The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-12
The MINI. Of the Unired afnres.


We have spoken several times aboui
the defects in the mint system or the
United States, and now that Congress is
about to reassemble, we shall refer to the
matter again. The first defect in our
system is, that We have a mother mint
and branch mints, whereas each ought to
De mint independent of the others, and
ubject to the control of director in the
Treasury Department at Washington.
Now the branch mint in San Francisco is
subject to the director of the mint at
Philadelphia, who again is subject to the
Treasury Department at Washington
There is too much circumlocution about
The matter, and, besides, there has been
apparently, at times feeling of rivalry
between the mint and the branch, which,
In all save name, is the chief coming es-
tablishment of the country. The greater
amount of business here, and the differ
nee of its nature from that done in Phil
adelphia, gives the superintendent here a
better knowledge of what should be done
than hiss superior at the mother mint can
possible have. 1t was well enough that
the Philadelphia Mint should have su-
pervision over the little branches at
Charlotte, Dahionega and, New Orleans,
tor the establishment or maintenance OF
which there never was any plausible,
much less sufficient reason.
The next defect is, that regardless of
the lessons that have been taught by the
little mints in the Southern States, ap-
preparations have been passed by Con-
gress to build mints in Nevada and Ore
gon, where they will do no good to the
people and much discredit to the Govern
ment. The coinage at Dahlonega costs
ten cents on the dollar; at New Orleans
seven cents. In Nevada and Oregon, es-
pecially the former, the expense will be
still greater. In 1864. only 692 ounces of
bullion, worth about 81 900, from Nevada,
went into the San Francisco Mint, and
there Is no reason for supposing that
more would have gone to a mint nearer
the mines. We know that not much
would go, because the owners say they
intend to export it in bars. Not one of
the large companies, which take nearly
all the bullion obtained from the Cem>
stock lode, has expressed an intention to
patronize any mint; all of the officers
with whom we have conversed say, dis
tinctly, that they intend to export or sell
their bars, for the plain reason that they
would lose by coming. The mint gives
only 81 % per ounce for pure silver,
which commands from 81 80 to 81 334 in
the London market. The mint coins
gold for the depositors, but purchases
silver. The owner therefore, must sell it
to the Mint or export il. 1t must be ex-
ported in any case, and, if exported as
coin, it will be recoined in Europe, and
the exporter, besides getting 10 per cent.
less for his coin than for his bar, has to
pap the expense of coming, with no COM
pensating benefit either to himself or to
the nation.
A third defect is that Cortinas has di>
rected that the Nevada Mint shall be
erected at Carson, and the Oregon Mint
at Dallas. Those are both second rate
towns in their respective States, and the
mints ought to be at the commercial
centres, as the mother mint was in it,
though Philadelphia has since been out
stripped on account OF the superior com>
mercial advantages of New York. II
money Is to be wasted in giving it to new
and useless mints to this coast, Portland
and Virginia ought to have the benefit of
it.
One of the greatest wants of our mint
system is an appropriate building in this
city. Our mint was built to coin S5 ,000,- |
300 annually, and it does coin SIS, 900 900,
and'it is far inferior in size and accom-
modations to the other mint, which coins
only about $4000,000. There are now
three mints and one Assay office in ope-
'ation, and two mints authorized to be |
Quilt, but not commenced. The Denver |
Mint coins but only about $500, 900 annu-
lily, and is failure.-[San Francisco |
Alta.