Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-07-14

Trust" Sacrssious, Use Of the Indian Head
on the Bronze Cent With the Word Liberty.
an implied Falsehood-The Dollar the Worst
Of All.
BY LUE +. VERNON.
A few years ago the French Gov
best medallists to prepare new designs
for its many coins, and as the result
Of this, France, to-day, has the most
beautiful coins OF any country in the
world-coins, which notwithstanding
all the necessary limitations of modern
coinage, compare favorably with the
splendid productions of the ancient
Greeks.
Roty is the designer of the new
silver coins, the franc, half-franc and
two-franc pieces-the same designs
appearing on each of these. The OBJ
verse Of these silver pieces presents a
most gracefully drawn olive branch
and the inscription. Liberte, Egalite,
Fraternite," with the denomination and
date. The reverse has the graceful
figure of a yonng woman, typifying
the Republic, walking across a field,
sowing grain. The suggestion Of
movement in the figure, the exquisite
modelling, the sweep OF the draperies-
even the expression of dignity and
resolution in the miniature face
command the highest admiration.
The rim OF the rising sun appears
above the horizon, its rays extending
throughout the sky. Around the
outer edge is the inscription Re.
publique Francaise." The emblem
attic Specification of these designs is
apparent to any one. The figure
typifying the Republic sows the seed
from which great benefits are sup
posed to spring. The olive branch, Of
course, typifies disposition to be at
peace with the world.
The ten and twenty-franc gold
pieces OF France are by another great
medallist, Chaplain, one Of the few
artistic rivals OF Roty. On the diverse
of the pieces is q Gallo cock in ag-
gressive attit ude, with the denomina-
ton of the piece. On the reverse is
an ideal head OF the Republic. The
bronze pieces of five and ten centimes
are by the late Daniel Dupuis, and
they also are very artistic. On the
diverse is the seated figure of the Re-
public, clad in armor, with the visor
of the helmet raised showing strong
and, at the same time, beautiful face.
She holds the flag in her right hand
and an olive branch in her left, and
instructs a youth with eager face who
, sits beside her. The reverse has an
ideal head of the Republic. These
last pieces lack somewhat the SIM
plicity OF composition noteworthy in
the designs of the silver and gold
coins, yet they are still incomparably
finer in design than the coins OF any
other country.
Each OF these pieces enumerated
bears the signature OF the artist who
designed it. In the United States
even the initials of the designers ol
our coins and bank bills are ungener'
ously forbidden to appear on theil
productions. Yet. why should not the
man who does a good thing for the
Government, receive just recognition
for it, and whatever material advant'
age might come to him from the gen
eral knowledge and appreciation ol
his good work?
For rconsummate ugliness-for clum'
siness, the inartistic and inappropriate
character OF designs and devices-no
coins in the world can compare with
those at present in use in the United
States If you have any of them
about you, look at them critically
with me. Are they not truly hideous!
If possible. compare them with the
beautiful French coins which l have
just described.
! There is no excuse for this ugliness
of our coins. We have in this coun'
try men capable of designing beauti'
ful pieraS onipS that wOulH hn crpNl b.