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

constantly confronted by the puerllt
and miserable tiligies that these now
show us?
1t is well recognized fact that the
art-educatlon OF the people is advanced
further and more rapidly by the gen
eral application Of artistic charactcl
to the common and familiar things o
! life than in any other manner. Now
there Is no single thing SO much uset
among the whole body OF the peoplJ
as money, and, therefore, there can be
no other vehicle OF artistic expression
which can have such universal dis
semina,ion or farreaching influence.
We cannot expect to have such ar
tistic or beautiful coins as those which
have come down to US from Greece, OF
Rome, or Macedonia. Present use:
require disks of smaller size, thickness
and weight, for greater convenience in
handling. The splendid relief in
those old coins is not possible. Our
conventions Of necessity exact thai
the pieces be made SO that tie "wear'
will be distributed evenly over thcil
surfaces and that they be susceptible
OF being piled one upon another, or
put up in solid rolls. However, even
recognizing these necessary limita
tions, We still might have devices with
some beauty OF line, some degree ol
correctness OF proportion, of agreeable
composition and some idea to convey
beyond the mere expression OF a meas
ure of value cnrrent in the United
States. Our coins should go a stef
further than the teaching of spprecia'
ton of the beautiful. They should
have a commemorative historical val.
ue. From the coins OF ancient times
we have obtained much of what we
know Of the appearance OF various
kings and heroes, the lengths and
much Of the history of royal reigns We
have gained ideas of custom, OF archi
lecture. of religion, heraldry and even
of language itself. Among most o
the modern nations the coins com
memorate the reign of their date oI
issue.
But what historical record can oul
coins carry to the future, outside Of d
few exposition pieces? Simply the
fact that, for something more than
one hundred years, there was con.
federation known as tho United States
| of America-a nation of low artistic
ideals. That is all. Upon our coins
there is no poItraiture; nothing to
mark our various Governmental ad-
ministrations; nothing on Earth to
interest any one in tie coins, beyond
the fact that their possession, in suf.
ticient number, gives one the power to
do and to have pretty nearly what one
pleases.
Our earlier Colonial metallic cur.
rency was, as rule, far more artistic
than what we have to-day; just as the
| Colonial architecture was more sim.
pie, pure aud in every way more
agreeable to look at than most of the
hideous archetypal abortions which
are built to deface the surface OF
Earth in our own time. The first
United States cents, known as the
franklin" cents, issued in 1888, were
silly, undignitied designs. with de-
vice representing a sun-dial with the
word "Fugio" and the affected motto.
Mind Your Business" The opposite
side Of the same coin, showing thir-
teen circles linked together, each bear
ing the initials of one of the original
| States. The motto ave Are One,"
in the center, was not inappropriate,
though it was not artistic.
The regular coinage, which began
in 1898, with the head of frightened
looking woman with disheveled hair
plainly a derivation of q French
revolutionary type was not much
better. The head with the liberty-cap
on q pole swung over the shoulder
Q794-l19D had better features, but
when the coin was little worn. the
liberty cap had the effect of a night.
cap falling from the head. The head
employed from 1897 to 1907 with the
hair bound by ribbon, WAS by all
odds the most beautiful head that ever
has appeared on an American coin.
1t was simple and dignified in feature.
Above the head was the word lib.
erty," and below it was the date. On
the other side was the value, the
legend "United States of America"
and laurel wreath. The cents of
1898 had, instead of the wreath, a
chain composed of three links-un-
doubtedly inherited from the old
Franklin" cent. From 1908 to 1914
there was pretty nearly rectangular
liberty head on the cent-a cOnven.
tional physiognOmy with no signifi.
canoe in its type and without any
legitimate claim to beauty. This was
followed, with slight variations from
time to time, from 1S06 to 1857, by 6
liberty-hesd facing to the left, the
hair confined in a roll tied by q cord
while on the forehead was tiara with
the word liberty" inscribed upon it
This was a very ugly head. 1t is per
petuated to-day Oh our five-dollar ant
ten.dollar gold pieces.
When the cent was reduced in size
in 1856, we had flying eagle as {
device-a queer looking bird, but no
nearly so difficult OF classification al
the bird on our present silver dollar
In 1859, this eagle gave place TO an
other head-this time the alleged In
dian head" which we have with us OF
the bronze cent Of to day. In feature
this is unlike any Indian head eve
seen in the world, though it has th;
conventional feather head-gear.
But what can be more absurd thar
an Indian head on an American coin
And especially with the word LIB
erty" inscribed upon it! The Indiar
is fine, robust type Of American
Liberty" but he is an exemplifica
ton OF the historic license of tn
strong to oppress the weak. We Ger
tainly have taken liberties with tn
Indian, as we'll as Liberty from him
We have defrauded him Of his land
we have driven him into a corner O
his own country and, practically, hav
imprisoned him there on reservation
We have sought to shatter his faith ii
his God. We have loaded him will
our vices. Where is his libertyy How
does he represent the liberty of Amer
ica? A native American for centuries
he cannot vote. He is not allowed Il