The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
PIE FOR THE coUSrERFEIrERs.
The View silver Certificates Were Just WIN
They Had been waiting FOR.
Prom the Pittssuro Dispatch.

They HAD Been Waiting For.
Prom the Pfttssuro Dispatch.
WARRINGTON, July 2t.-The determination
Of the Treasury authorities to make new do
signs for the 81, g., and 50 silver certificates,
series OF 1896, and as fast as possible retire the
notes Of those denominations issued last year,
Is a matter OF the profoundest interest to the
fraternity OF counterfeiters, as it will be n hard
blow to their fascinating industry. Never in
the history of the country has IA series OF Treas.
ury notes been issued which offered SO many
inducements to gentlemen Of the craft. Those
notes were issued with q great flourish Of trum-
pets. Some mysterious authority became con.
WINGED that the Government was PAVING too
little attention TO hno art. The older notes
were goOd enough as money, but they were not
sufficiently pictorial to crafty the taste OF that
somebody. who is now keeping carefully In the
background. The whole world should know bv
a glance At our money that we are Il nation de-
voted TO high art. The ordinary engrayer must
take a back scat. and the professional painter
and decorator must be called into rcquis!t:on.
Names OF the members OF the National Acad-
envy Of Design were PIT into a hat and shuk-n
UP. and those OF Low. Blashfeld. and shir!aw
came uppe most. When tho series was issued
everybody said the pictures were very pretty.
They covered most OF the faces Of the notes, and
were So splendidly categorical that they had 20
be disgraned again and again. Nobody un.
ders'?od them. Probably it was not necessary
tat they should be understood. II they passed
as:morey that WAS enough.
1t was soon found, however, that they were
SIZED upon by coantetfeiters with an avidity
for u few days after their issue from the Treas
ury Department, but after a litt!e handling
they became dingy and blurred, and the experts
declared that no money ever had been printed
that made IL so difficult to distinguish the
spurious from the genuine. The pictorial en-
craving and the clos and ComDiicn- ed lathe
work. which literally covered every bit Of the
space on the from and back OF the bills, gave
no distinct. details f0r the eye TO catch hold
upon, and the selling and rubbing OF the mass OF
ink soon Oiled the intervals between the lines.
notes OF these issues as Offering splendid ia
dueements for the exercise " their energy and
Service were soon put to such a test as had
never been demanded Of them before. to ferret
out and run down the ready mitators of these
The report OF Chief tIazcn for the last fscal
year will not be out for some time, but when it
no depression IN the business ot counter citing.
Inc number OF spurious notes placed in the
Of any former year, and while there is no IN.
usual skill manifested in the execution OF most
OF the connterfeits they are the most danger.
detecting them from the blurred and crumpied
notes of the artistic issue. The fact that the
few pdays after their issue makes them pccu-
liary, adaptable for reproduction bv the photo.
are seP mott c PtsoSe cut, % Or the nsf prir ~ I ,Ge wr eHIo essSni sd'
the reproduction. with q little artificial wear
and tear. becomes almost a Perfect fac simile
The abandonment Of the designs of the series
of 1896 has revived discussion OF the whole sub
ject OF counterfe;ting AT the Treasury Depart
ment, and II is determined that the new designs
which. will super5e1c those OF the late issue
and utility. and not Intended a. mastcr s%;s
OF pictorial art. The oldest experts o' the de-
%prartment have long ad 'anced the opinion that
fhn M fha IL a%nz ~,
inducements to countrrteiterS than any other
money in the world. This is not only due 10 a
mvriad OF issues, since the Treasury note
was first invented there have been issued a
score OF different. kinds OF legal tenders and
were returned to the departing II they were de.
stroyed. but of these notes there are millions
still! in circulation. and they will not probably
al be presented for redemption before the crack
OF Doom.
Oldest experts OF the Treasury tells me that Il
the Government would pay the small cost o.
process Of retirement would lie greatly acceler-
ated. As 1t is, there is no inducement for tho
and pay the expenses 10th ways for carriage
and the consequence Is that at any considerable
n moisy: I'D dFG and i sSile .fa and i' ragged @9yeT" amd GIs p" per
and dcfaced almo.t beyond recognition is in
general circulation. and in these regions tho
it is the easiest thin; in the world to make a
fresh counterfeit look like The genuine when
The pr Min. upon tho latter is almost oblirsr.
ltei by long use. This dirty and blurred money
with The many issues in circulation bearing tho
Government stamp and the n !mes'oi the nearly
1000 national banks, ~confuses tcllers and cash
iers OF country banks. and Il these are at a 10 IS to
distinguish good money from bad, the person
who handles only n little each in the form OF
bills cannot be expected to escape falling a prey
to the cunning fellow who assumes the right to
manufacture money on his own account.
The problem, therefore, of producing n
money which hail be as nearly as pos ible ey.
einpt from imitation is the most difficult with
which the Treasury authorities have To deal
and in the new issue which 4. TO take the place OF
the series OF 1898 II IL expected a greater effort
will DO made than ever before to secure an ideal
pAper note.