El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-11
MEXICAN MONEY
USED IN CHINA
Col. Root Says All Prices
Are Quoted MEX, " Ate
Shark Fins.


Mexican money and Mexico's none
tary standard is in general use through
out China, Col 4 L Root, of the 10th
infantry, told the members of the
Mems club of the church of St. Clement
at the May dinner which was held IN
the Sheldon grill Monday evening
Col. Root spent three years in COM
mand Of the American troops in China
and made a careful study of the
economic system, the scheme of gov
eminent and the personal habits of
the Chinese people. He talked to the
men Of the club for more than an hour
Monday night and was urged to con-
tinue after he had concluded his series
OF interesting "reminiscences OF the
Chinese people and their customs
Prices in Mexican Money.
Mexican silver is used throughout
China although new monetary system
has been put intO effect said Col
Root All prices are quoted in Next
can money and, before the war, the
rate Of exchange was about Two for one
as il was in Mexico. At one time CHINA
purchased a great quantity Of Mexican
silver from the Mexican government
and it Is still in circulation there. They
have big money and small money
The silver peso IS the big money and
the small cnange down TO the copperS
make up the small money In making
change in China 81 Of 'Dlg money viii
get six 20 cent pieces, or 155 cOppers-
money changers in the country as that
is a most profitable business because
OF the changing prices He had agents
all over the country buying and sell
ing money. The foreign shops make
exact change while the money changers
will pay you Sl-2O or more FOR dollar,
depending upon the rate at the time the
money is changed
TaeI is Basic Money.
1.-THE tael is not a medium Of eU-
oh hrrr all at Z O. hanks nd nrIEI-
ness houses keep their accounts IN
tael. the Hong Kong tael, a silver bar,
is worth about 90 cents gold, or Sl-44
cents Mexican money Because OF the
shape OF some Of these silver taels
which take the form Of shoe. they
are frequently called shoes among the
foreigners.
IN China they do not use our term
grating but call IL squeezing Every
one 'squeezes' as much as he thinks
the other fellow will stand and the
practice extends from the lowest coOlie
10 the highest officials That was one
OF the reasons why the six power
group loan failed as there were 50
many restrictions placed around the
proposed loan that the officials could
not get their squeeze \ crew of six
servants costs only $50. gold. q month
and they feed themselves. But the No.
l boy who hires them gets his squeeze
out OF the cook, the cOolie, the house
bD1 anu an VI the 0LltAH-
Opium Smoking stopped.
Col Root said opium smoking has
practically been stamped out in China
by the simple and effective medium of ]
cutting off the heads OF the smokers. !
This proves a sure cure. the colonel
declared He said the use of cocaine I
was being introduced among the Chi
nese to take the place of opium and !
that snow powder" as il is called. is /
used extensively through the republic !
but the same drastic methods Of stop
ping ITS use were being applied. He +.
said an American was now doing mis-
slonary work among the natives by I
teaching them to smoke ciSarets by dis !
t[lDuunS quantities Of cheap cigarets 1
throughout the country
shark Fins and Bird Nest SCUM.
Col Root described a typical Chi Q
nese dinner which he attended while in !
China This consisted of q courses /
lncIuding bird nest soup which tasted I
like soup made from sea moss, buried /
eggs which had been kept several :
months. white wine served hot and I
shark fins The coolies eat a mixture I
on rice and chopped meat which they
oul at the docks where they work or
rom walking restaurant which con- ]
slsts OF Chinese with stove on one
END OF pole and a cupboard on the I
other, Col Root said
IL was decided at the Monday night 1
4. .neetlng 70 give dance TO the choir of
" i
nay 20 che Mems club viii be the /
most and the club members will also |
5ct as most for the Sunday school chill
lren on the same evening at a moving !
picture show to be given in Kendrick
nalL using the new motion picture
nachine which has recently been pur-
'hased- David Mcknight presided bs-
ng president Of the club
Names Of Those Present.
4nose present were George ROGERS !
= A. Darling, Rev. c. $. Sargent p
KAY Elliott David Mcknight. Col. E
4 hoOt- A. D. Wilkinson. Rev Henry /
Easter, H. P. Easter, Henry n Herivei
Dr. Carl Lee Smith, Howard N. Hix'
Y. y, X Sules, Dr. George II. MengeI. ].
y ulnonn, Geo Rutledge, W. NJ Harvey.
r Rowlands. l. K. Smith. Frank
= Carman, A. H. Lyle. r. VI. Reed. F. m /
= Barger, J, Rowland Gilchrist, c. NJ.
y man, DIT. Elliott g. Prentiss, II. W /
connolly, l. l. Tucker. S. J. FenneIl-
\orman Walker, J. N. Davis, J. r,
tezmalhalch, H. l. Potter and VIM
stuart