Evening star., 1919-04-27
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN THE STAR

Capitol art. which he had prepared
for the department of education. to he
presented to Congress:
Attempts have several times been
made to get history Of art In WASH
fngton. but those undertaking IL hav.
found the task so much greater than
they anticipated that they have given
II up. The record facts. necessary to
such a history. were scattered
through nearly every department OF
the government. and the labor OF get
tins at them was very great Reso-
lutions introduced in Congress ,al-
ing on the departments for informa-
ton were responded to by reports too
frequently confused and very uure-
liable in their statements. It was evf-r
dent that many OF these reports were
made up by persons innocent OF all
knowledge OF the subject. And to
/ this. perhaps more than anythins
else. may be traced the fact that
nearly every person writing on art at
the Capitol falls into the greatest Of,
errors. One writer for the ma zines
says that Greenoughs statue of
Washington cost the government $50
600 and is fine work of art. An
other says Mr.. LeutZe's picture Is.
painted on canvas. a gentleman who
processes TO be an authority on such
matters began an article which re.
saying that Powell got s25.oo0 for his
De Soto picture.
We became satisfied before pro-
ceeding far that to get at all the facts
concerning art in the Capitol a care
full examination OF the statutes at
large under the columns of the Globe
and the 1ntelligencer would have to be
made. In addition TO this labor we
had a. times to resort to the regisA
ter's office and to executive documents
to get at all the history and cost of
vnyn At Willy hA f,,fa gAv,
Of giving Congress a paper to which
member might turn and at once hnd
what amount had been expended for
art In any one year, what works had
been ordered. what the cost OF them
was. how they were regarded by the
public and the names Of the artists.
and whether they were Americans or
foreigners. In this way comparison
between native and foreign skill could
be made. as we'll as q more correct
judgment formed as to what policy
should be pursued in the future. The
spent nearly a million dollars for
works Of art to embellish the Capitol
and yet has got very few Of which it
has any reason to be proud"
The recent trouble over the matter
of the local milk supply. owing to thes
severity Of the
Archaic Meat Law Districts resu-'
lations. appears,
al oos'A oo'A0n' to have had its
forerunner in 1869. when in oonse-
quence Of a statute then in force It
was decreed unlawful to sell fresh
meat in the markets except at stalls
or stands known as butchers stalls
or stands. save that cattle raisers
could offer meat Of their own raising
in quantity Of not less than Quarter
Of an entire carcass or pork in guam
tity not less than an entire carcass. z
The Star in it's issue OF April 81. 1863.
said: ....+ -, -
The preservation Of such a. relic. of
the dark ages upon our statute books
is about in keeping with the lease OF
life given to the absurd old usury law
that cramps business enterprises here.
Since it was enacted the whole prac-
been changed. In olden time the !,
farmer, the gardener and the grazier
attended market in person. a very
awkward, tfme-wasting arrangement
at best. Now they attend to their
own avocations. and another class.
who make 1t their business. purchase
Of them and supply the markets. This
division of labor works we'll OF all .
sides, and 1t 10 quite certain that the
old system will never again come, into
vogue. This being the case, let Ms i,y :
all means wipe from our statutes any
absurd provision requiring that every
calf brought here for. sale shall be
liable to conhscation unless accom-
panied by satisfactory pedigree that
its entire bossyhood, from birth to
veal, was spent in the ownership Of
the individual bringing 1t to market"