Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-04-30
The DINO OF Nickel Fad.

saving all the nickels or dimes that
may come into an individuals hands
in the ordinary way in which money
comes. Few if any attempt to save
both nickels and dimes, but 1t is excep-
tional to find an individual who IS not
attempting to do either one or the
other. First the fancy was to save
five-eent pieces and later the dimes,
SO that to-day the number of these
distracted from circulation Is SO
great that it is fairly noticeable.
At hardware stores, at counters
where miscellaneous goods are sold,
all along the city sidewalks, little
pocket banks are sold for the special
purpose of storing dimes. They are
made of nickel and are quite pretty.
They will hold just five dollars in ten
cent pieces, and, unless the little
bank is broken, it cannot be opened
until it is quite full, At any time, how
ever, the amount of money it con-
taines may be asertained, as there is
tiny open slit up the side of the
little cylinder bank, and this is mark
ed with numbers, enabling the
amount it contains to be RsertaIned
to an exact dime. When these banks
were first sold upon the streets, the
vendors charged twenty-five cents
each for them, but now they are only
fifteen cents, and may be even less
before this is read.
The shining cylinder tempts the
passer, who had not thought of dime
saving, and he invests for fun. He is
quite likely to fill the bank when once
purchased, once if not again. 1t is
queer how this saving is carried on
to the detrement of many other lines
of business like the five and ten-cent
stores, the cheap lunches, and tobacco
and liquor shops. The fiye-cent saw
ings bank, presided over by an hon
orable board of officials, never lured
to providence and economy as do
these tiny monitors that slip into the
pocket SO easily and make each his
own banker. Women pass the cheap
counters easily without purchasing
unneeded articles because they only
cost five or ten cents and are so handy
to have in the house, and men find
themselves resisting easily the tenn
tation to smoke or take a drink. be-
cause the five or ten-cent cigar or
glass of liquor is represented by the
bit of silver or nickel in their pocket
bank.
1t is vastly diffeent when the
money is wanting from the pocket
it is hard in either case to avoid the
habit formed, wheather liquor drink
ing or tobacco smoking. The yearn.
ing for the poison increases with IFS
denial. There is a fearful struggle
for money then comes the debauch
but with the money representing the
purchase power in ones own pocket
with the thought that any desired in
slant the cigar or glass of liquor may
be bought, the time of purchase ii
postponed again and again until the
desire for it is no longer recognized
Meanwhile the bank fills, and wheI
five dollars are secured, the compar
alive ease with which it was acquired
} makes the person all the more eager
to save another five dollars and pu
the first either in the big savings banl
or in some profitable investment.
! If the fad can be- encouraged an(
kept up it will work moro vigorous
warfare against the liquor shop thar
any temperance society was ever abb
: to do, and help the cause of gooC
, morals surprisingly. A man hest
, tates to break bill for the price of
, drink or even smaller coin, and
he do so he is likely to receive il
} change the more dimes and nickel
and to spare the more for his bank.
A cashier of a prominent Boston
bank recently said. that for the las
four days that bank had taken in n
} dimes. The fad has its wise and fool
lsh sides, but the wisdom of savini
l seems to predominant, and it is worth
3 ey of encouragement. So far as
: tends to make the theiftless thrift
: and the thoughtless thoughtful, it l
laudable and must not be frownet
> upon.-PIou0hrna'a, Boston, Mass.