Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-29
BI-METALLISM AND COINAGE.


ceiyed through Mr.. Raskin, the Belgian
consul at Los. Angeles, a copy OF the
pamphlet of our townsman, Mr.. Bar
rows, on International Bi-metallism,
writes that he strongly and entirely ap-
proves of the views presented in the
pamphlet. NJ. Laveleye is one of the
foremost publicists and writer's on
economic subjects Of Europe, and natu-
rally Mr.. Barrows is much gratified to
receive the unqualified Endorsement OF
so eminent an authority. M. Laveleye,
who is professor of political economy
in the university of Liege, writes that
he will send in few days copy OF his
essay, he having been one of the COM
petitors in the Cernuschi contest last
year.
In this connection we note that the
Revista Hispana-Americana is publish
ing the report or "estudio" OF Mr.. Bar
rows on proposed reform of the Mexi-
can coinage system. 1t seems the Mexi-
can government sent out circulars pro-
posing numerous changes in their coins,
and invited suggestions thereon, to
which Mr.. B. responded at the request
of the Mexican consul, Mr.. Diaz Prieto.
Some of the points urged in Mr.. Bar
rows paper are: The desirability OF
having all the coins, both silver and
gold, of uniform fneness (900), similar
to those of the United States and most
of the countries of Europe; inscription
on the coins to conform to the decimal
divisions; urging the employment of the
best artists, not alone in Mexico, but in
the world, in order to secure the highest
artistic excellence of design on their
coins; and also that the most perfect
machinery should be obtained for their
mints and the most competent mechan-
les should be employed, because the
coins to be fabricated are to be used for
generations, both by government and by
people, as exact and just measures OF
value that the angle-futed edges of the
coins Gas at present. be continued, as
being more difficult to file or tamper
with than the straight-futed milling of
the coins of the United States; that ju-
dicious improvement of the appearance
of the standard coins should not neces-
sarily affect their usefulness in the east,
so long as their contents of fine silver
remained unchanged, etc.
The proposed substitution of the
twenty-cent coin for the twenty-five
cent piece is recommended, but
the retention OF the half-unit or
fifty cent coin is strongly advocated,
both because it is thoroughly decimal
coin as we'll as because it is an extremely
useful coin. In the government circu-
lar, it was proposed to abolish the fifty
cent piece altogether.
With silver coins OF 81, so, 20 and 10
cents, the Mexican system would cor
respond with that of the United States,
except that in place of our 25 cents, the
Mexican reformed plan would include
the 20 cent piece, whereby the decimal
theory would be more perfectly realized
in Mexican coins than it is in United
States coins.
The publication of the paper is not yet
completed.
Mr.. Barrows's studies OF the various
phases OF money and cur rency questions
indicate that he has mastered the fun
damental principles on which they are
based. The question Of the coinage
changes proposed in the circular referred
to of the finance minister, is to come be-
fore the national congress at its present
session.
Ell Economista, of the City of Mexico,
is publishing. in successive instalments,
Spanish translation from the French
of Baron van Rochussen's essay on in
ternational bi-metallism, which won the
prize of 10000 francs in the Cernuschi
contest last year.
This valuable work is thus being made
accessible to those who speak the
Spanish language; it see ms strange that
it should not be translated into English.
Are the Me exican people more enterpris-
ing and more alert than their Anglo
Saxon neighbors? Why should not
English-speaking people know good
thing when they see it, and as quickly
appropriate it as people who speak the
Spanish or any other language?~