Evening star., 1897-06-14
NEW SILVER CERTIFICATES,
Preparations of Sketches for New Is
sues Directed.

sues directed.
Secretary Gage has taken official notice
of the general complaints against the pres
ent issues of one, two, five and ten-dollar
silver certificates, and has instructed the
chief of the bureau of engraving and print
ing to have series Of sketches of new de-
signs prepared with a view to the issue of
new certificates.
The matter was brought to the Secre-
tary's attention by Assistant Treasurer
Meline, and was based on representations
made to him by bankers and merchants
VINO handle large amounts of the notes in
their daily business transactions
The main objections to the so-called art"
notes. designed by Shirlaw Lowe and
Blashfield, are that the faces of the notes
contain 100 great quantity of ink, which
not only catch the dust and dirt, but also
smudge, and that the quality of the ink ia
bad The bankers also found fault with
the distinguishing figures which were not
plain enough to avoid confusion Their re-
sembiance to patent medicine advertise.
ment was also urged against the notes,
Too Artistic to Be Practical.
AT recent conference at the Treasury
department on this subject. Secretary
Gage said he thought there was too much
OF an attempt at the artistic In the silver
certihcates and that their main objects
as a circulating medium had been subordi-
nated 10 desire for artistic effect. He
DeieVed that more prominence should hnye
pee. oeen gwen to the character and denomina-
tioh or the notes, and less to their artistic
appearance, especially in the matter of
categorical pictures and ornate decorat tion
In case the objections to the present notes
can e pe met without too much expense, q
new series Will be printed and the present
notes gradually retired as fast as thew get
into the treasury In the routine Of h,1si
ness. 1t all depends upon Secretary Cages
views on the sketches to be prenarad .1
the bureau. If he thinks they can he ad-
yantageously substituted for the present
designs, new plates will be engraved and a
new ne ths series @ OF certificates issued as soon
as tney can De prepared, which will not
De peiore September next at the earliest.
Proposed Notifications,
The proposed modifica tons in tho ,art,e
Gates. If adopted will not be noticed nv
many persons. and the only effect of the
modified plates upon these persons viii,
be surprise very slight and only to he
explained by comparison Of the old with
the new certificates. By clearing awav
a. good deal OF the cloud in the center Of
the 81 certificate and some of the 5rna-
mentation about the figure '1' in the
upper right-hand corner, the taking of all
the shading from behind the seal, ard tha
IemoVai OF all the shading from the panel
tificate Is made brighter and more cheer.
full.
very slight change has been proposed
IN the prohle OF the face in the vignette
which will be somewhat more delicate thai
In the certificates now in use It is he
lieved at the bureau that with the changes
made the certificates will be much more
acceptable to those who care most for ma
per money made TO suit certain traditions
of the banks.
The s. certificate. which is now soue
wilat too dark to bear much handling
well, will probably be lightened up in abomf
the same way as the ST certificate. When
the modified plates are ready for use and
there Is on hand a quantity of worn-out
reifsued. the plates from the new dies
will be put on the presses ard the worn
out notes will be cancelled and macerated.
as are all old notes of all issues. There
Will be no reckless cancellation Of silver
certificates.