Tombstone epitaph., 1890-01-18
New Coins for Mexico.

An important reform with regard to the currency of the country Is now about to be put into effect. President Diaz has approved the regulations sub mitted to him by Gen. Pacheco, Min ister of Public Works, for the redemp- tion of the worn coinage now so gen orally current, and for it's reissue in the form of decimal coins, the ex- elusive use of which is to be hence forth compulsory. The reform is much needed, and is part of the general en- frightened policy of the Government in its desire to place the business trans actions of the country on an intelli- gent and convenient basis. The disap- pearance of "reales," Q21 cents,) "me- dios," 64 cents) "cuartillas," 6 l-16 cents,) and "tlacos," q l7-32 cents,) will be boon to every one, except such petty traders as seem to take a delight in worrying foreigners with their intricacies to take advantage of them.
 The principal provisions of the new regulations are that from the pro- mitigation of the present ruling until June 30, 1890, all receiving offices, Federal and State, in the republic, will redeem as fast as presented the smooth and worn half dollars, quarters and "provisionaP quarters, and the reales and medios of silver, and the cuarti- Has and tlacOs of copper. These coins are to be delivered to the agent of the, national bank in each locality for inn mediate exchange at par for the decimal coinage. The bank will pub fish in the newspapers the names of the individuals or firms appointed to represent it as agents in each town.
 The mints will recoin the. silver re- ceived in the proportion fixed in the contract, that is, 10 per cent. in five cent pieces, and 3 per cent. in ten-cent pieces. The circulation of coins that have been cut, punched, or mutilated in any manner Representing till now in some parts of the country large percentage Of the current minor coin) will be prohibited. From July l, 1890, all salaries, wages, payments in trade, transportation, &c., will be regulated and made according to decimal coin age.
 Infringements of this regulation will be punished by fine of 1925 for a first ofense and $50 for each subse- quent infringement. From the same date the use of "reales," "medios," "cuartillas," and "tlacos" in making change, even on the decimal basis, is forbidden. The authorities and mo- taries public, who have to draw up and legalize documents in which values are stated, will use and see that de- nominations of dollars and cents are used, and under no circumstances, even for the pretext of clearer ex- pression, shall the old coinage be mentioned, the infraction of which re- gulation will subject the offenders to a fine of from $50 to $1OO.
 Exchange transactions will be car ried out for the legal value of the coins in cents, the diminution of the value of the pieces being prohibited Any infraction of this regulation is liable to a penalty of from $25 to $50. The use of "bales," Ca very common way of making small payments in private paper in most industrial, min ing, and plantation establishments,) papers, tags, or anything else which takes the place of legal money, is pro- hibited among individuals, commer- clal establishments, plantations, fac tories, etc., under a penalty of from $50 to $100. The aforementioned fines will be apportioned as follows Fifty per cent. to the public treasury, 30 per cent. to the authority assessing the fine, and 20 per cent. to the in- former. Any person attempting to put in circulation the old coins after June 30, 1890, will be subject to the penalties named in the Penal Code for the utterer of illegal coins.
 Temporarily, the copper cents will be legal tender in amounts not ex- ceeding 25 cents, both in Government offices and in private establishments.
 Representative Morrow, of Califor- mia, has introduced in the House