The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-16
Mrs. Wilson Woodrow's Article
BY MRS. WILSON WOODROW,
The world. famous writer on vital aublects,

Everybody knows that some Of our
smaller coins are not worth in actual
metal value the amount at which they
pass. II Is the government stamp upon
them and not their intrinsic quality
which makes them acceptable as a me-
dunn of exchange.
In this connection l happened to over
hear a conversation between two men
In a seal behind me on the train the
other day, in which one Of them told
a story of an old fellow he once knew
who owned a small iron foundry, and
who, being hard UP, decided to relieve
the financial strain by molding nickels
of his own making.
For a time he was successful In his
enterprise, putting out into circulation
a considerable quantity of his counter
felt product; but eventually the federal
officers got on his trail, his guilt was
established and he was taken into Gus
today.
Strangely enough, he wal in no way
crushed or overwhelmed by his arrest,
but protested Indignantly against 1t as
an outrage, asserting that he had done
nothing dishonest.
II wasn't cheatin' nobody" he de-
clared resentfully. Then nickels Of
mine had better metal in EN-, an was
wuth more n the ones what the gov
eminent puts out
II was Qulle d llIlt ut1UT6 lnb Olll-
GERS could drill it into his head that
it was not the percentage of nickel, tin
or copper in the coin that gave 1t value
but the government fiat or stamp of
authority.
And as / listened to the story l could
not help thinking that there are a lot
Of people in this world who are very
like that old foundryman's nickels. They
have all sorts Of good qualities in their
make-up-talents, gifts, abilties-yet
they often fail to get across as do per-
sons OF far less natural endowment,
They can not understand II. They are
conscious Of their own merits. They
know that they are in many cases SUI
perior to the fellows who are outstrip-
ping them in the race and gaining the
big prizes Of life, Bitterly they ascrlbe
their failure to get on either to luck
or circumstances.
But that is not the true explanation,
Circumstances lever hampered any
body, and luck simply does not exist.
The truth Of the matter Is merely that
these people lack that great saving
grace. the stamp Of authority.
II liz a thing hard to define, n yet
we all recognize II the moment we see
II or come within it's influence, II does
not lie in power or position. The king
OF England Is vested with all sorts OF
pr~erogatives under the British consti-
tuition, and almost every action OF Tn
British government Is made In his name
but actually he Is almost without au-
| thority OF any kind.
An even better example may be
found In our own various presidents
All Of them have had practically the
same privileges and p~rerogatives, and
yet see how differently they stand out
In history. BY virtue Of personality
alone some of them swept everything
before them In their day and left 0
permanent impress on the life Of thu
| nation. while others rank as no~nentities
mere names upon the scroll. It's a Ions
| call from a Theodore Roosevelt or An
drew jackson to a Willard Fillmore OF
| Franklin Pierce.
Neither does authority lie in phystca