Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-22
THE HALF CENT.
We Had II In Early Days and May Have II
Again.
Mnnchesier u. H.l unlon.l


II is stated that q petition will go before
the next Congress asking for the coinage of
the holt cent. and already the proposition
is bringing out some discussion. The fact
that the half cent was recognized as fac
tor in our currency during the early days
of the republic. and that its coinage was
discontinued without provoking any et-
fcctive rcmonStranco from the people,
would seem 20 be n strong argument
against repeating the experiment. At
the time when the half cent was IN
circulation. the people were Of neces-
sty a. careful of their money rs they have
been at any time. since. They and their
fathers before them had been trained III
the hard school Of colonial experience.
They had but little money, and what they
did have was gained only by hard work,
AID saved only by economy, which
amounted in many cases to prlvation:
They were as likely 10 make account OF
fho half cent 81 their dcecendants. more
iArorbly situated, are likely 10 be. An
other reason. which has no force now, had
something to do with the recognition OF
the half cent in the earlier days. The peo-
ple had been accustomed TO reckon money
Il shilhngs and pence, and when the
change was made 20 the decimal
sgstcn there were few, if any, States
iu which Tic shilling represented an
even number Ot cents. A shilling
Was PIC in New York. 1870 in New
Enellud. and 50 on. The half cent en-
ablcd the people 20 approximate the value
- the shilling more closely than could
have been done bad the cent been tho
lowest Denomination coined. But with
these reasons IN favor Of the half cent. II
ceased % Boz regarded as necessary by the
people. and its coinage was discontinued.
The half cent had been authorized by act Of
Congress. April ?. 1872. Il was to be cop
per and IFS weight lj2 grains. The weight
was changed hy act OF Congress, in 1898, o.
10t grains. and again, by proclamation Of
the President ~ 1855, TO 81 grains. II was
finally discontinued 10y act OF Congress.
February n. 1851, the total amount coined
having reached %39, 9C.l II.
THIS. IN brief is the history Of tho half
cent. and would appear 10 indicate that
after a fur trial IT. was not recognized by
the people as 70 necessary factor OF the cur
rencv. but on the other hand thcre arc
several arguments that may be urged in its
favor IL would seem reasonable that q
value which pcrsistcntly continues 70 be
TcOgniI 4 IN tine commercial circles of
country should Doe represented in the
coinage Of that country, either rs dis
tiuct coin or 10y combination of COINS. OF
cCur-a 20 the case Of the half cent combl-
nation IS impossible, and get without any
fractional currency 10 represent It, the
half cent plays an important part IN the
daily round OF trade. ItuOt unirequentlY
represents the margin OF profit OF loss,
ard goods are habItually marked AT prices
winch take accounted II. il tho purchaser
luv- more than q single unit IN this calcu-
lation. whether of yard, pound, number,
or whatotor standard the goods are
sold bv. Dee gets the benefit Of the
halt cent. bur II he requires no more
than unit DC Of necessity pays the
half cent additional or saves 1t hv
purchasing more than be actually t.
Quirc-. lu short. the people. after per
hitting the half cent 60 be dropped from
their ist Ot COINS. have chung 20 the value
which IL would represent with q tonacity
which SUGGESTS the possibility Of Its prac-
tlra use. Again 10 is reasonable that the
half cent. as q coin. might play some part
in the exercise Of economy. 4 cent, by It
self, Is an insignificant affair, and yet,
hv passing daily. and many times day,
from hand 20 hand, 10 represents an enor-
NOUS total Ira any active community
before % years eud. I'm many Of the
Transactions iu which il figures on this
Journey half cont would very likely have
served the purpose equally %, we'll. and
while the difference 90 the individual might
be slight the difference IN the aggregate
would he 20 material saving TO any cOmmu-
NIFTY. State. or nation. 10 is Just possible
that The coinage of the half cent ought 10
hc resumed. tell events 10 viii be in
toreetlng e. follow The discussion which the
petition, II presented. VIII be almost cer-
tam % provoke.