Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-10
HALF-CENT COIN
REALLY NEEDED
1t Will Do the Nation a Lot OF
Good to Get Down to
Using Them.
BY 2. c. FORBES.

NV Oth. May lo.-By all means let
Is have half-cent pieces. Three-cent coins
would also be useful. But the half-cent is
infinitely more important we need to
speak IN thousands and then in millions,
but now we talk freely of hundred mil
lions. IS the tenor of a remark often
heard in financial circles Billions, too
are becoming more common-we measure
our annual crop value in billions, our
yearly manufactures ditto our gross rail-
road earnings in the same way and of
course. we have our billion dollar indus
trial corporation
But along with our billions it will do
no harm. instead. a lot of good, to get
down to half cents
Nearly every nation has a coin of less
value than our cent.
Adopting coins of small value is usually
less sign of poverty than of an advance
In civilization. In the United States the
halving of the cent would be productive
Of innumerahle benefits for the classes
who are most in need of any and every
assistance that can be extended them.
Those accustomed to handling consider
able sums. those who are not obliged to
plan and scrape in order to provide food
clothing and shelter, may he disposed to
scott the proposal to introduce half
cent pieces But to several million of
our population the difference between a
whole and half cent, multiplied few
times daily or weekly, is not matter for
scorn or for levity.
If the very poorest of our people can
be appreciably helped by making the new
coin no considera ton should be allowed to
kill the proposal
Certain treasury officials have been very
anxious to change the size and designs
OF our paper currency Arguments
aplenty are offered in favor of the
scheme by its advocates. but ask any poor
persons whether he or she would sooner
have the artistic effects of our bills i'm
proved or half-cent piece brought into
use and tie reply will be very emphatic.
For all practical purposes our paper cur
rency is serviceable enough, and it does
not appear to he a matter of life or death
whether it remains as it is or be re-
modelled But it is a matter of i'm
portance to many unfortunates whether
they can buy necessaries for fun cent
or half cent.
ON humanitarian grounds alone the
United States should not hesitate to adopt
the humber coin.
In thousand ways not yet realized the
halfcent would, if introduced be found
useful To make change" would be only
one purpose for which it would serve.
Many things now costing a cent would be
lowered to half cent Competition is
a wonderful knife for cutting prices. just
as monopoly is ar all powerful instrument
for lacking them up Just at present
the principle Of competition is being sub
jecte1 TO all sorts of abuse II is old
fashioned we are told; anarchronistic,
short sighted, injurious Maybe it is-in
the eyes Of those who would fatten on
monopoistic operations The government
has not been brilliantly successful in
lassooing those adjudged guilty of re
straint Of trade through monopolstic or
ganizations il has, indeed signaly failed
to restore genuine competition in cases
where this world -old principle had been
abrogated But the publics will, doubt
not for one instant shall yet be trans
formed into statutes which not one trust
or all the trusts combined viii he able
10 defy
In a small vay-not so very small
either for the less successful of our fell
low nortals-the adoption Of half-cent
pieces will tend to foster competition. The
despised coin may cut no figure In the
realm of high finance or big business,
but it will serve a desirable purpose at
this is not unworthy of our legislators