The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-08-21
HABIT AND OPINION.
Their Influence in Shaping Sentiment
as TO Silver.

In considering the general aJJl
tude of east and west upon the sill
yer question, too little weight has
been given, we are convinced, to
the power of habit The two sec
tions are as different, in their use OF
small change, as if they were two
distinct countries. Hero in the
west, the silver dollar is in univer.
sal circulation. For all sums of less
than So it is the common tender.
People have got over their old OBJ
lection to it's weight and clumsiness.
They have become accustomed to it,
and it is nothing unusual for man
to carry a half dozen or more in
his pocket at a time, if he is the for.
tunate possessor of that much ready
cash. Not only have small bills
practically disappeared from circu-
lation in the west, but the people
have actually begun to object to
them. There is a steady demand
on the banks and post Offices for
small quantities of these bills; but,
saYe for a few fastidious persons
who still prefer them, they are
mostly for transmission by mail
These bills are dirty and inconve-
nient TO handle. If placed in a
pocketbook, this has to be dragged
out and the entire contents unfolded
every time the owner makes small
purchase. If carried loose in the
pocket they crumble easily, and one
may be dropped in making change
without being noticed. On the
whole, as a practical convenience,
the people of this part of the country
have not only become reconciled to
the silver dollar, but begin to give
it the preference.
When one goes east he finds all
this changed. There is the same
reluctance there to accepting silver
money that there was elsewhere
when the big coins were first put
out by the minis. There are com
paratively few in circulation. In
the stores, at the railroad stations,
everywhere that money is received
and paid, the bulk of it, for small
payments, consists of 81 and 50 bills
If an attempt is made to substitute
silver dollars for these, the strong
est objection is made. And in def
erence to this popular custom the
silver dollar is kept ost of circula-
ton as far as possible. This differ
ence between the two sections is not
based upon any attitude of the peo.
pie toward the coin, but it certainly
does react upon it. Each is gov
erned solely by habit, and each
thinks it is consulting it's own con
venience exclusively. But the result
is that the silver dollar as the actual
money that passes from hand to
hand is most familiar to the one,
while to the other it is an interloper,
if not a stranger. Consciously or
unconsciously, this use of daily life
is reflected in the disposition with
which they meet the agitation of
the silver question. One says that
the money with which the most of
his business is done is good enough
for him. The other feels that he
does not want to be compelled to
take any more of these, to him incon-
venient pieces.
1t is absurd enough that the
disposition of the people toward a
great financial issue should be to
any extent determined by SO fanci-
ful and irrational consideration as
habit and prejudice. Yet few men
are naturally eager to make study
of finance for themselves. The ma
jority make up their minds accord
ing to the daily habit of living and
thinking. And we would not be
afraid to wager that a large proper
tion of the people have had their
views of the silver question decided
by the extent to which silver coins
enter into the active currency of the
community in which they live than
have had their beliefs determined
by any of the books or pamphlets
put fort on either side of the contro-
versy-St. Paul Globe.
Sweepings.
The poor man pays for a
1t is not as thy mother says, but
as thy neighbors say.
If you would have hen lay, you
must bear with her cackling.
If you have done no ill the six
days, you may play the seventh.
In my own city my name, in a
strange city my clothes procure me
respect.