The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-07-03
NATIONAL PICTURE GALLERY.
Millis.s Upon Millions Of Pictures DE-.
tributsd Annually.

its walls, will be perplexed, to say the
least, at their familiarity. He will be
willing to make affidavit that le has seen
two of them-the Landing Of Columbus
and De Soto Discovering the Mississippi
repeatedly, and at the same time he is
aware that this is the first trip he has
made outside the borders of his native
State. Should he be able to put his hand
In his pocket and pull out banknote, the
mystery IL at once solved; for there on
the reverse of tie bill, Is an exact copy
of the original before him, executed in
the most approved style of the engrav-
ers' art Demonstrating the fidelity of
the execution is the statement that the
plate from which is printed the note bear
ing the picture of Columbus at the mo-
ment Of the discovery of the new world
was divided into no less than twenty two
sections, or takes as printers define
them, and that it required about eighteen
months to complete its artistic beauty.
The idea Of adopting the pictures in
the capitol as the designs for the bank
notes was born in tile brain of s. NJ.
| Clark, chief clerk of the national cur
rency bureau, Treasury Department, in
1861. His plan was submitted to leading
members of Congress, and eminent bank
ers and fInanciers, assuming definite
shape in letter addressed to Hon. s. P.
Chase, then Secretary of the Treasury,
under date of March %, 1853, in which
he says:
Il respectfully suggest as design for
national currency the engraving of ma
tional historic pictures of the full size of
the note to be issued, and submit, as a
model of illustrative drawing, q 81 note,
made up of a copy of Weir's painting of
the "Embarkation of the Pilgrims, with
a suitable reverse. / claim that this
style OF note possesses greater security
against counterfeiting and alteration than
any device yet in use.
First. If the note be engraved in the
highest style of art, its different por-
tons, such as etching, portraits, letter
ing, drapery, executed by those who have
made these portions respective special
ties, it would present an amount of ar
tistic labor to be accomplished by the
brain which would appall and stagger
counterfeiters in the outset, even if they
possessed the requisite talent and skill to
counterfeit it. As there is popularity
in the engraving of every proficient Of
high art las easily detected by an expert
as different styles of handwriting such
note, properly executed, could not be
counterfeited so as not to be readily de-
tected by the skillful. The notes now in
Use, made of separate dies, actually af
ford facilities for counterfeiting, from
their patchwork composition, while a
note made from a single die, of its whole
size, and not repeated in parts, presents
difficulties of counterfeiting almost in
geometric ratio to its increased size from
mere vignetts.
ITO make notes genuineness appar-
ent to the unskilled, additional methods
are suggested. To counterfeit it by pho
Biography, which is the readiest way to
deceive the masses, non-photographic
material should be introduced into and
be inseparable from the paper, so that a
photograph or prototype should present
defaced or notified appearance, easily
distinguished by all.
Second. l claim that my suggestion
would, if carried into effect, be COM
plete protection against alterations. AL
terationS as the secretary is aware, are
the most numerous as well as the most
dangerous of frauds, Ear exceeding in
number and danger all counterfeits and
in the multiform issues which now fill
the channels of circulation, compare
lively no protection is given except to
those skilled in the art, and make their
detection study. But il a two-dollar
bill is always the pictute of the EN-
barkation of the Pilgrims" and ten-dol
lar bill is always the picture of Wash
ington crossing the Delaware, " the public,
even those who cannot read, as well as
those who do not understand our lam
guage, or who cannot distinguish by
numerals, will soon educate themselves
to these facts in handling the money, so
they could never be deceived in taking |
one denomination for another, though |
the figures or letters denotiig the denom-
ination of the note were ever so cleverly |
altered. The skilful can protect them
selves, but the unskilled require some
thing plain and potent to the senses
Third A lesser but not unimportant |
advantage of such currency would be
that series properly selected, with their
subject titles imprinted on the notes,
would tend to teach the masses the prom
inent periods in our country's history.
The laboring man, who should receive
every Saturday night copy Of the Sur
render Of Burgoyne" for his weekly
wages would inquire who General Burg
oyne was and to whom he surrendered
His curiosity would be aroused, and he
would learn the facts from fellow la
borer or from his employer. The same
would be true of other national pictures,
and in time many would be taught lead
ing incidents in cur country's history
SO that they would soon be familiar to
those who would never read them in
books, teaching them history, and imbu-
ing them with a national feeling. Thus
a series of pictures Of full note size might
be selected. beginning with the earliest
scenes of savage life and terminating in
the advanced stages Of civilization, which
would be an illustrated history Of the
countrys progress or a series beginning
at bow and arrow warfare, and terminal
ing in q perfected ironolad; or a series
at the earliest modes of jour
neying In the birch-hark canoe, and ter
in the present perfection of
steam craft; or a series illustrating
of payment, beginning at ex-
change Of values by shells and wampum
in the uncivilized tribes, and terminating
in coupons and registered bonds and
Treasury notes.
It may be added that this was not the |
only valuable suggestion emanating from
Mr. Clark Tho transfer NJ the pript;nor