" Among other things it Is pro- posed to create a national orchestra which would be sent on annual tours throughout the coutnry.
 | The scheme seems to be borrowed from the French who have a depart ment of fine arts to look after the l ! ,n,.1re. nf fa1, inherited from past centuries. France has many fine old edlhces, illustrat. l ing Roman and medieval architecture besides fine collections of old tapes tries, statuary, paintings, guns, etc. which she undertakes to conserve fol the delectation and education of hei people.
 Our proposed Secretary of Art woult
 find plentiful lack of such things We have antiquities, 1t is true, but they are mostly stone implements dug from Indian mounds and make nc claim to artistic beauty, The Nationa Museum in Washington and numerous private collections are already rich 1T such antiquities.
 If our new secretary is to have art collections. hegwould have to dip deer into the National treasury for their cost. It is proposed, indeed for. a Istarter, to ask congress for S5,OOo,OOt for the erection of national art gal. llery. This would be filled Dy pur- lchases. From time to time the cor tents of the gallery w2uld be sent around the country for exhibition in the various cities
 Such a gallery, if 1t contained only works of real merit, might be an or nament to the national capital. Ii would, doubtless, be enriched in the course of time by bequests from prl- yate collectors and become a means oi education for the few who could see It. whether in Washington or in other cit ies in which it was exhibited at long Intervals.
 It is to be feared, however, that, like most public collections in this country the national gallery would be filled by uninteresting daubs. iWth a secretary in control who did not know a tint work" from a skyscraper, and ,whC was subject to pressure any old thing would be apt to get a place 1T his collections.
 Existing public collections at Wash ington, whether of paintings or statu' ary, are patriotic and inspiring. nc doubt, but do not rouse the critical tc enthusiasm. If a good Republican the Secretaryof Art must feel con. strained to discriminate against the pauper art of Europe and patronizt only home talent. The result might bt
 according to opponents of the nev department to debase, instead oi elevating, the national taste
 The squabbles between artists ap' proved and rejected by the secretary would add. it is feared, new terrors, tC life in Washington. Dangers innum erable evidently turk in the new pro posal, which should be closely scrutin' ized by congress before adoption- 1 Baltimore Sun.