Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-10-23
METAL TRADING-CHECKS.
IN GENERAL CIRCULATION IN MANY
DISTRICTS OF THE WEST.

| Causes Confusion.
The question has arisen in various
quarters, why the Government has
not taken some steps to prevent the
| general use of the metal trading.
checks which are in circulation in
many of the country districts of the
West. These checks are about the
size of silver twenty coin.
They are stamped with the name nf
the firm issuing them, and with the
statement that they will be received
for the amount of their face-which
may be anywhere from five cents to
one dollar-ip trade. Ostensibly they
are redeemable only at the store is
suing them; but, by tacit agree.
ment among the merchants in neigh
borhood, the checks are often accepted
wherever presented, and then from
time to time general clearing takes
place between the issuing houses.
A good deal of hardship has been
caused by the use of these checks in
places where the stores were few, or
where all the merchants were COM
peting with such fierceness as to pre-
ciuoc oho oAOuhuEo VI CouIteSl6S. LII
one lumber camp of Minnesota the
proprietors have put into circulation
some $3.50 worth of checks, prac.
tically the only money known there.
The men buy all their household
necessaries at the compauys store, as
rule, and there the company's trad
ing-checks are always good for their
face. But the other day a pitiful case
came to notice, where woman whose
husband had removed to another
camp, and who had to provide for her.
self and four children, went to the
company's store with one of its checks
to buy some flour. The store hap.
pened to be out of flour, the check
was not good at any of the nearest
hamlets, and, the woman's husband
having left the neighborhood, she
could not get credit on her own ac-
count, and experienced much suffer-
ing in consequence. This is only one
instance of many complaints of which
are coming to Washington, the theory
of the writer's being that the United
States Government can very soon
break up the use of the checks if it
will.
Unfortunately, nothing can be done
under the present law, and with the
courts of the West making their very
rigid rulings on the construction OF
the statute. Most of the dealers who
are putting out these private coins
take refuge behind decision of the
United States Supreme Court in the
Van Auken case n number of years
ago, to the effect that trade checks and
tokens redeemable in trade only do
not fall within the purview of the law
forblddlng the private issue of cur
rency. If any of the tokens were
stamped "Gool for ten cents" they
would be outside of the Van Auken
decision, aud the merchants issuing
them would be liable to prosecution.
The tendency OF the courts to support
the claim of the merchants while they
keep within the technical limits set
by the Van Auken case was shown by
recent decision of Judge Grosscup
in Illinois, and later one to substan-
TALLY the same effect in one of the
courts of Minnesota.
Appeals have been made to many OF
the merchants issuing trading checks
to cut these checks square in shape,
or in some other way reduce their
present similitude to United States
coins. Although aluminium is used
extensively in making the checks, and
its light weight ought to warn a per-
son of any observation whatever, the
checks bear so general resemblance
in size, shape and color to genuine
morey that ignorant persons are La
BILE to be, and continually are, lured
into taking them as money. SO far
the appeals have been in vain; and.
as prosecutions in some of the States
have fallen fiat, the operatives of the
Secret Service have been instructed,
whenever case of the trading check
abuse comes under their notice, to lay
it before the United States District
Attorney for the district concerned,
and leave him to judge whether a
prosecution shall be instituted or not.
Possibly the matter may be presented
to Congress at its next session, with a
request from the Secretary of the
Treasury for some remedial legisla-
ton.
1t is now understood that the Junior
Republic, which is to be established
near Annapolis Junction, Nd, as an
offshoot of the George Junior Re-
public at Freeville, N. Y, will issue a
coinage and paper currency of its own.
The coinage will be of aluminium, the
denominations following those of the
silver coinage of the United States.
while the bills will be for one, two,
five and ten dollars respectively.
Whether these coins and bills fall
within the counterfeiting laws or not
will depend upon their design, color
and inscription. If the resemblance
to actual money is dangerously close,
the Secret Service will undoubtedly
pounce upon the whole outfit. The
Junior Republic has an opportunity
Of setting good example of respect
for the law by avoiding clash with
the Government in this respect. The
toy money will answer all its proper