Evening star., 1897-01-28
Many Objections Made to the New
Silver Certificates.
PROTESrSOF MERCHANTS ANDBANKERS
Difficulty Of Identification and Lack
of Durability.
w Fl AT OFFICIALS SAY

Many complaints have been received at
the Treasury Department with respect to
the new silver certificates. They emanate
principally from merchants whose business
transactions require the constant use of
notes of small denominations. Although
complaints come from all quarters, the
large dealers in New York and Chicago are
the most vigorous protestants. Judging
from the character and extent of their rep
resentations, the new notes, with their
elaborately artistic designs. have not won
the popular success that was hoped for by
the treasury officials responsible for their
existence. The chief objection to them is
that they do not wear well. that they tear
easily and that they soon become blurred
and indistinct. In the matter of details,
the one-dollar note comes In for the great
est criticism, possibly because of the great
er circulation of notes of that denomina-
tion.
Some of the Criticisms.
The left-handed Goddess Of Liberty on
the face of that note continues to be a
ST bject Of unfriendly comment, but an OBJ
lection Of more serious character is that
the different denominations of the new
certificates are not sufficiently distinctive.
1t is represented, for instance that the
nVe-dolar certificate can easily be mis-
taken for a two-dollar certificate. and vice
versa, unless great care is exercised. There
are four Roman VS. on the face of this GER
phcate, and four figure SIS. One of the lat
ter numerals is entwined in monogram
with V in the left upper corner The
popular criticism is that the numeral in
the right-hand upper corner, which ought
to be the most conspicuous clue TO the de-
romlnatlon OF the note, doesn't look Suffi-
ciently like a ). II Is altogether different
rom rom, the hve-dollar note the people have
become familiar with.
Difficulty of Distinguishing Denomt-
nations.
Another objection to the new series is
that the great mass of engraving on the
front and back of the certificates. greater
than was ever put on notes previously is
sued by the government, adds much TO the
difficulty of easily distinguishing the diff
ferent denominations. According to one of
the critics, a bank cashier, by the way il
was an easy matter for one accustomed
10 nandllng treasury notes to distinguish
one of the old certificates from another,
even before they ere fully unfolded as a
Practiced eye could spot the denomination
in an instant. Now, however" said he
1T is the easiest thing in the world to
| mistake two-dollar certificate for a five
dollar certificate. In fact, / have to keen
my eye peeled for that mistake, for, as
a rule, you know. mistakes of that kind
count against the house every time"
AHotneT Danh oUlclal SAID tnat the new
certificates are an absolute nuisance when
| they get soiled from much use. 1T is
next to impossible" he said, Ito decipher
the numerals when the notes get rumpled
| and worn. 1t is a constant and bothersome
strain on the eye and mind where one ma S
| 10 count the worn notes by the thousands
| daily
But the most general complaint against
/ the notes is that they are not SO dura BILE
/ as former issues, and tear easily after they
| have been folded number Of times and
| carried in pocket book.
Justice of the Criticisms Not Admitted
| Treasury officials do not admit the JUS
| tice of these criticisms, especially the main
| one, to the durability of the new notes
One of the officers, speaking on the sub
| tect, said: That the hew certificates tear
more readily than those of former issues
l am not fully prepared to believe. Every
| sheet of certificate paper is tested at the
| bureau of engraving and printing before II
| Is sent to the printers. If there is any
! change in the quality of paper we have
| not heard of ii here. l believe ii is The
| same as was used before. Government,
money. you know. is like every other prod
| uct 1t is better for sea sonng, SO to speak
| 1t should be properly dried or cured. as
| We call it, before being put into circula
| ton. If it were subjected to heat TO dry il
quickly. 1t would probably be more brittle
| and would tear easier than if il We're al
| lowed to dry by natural process. The mair
! trouble with the new certificates is tina
| there is so much printing on them thai
| they cannot, in the nature of things, las
| 80 long as the less elaborate notes of for
| mer issues. The mass of ink catches tht
dirt easily and the certificates become
| soiled sooner and wear out more quickly
| than those that We're of simpler design.
| have not heard of the complaint of the
| similarity in general appearance OF tn.
| two-dollar and five-dollar certificates; bu
| then, of course, We have other clues 4
the denomination of certificates than tn,
| numerals"