New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-04
THE VALUE OF SMALL COIN.

!, 1esslona1 Juggler.
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8 The VALUE OF SMALL COIN.
0 Every one has experienced the disad
t vantage of being compelled to purchas'
more Of commodity than is absolutel.
| needed, from the want Of fractional
currency small enough to represen! thu
, smallest want. This want among The
, poor is much more paipable than among
the rich, and its supply would enable
them to economic goed deal in the
course OF IA season. In proportion as
the wages Of a population are small o,
precarious the value of this economy in
creases. In the most populous and pro-
ductive countries the currency descends
to an incredibly small denomination, SO
that to buy q breakfast in the market q
Chlnaman must carry a cup full Of the
most insignificant coin. In the principal
Northern cities OF our own country
cents are i'll common use, and the people
are thus enabled to parcel out their wages
in exact proportion to their wants. In
our own city a former prosperity has so
fixed the rate of expenditure tha. while
little before the war vas priced at less
than dime, there is no commodity now
which is priced at less than five cents.
| We have seen an estimate which coniec-
lures that the people of New Orleans
| would save from five to ten thousand dol
lars day by such an adjustment of retail
prices as would enable them to apportion
their expenditures exactly to the scale Of
the retail values which they wish TO pur-
chase.
Asa specimen Of the minuteness with
which the economies OF a people may be
contracted by low rate Of compensation
for labor, we translate from French tour
isl in the Pyrennees an illustration which
he offers upon the thesis. ''In poor
country tie highest want is that of
money
His fellow traveller, Paul, one day asked
the servant girl to sc button on his panta- |
looms. In about an hour she returned with !
the garment, and with an indecisive and in.
mand, she said: at is one cent? will after |
ward explain how large sum is one cent !
here. Paul drew out the cent and gave it |
without word. Jeanette went off ON the |
points OF her toes; at the door, however, she |
stopped, reflected, returned, and taking the |
pantaloons in her hand pointed 10 the but.
ton and said: "Ah, this is a nice button"
pause. II did not have button in nv
box Another and longer pause. Il bought
this button at the shop; it cost one cent"
She stood awaiting, III evident anxiety the !
result OF this suggestion. The proprietor of
the pantaloons again, without u word, pro.
duced the sum demanded.
1t was clear Jeanette had struck mine
of cents. She lett the room but opened the
door moment afterward. She had laid
her plans and in shrill, decided tone re-
marked: Il had no thread. ] used good
deal Of thread. 1t was very good thread
The button will not come off, have sewed
1T on very strongly. 1t is one cent" Paul
laid upon the table the third item in this
account. 1t was two hours afterwar1 that |
Jeanette reappeared. She prepared for
her breakfast with ecrupulous care. She
brushed the smallest suspicion Of dust from |
the table and other furniture. She sOftened !
her voice and walked without the least
noise. Her preparatory precautions were |
charming. at the close Of the repast, and
IS Mons. Paul was lighting his cigarette.
| I
even obsequious manner, thus resumed
Inc button subject: IL ought not to lose
l gu do not wish that should lose. The
goods were Te'y stout l have broken the
point of my needle. l did not notice it at |
lrst, but have found it out since. /. is one
,ent."
Paul produced the fourth sou and re.
marked: Fortunate will be the youth,
eannette, who shall lead to the altar
lauiseI so industrious, SO economical and
successful collector as yourself
In country where people are as eco.
omical as is here reported, they may be
ordid in their apprehension of personal I
ant. Such thrift is not. however, to be r
espised. Such a population must con- i
:ol their appetites and their aspirations, ! .
nd perhaps there may be better stand. C
I'd OF morality than where there is no re- a
RANT put upon expenditure except that +,
inability. The simple habit of self ii
email is invaluable, and Mr.. Micawber H
ID not. perhaps. utter an extravagant "
ION when he placed the result Of happi. OF
ess or misery upon the narrow pedestal I'll
the sixpence expended beyond or within :. 81
e annual income. -,
We yesterday made a remittance to p
atom Rouge of twenty-seven criminals to :.
subsisted and punished at the expense '.
the property and industry Of the State. hv
ow many Of these were the victims of tn
penditures based on the standard Of ,
pectation How many had contracted
bits OF idleness and waste which re-
ired the commission of crime to avoid
fiering?
We recur to the subject Of a smaller de. Be-
mination of currency---we should prefer da
'tallic-as direct means of saving money pr
an impoverished people, and. ineiden. e
ly. as a lesson Of that economy which he
9moses popular virtue the
USDRPATION ota