Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-26

OF 1.-THE NEED OF CHANaE-A BETTER
EAGLE wANTED-THE INDIAN HEAD ON THE
CENT-A PROPOSED COMMISSION ON DESIGNS.
The silver coins of the country stand in Q
fair way to be changed in design be-
fore another year has gone by. great
deal OF fun has been poked at the coins
from one source and another at various times,
both as to the sentiments expressed by them
and as to the way In which the sentiment was
expressed. But a movement has been started,
with every indication of being pushed to a
conclusion, that will result in q radical change
| IN American numlsmatic art. The House yes
terday passed bill permitting the director of
the mint to make changes in the designs on
the current coins of our country, and inasmuch
as the Senate has during previous sessions
passed similar measures the chances are that
the bill will soon become law.
ATALK WITH THE MINT DIRECTOR.
STAR reporter called on Director Leech
this morning and asked him if he had any
definite plan in mind for the change of the
of the coins.
mo. l can hardly say that I have" he said
This bill is highly satisfactory to me-in fact
1t Is just what my predecessors have worked
Tor and what have recommended. What We
wanted was merely to obtain permission to
change designs without having to so to Con-
gress every time We wanted to make the least
alteration in die. We wanted somebody given a
chance to exercise judgment and taste. In
case the bill should be finally passed would
suggest to the Secretary that the department
make offers to the artists of the country for
new designs for the coins, with prizes for the
best ideas. Then, after they had submitted
their drawings, commission of experts would
be appointed, consisting of artist and some
OF our engravers, to determine upon the most
suitable designs.
NEW DESIGNS NEEDED.
at is my idea, said Mr.. Leech, ''that each
OF the smaller coins should have an individual
design instead Of having, as now, the same de-
sign upon the 10, Is and 5O-cent pieces. 1t is q
t%a 6otch! How does it symbolic iberty2
Why, 1t is burlesque upon
liberty. How does slab-sided woman sitting
on a bale OF cotton signify anything free? A
head OF George Washington would be far more
appropriate than nondescript female with a
crinoline skirt. And look at this penny How
on earth can anybody find symbol of liberty
In the head Of an Indian. 1t is no
wonder that the Europeans some
times think of US as savages,
judging US from our penny coin. 1t is more
symbolic OF slavery than anything else to put
the head of an Indian, the man whom we
despise and maltreat and drive ahead of us, on
coin. 1t is a symbol of barbarism rather than
OF civilization.
THE 'BUzzARD."
Gas to the buzzard on the dollar piece" he
said, II would certainly like to see that changed
for more heroic biru, with his head higher
in the air. We have, at the mint in Philadel-
phia. the stuffed figure of an eagle that used
to fly around the building, which would servo1as
good model Do you know We had to take
feather out of the tail of the bird ON the dol
lar? After We had struck off a couple Of mil
lion pieces We found that there were eight
feathers in his tail, when there should have
been but seven"