Evening star., 1898-07-30

Some years ago Americans visiting Eu-
rope began bringing home souvenirs in the
shape of spoons and thus started the GUS
tom of collecting such souvenirs, which
soon developed into craze. Every CITY
and hamlet in this country caught the
fever. and soon there were spoons repre-
senting almost everything and place After
a few years the craze somewhat abated,
and ii tas only been recently that it has
suffered a revival
While it lasted the silversmiths Wed with
each otl er in originality. and the result
was a collection of highly artistic speci-
mers- When the craze was at its height
some really fine art treasures were turned
out and spoons high as $50 each We're
readily bought by the wealthy. The i6ea
took better in this country than anywhere
else. but cheap effects nearly drowned out
the idea. and the handsome useful articles
gave way to commonplace tin affairs given
away with boxes of candy.
The first fine souvenir spoon in this coun-
try after the craze started was THE Salem
Witch" 1t was brought out in Salem,
Mass. and associated the old city with its
antiauated superstitions- TIE idea was
taken up by every city that boasted any
particular feature and extended even to
Alaska.
AT first the spoons collected from the
different cities were put TO practical use
but as the designs got handsomer they
were made part OF the cabinet collection
1t proved not only pretty idea. but a Ve"y
entertaining one, and when shown opens
up line of conversation that recalls pleas
ant recolections.
This year there las been decided re-
gival of the idea, and everybody is collect
ing again. The designs seem to run TO
naval and military ideas, and now there
ar TPDrHSenting
military heroes. There is Ht bson
spoon with a picture of the d ring
officer and the sunken Merrlmac "nlch
proved to be the stopper TO Santiago mar
Dor. Then there is Dewey with his nag
ship, and Sampson with the New York and
ScEley with the sturdy Brooklyn Roose-
Velt's rough riders are Commemorated by
SPOON and 2 handsome one ii is. too,
with the picture of the famous Teddy lead
ing the charge on Ell Cansy. Then there
are spoons with flags beautifully enameizd
in their bowls Some with the stars and
stripes others bearing the flag of Cuba;
others having both flags twined together
Since the talk Of the Ango-SaXon alliance,
the British flag has been entwlned with the
stars and stripes, and this spoon is very
popular. Our navy, with the principal
battle ships depicted in the bowl, has had
quite q run. and the Sigsbee spoon win
Capt Sigsbee and the lost batteship Maine
has lots of admirers Then there is the
Fitz Lee spoon with an embossed likeness
of the gallant Virginian and his autograph.
one OF the pTetueSt spoons as wen dS one
of the most expensive, is that having the
COats-Of-arms Of America and Cuba TO-
geiher. 1t il highly artistic, and done in
cOlors. The spoon which is to commemor-
ate our army is another beautiful idea.
The various bills that were introduced
during the past and previous sessions of
Congress in regard TO providing for plan
by which department clerks can borrow
money ana escape the street shyioeks and
money-leHde Es,' remarked a well-know9
banker to a Star reporter. ARE defective in
that though they appear TO be well-mean-
ing as far as their titles are concerned,
they fall far short Of what is needed and
would do more harm than good to those
they We're expected to benefit. 1 have been
consulted in regard to several of them.
have been others engaged in the banking
business in this city, and was forced.
were the others, to report against them.
The long and short of the matter is that
there is no necessity for them. Money can
be had IN this city at low a rate it
can be secured anywhere, but bankers will
not advance money without security in the
shape of something tangible, like real es-
tate. Bankers are thing and money
lenders are another. The licensed money
lender, generally a pawnbroker, loans at
less rate than the street lender, but he
necessarily has to insist on collateral in
some form Now. nipe-tenths of the money
borrowed by department clerks is borrowed
on promises 10 pay, which are often very
delusive- Three-fourths of those who bor-
row on these promises have no real reason
to borrow, but the borrower once in the
habit of borrowing cannot get out of it.
There may have been a slight necessity for
1t once, but that necessity passed out of
existence when the departments adopted
the semi-mOnthly plan of paying off instead
OF the monthly plan, which was originally
IN vogue Even with the monthly plan
Was N for rIcIa,- RI,
De continually borrowing. but they have al
ways done SO. While in Europe several
years ago | looked into this business and
Iound Ihat borrowing money is very rare
among governmental clerks. In Germany
clerks are paid of but once in three months
ana they are much better of than those
VINO receive their salary with us, twice
m each month. The schemes that have
oeen presented TO Congress have been pre-
pared. as a rule, by the borrowers Instead
OF the lenders, and while they were very
exact as TO the loaning out of the money
turn.
There were other bad features in most
OF them, in that they suggested money
borrowing instead of discounterancing if
Tor all must confess that borrowers should
not be encouraged if 1t is possible TO dis
courage them; One of the schemes that l
was consulted about actually had no pro-
vision guaranteeing the return ct the nor
foWed money, and had il become a law II
McuLo not operate for an instant. 1t is
=.
bofroW they Will in spite of all that can be
sald' though none knows it's bad Influence
letter than they who have had experience
WITH IT, II Is also useless to govern the
business by law. unless there is a strict
provision for the return of the money at
me time promised. and that the need for
the use OF the money shall be paid in every
instance Tfts is not possible unless there
IS security or collateral given. With these
given. all the money that is required can
be had
X
IN September rext the second bicycle
combine expires, and after that there will
be a greater cutting in price than that
which followed the original combine which
expired year ago" explained a weIl-post-
ed bicycle man TO a Star reporter THE
original combine provided that all of what
were called high-grade wheels should sell
for not less than 800. The combine lasted
for three years and there were but few
who violated the agreement. The result
was that 500 was the prevailing price for
wheels. good, bad and Indifferent When
no ayr-fI nId