The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-11-01

reign Of universal justice and fair
play. I'D
Pretty Tough.
The government will not only not
furnish the people with money
enough to carry on the business of
the country, but they refuse to let
any one else, except the banks do so.
We quote from recent issue of the
Minneapolis Tribune:
Two St. Paul firms and a half doz-
en- Chicago firms are doing prosper
GUS business in the minting or
manufacture of metal merchandise
checks which circulate in place of
money. These disk checks are issued
by retail mercantile firms, saloons,
billiard halls, restaurants and other
places OF business and amusement in
scores Of towns in every state in the
Northwest and in other sections of
the country. The checks or trade
coins, are made variously of brass,
copper, aluminium, and German sill
yer. Doubtless they are likewise
made in some cases of cellulOid and
nlckle; and one case has come to
light where the trade discs are made
OF cardboard and issued by country
printing office. Recently inspector
Lawrence, of the United States
treasury department., has ordered the
manufacture, issue and use of these
discs to cease, under the provisions
of the following section of the
statute of February 10, 1891:
Every person who makes or who
causes or procures to be made, or
who brings into the United States
from any foreign country, or who
shall have in possession with intent
to sell, give away, or in any other
manner use the same, any business or
professional card, notice, placard,
token, device, print, or impression,
or any other thing whatsoever,
whether of metal or it's compound,
or of any other substance whatso-
ever, in likeness or similtude as to
design, color or the inscription there
on OF any of the coins of the United
States, or of any foreign government,
that have or that hereafter may be
issued as money, either under
the authority of the United
States or under the authority
Of any foreign government
shall, upon conviction thereof, be
punished by fine not to exceed $1GO
The point has been raised that the
issue of such checks is not prohibited
by the terms of the above statutory
provision. The attorneys of the
manufacturing firms are emphatic
on this point. They say with cOnsid.
cradle force that the trade discs,
which serve the purpose of "due
bills" are not Gin the likeness OF
similitude as to design, color, OF
the inscription thereon of any of the
coins of the United States or of any
foreign government" and that they
are not "issued as money" but sim
ply as trade due bills. The manufac-
turers contend that the checks are
not offered as money, that no one is
compelled to take them in place of
money; and that they are not coun-
terfeits or ikenesses Of money and
therefore do not come under the ban
of law.
Samples shown the Tribune read
somewhat as follows: "Good for SOC.
in merchandise at the General Store
of A. B. & Co., Elkton, S. D." An
other reads, Good for 81 in mer-
chandise, John Smith & Co., LIE
Sueur, Minn." Still another reads,
"Good for SC. at the bar of Simon
Peter, New Ulm." They seem to be
in quite common use among country
merchants and saloon keepers in the
southern half of this state and Iowa
and South Dakota. They are also
common at gaming tables every
where. The discs bear trade values
ranging all the way from 1c. to 81.
The contention of Inspector Law
renee is that the discs are used as
money and take the place Of money,
whatever the intention; that they
are used as measures of value and
mediums Of exchange, are made to
represent values in various deals in
the course of circulation, and there
by take the place of the govern
ment's circulating medium. Two
South Dakota houses, Mr.. Lawrence
finds, had placed $4,000 Of these
checks in circulation. The new cir
medium served in place of
coin in hundreds of COM
mercial deals-mOving wheat, paying
wages, transferring live stock and
machinery, and performing all the
functions of money. Such use, the
contends, violates the
spirit, il not the letter, of the
statute.
This is fair commentary on the
enslaved condition Of the people.