Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-20
SILVER COIN NEAT AND CONVEN-
TENT.
AN OLD PAPER MONEY
Issued by the Imperial Government
In the Ninth Century-Illicit
Melting of Copper Once in
Advantageous Ways Celes-
tials Have Of Doing Business.

it seems to be straightforward sort of
decimal system of coinage, similar to
that adopted by the United States;
but as soon as true value and standard
weights are considered the mystery Of
the celestial monetary system appears
in all its complicacy. The currency is
based on silver and copper cash; the
former at its intrinsic value and the
latter approximately SO. While the
copper cash, a small, base coin, is the
one most commonly used in China,
silver is the basis of exchange
Fluctuations in the rate Of silver eX-
change, together with the total lack
Of uniformity in coinage, as well as
the absence of a government bank, or
a public bureau of finance, says the
Los Angeles Times, all combine to
form the confusing elements involving
the subject Of Chinese currency and
finance The Chinese Empire possess
ed a system Of coinage at the begin
ming Of the Christian era. Many Of
their most ancient coins were cast in
curious and quaint designs, some fash
toned after the pattern of knives,
wedges, oblongs and other objects,
nameIess and apparently meaningless.
These rare old specimens are occa-
sionIly met with in influential Chinese
families, where they are treasured as
amulets against evil spirits.
Base and not precious metal has
been the principal medium of exchange
10
ninth century this imperial govern
ment issued a paper money; so we
find the Chinese justly deserve the
credit Of the invention and priority
in use of paper money, along with the
hundreds of other useful and necessary
inventions that the world owes to
them. The use Of paper money was
continued at intervals down to the
fifteenth century, when it disappeared
from use However, prOmisSOry notes
have been in constant use, and have
kept the Chinese familiar with a paper
currency that made it practicable for
the government to sanction banks to
be opened for the circulation of a
paper currency. The banks of to-day
are private Institutions where each
man or company is allowed to issue
his or their own paper bills in eX-
change for cash and silver, the bank
bills being redeemable on sight.
w a;t;a. 4Ie.a =, -l,.>J,r,
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81 -, -: - ~ n,,,-i
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~ ~ ~, I,a,-I ,>y,,l1-
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nc - ''sI"I U''S 20 a. ','l7 o'' oH INC
lp"' ~
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1890, ,I, .zi1.,
fa', w.. -
ne 1"Vl oelll7 cue lS0o 'i'lAo" '''tiio
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~ 'i'o ie0Noniii7 - D"iiio"' sens
= "79' 'oo.' oi'' "ou'.' INN 'il''' v'iI
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baflu,p tsaI +b,,a ore ,-arfons others
in psa. fbo ,,~et n,fahIa ora rho KIN
nino -, r~oasu,,,- tool tho l,nainino, or
SHANGHAI and Tho IanI,,v- tool The
1ottor i , no,, cont ~ ,o1,,o ohoya tho
cha,oha; ,.hi3o tbano :. "a NV oont
-, ,,l,.,.,,,, ~ a,,,o. thnoo
Us ''Il"'lon ~ "SIs"V VI 'He ac-
cep.eu SIdhu"iN oI value destroys al
'l's''' I.o-l ''t',' 80
,,,.,,o :, s..1l.Ilt.I. 0 ~
- r.i0 so
:" - ! ''1lU '0-i
Wy 0oo"' shy Nlit0" nC 1''ll""9
l"ie - ON eNlns llen-'Sll last year
was %h'f0' ouI LIN V'ln " re-
MS - "''' Pl'0O 0"li' l'0'o ulouS us
Iiop'loleS III 'ui enoS "1e " N"i I'LL u
~ 'iloe ~ = ""e'
mere are no less than nine different
silver dollars current IN China, five OF
which are minted in the country. The
one most extensively used is the Mex
lean scale dollar, mlnted in Mexico.
Next to this is the Japanese yen, then
the Spanish Carolus dollar and then
the French republican dollar. Others
find their way there, but are not so