The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-10
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington, ID. C.
INAUGURATION MEDALS.

will foregO, by his policy OF sim plicity
first at Inauguration time, is that of
Having his profile struck on gold
medallion as an inaugural souvenir for
himself.
Ever since the time of William
Henry Harrison this has been one of
the customs of the occasion. gold
medal with the likeness of the new
executive is presented to him, another
goes to the vice president and third
ito the chairman of the general in
iaugural committee. Silver duplicates
go to chairrnen of the inaugural sub
committees, bronze medals to the COM
mittee members, and a few extra
bronze copies are made for museums
land collectors. These medals are
lamong the permanent souvenirs of the
administration, and as such they are
always highly priced.
| This year the committee on medals
Iplanned to eclipse all past perform
tances in artistic finish. Eleven de-
signs were submitted, and one had
been selected. 1t bore the profiles of
Harding and Coolidge, with Harding
in front. Inscribed around the heads
were phrases selected as typifying the
policies of the two-"America First
for Harding. and Law and Order" for
Coolidge. The reverse side OF the
medal was to carry Columbia seated,
Hooking toward the national capitol,
Iher left hand leaning on the national
lcoat of arms, and right holding the
fasces symbolic of the unity of the
lrepublic.
lprivate subscription in Washington, so
that 500 copies, costing about $4,000,
do not represent any expense to the
federal treasury. Even so. the medal
Twill probably not be produced this
lyear, as the committees are now dis
solved and the money raised for the
imedaI is to be returned.
There will, however be a bronze in
augural medal which any one can
buy, because the United States mint
always celebrates this way. Few peo-
pie know that the Philadelphia mint
runs a sort of art shop. where the
public can buy pictures in bronze of
all of our presidents and some naval
| heroes and other great men.
| This is no joke. like the aged wheeze
| o. steel engraving of Washington for
! two cents-in other words, a postage
stamp. Most of the nint's likenesses
| sell for one dollar and are round
bronze rnedallions, three inches in di-
aneter. They carry the head of the
hero, usually in profile. on one side.
and appropriate lettering or symbols
| on the reverse.
| Medals for the Indians.
| It is said that originally the govern
| ment produced these bronze objects
| of art to inculcate love and patriotism
| in the Indians. Among the first of
4
three medals known as the Seasons
| Medals. They are now extremely
rare. A set of three sells for about
1 $1,000. All three were made during
Washington's second presidency, but
/ his portrait was not used on them.
Instead, the dates and administration
| were marked on the back between a
| design of crossed oak and laurel
| leaves.
| The other side bears the pictures
NV hi rh no Ind GRO IN of
| Spring is represented by a farmer
sowing grain, and another man plow
| ing, with a farm house at one side.
| Summer has a shepherd watching his
flock, with mountains in the back
ground and the house still in the dis
lance. Autumn was skipped, and in
the winter medal the scene shifts to
| the interior of the house, revealing a
woman weaving at a loom, another
spinning, and a child rocking a baby's
cradle. Lest there be any mistake,
each scene is labeled U. S. A.
1t Is not plain now just exactly what
| the early republic expected to teach
| the Indians by these idyllic scenes.
! The Indians knew how to plant and
raise corn, few of them had sheep
to tend, they certainly were past mas
ters at the art of weaving, and their
record for taking care of their chill
| dren seems to be as good as any. The
J idea was, possibly, to prove to the
was not going to the dogs in the white
mans hands, and that the new repub-
lie was a stable and home-reSpect-
ing proposition. Maybe, in addition
to this, the red men were expected
to fold their tent and take to Colonial
mansions and four-poster beds. 1t is
not clear.
These prizes were handed out to the
good Indian chiefs, and they must
have been somewhat satisfactory for
4 dol L
, continued. There were over a hun
dred different medals of Washington,
comm emoratingf his virtues and fame.
1t was always the peace-loving side of
/ Washington that was stressed in these
bronze memorials. A collector of
Washington medals says there was not
one lauding his victories A few of
the dies of the washington medals
are still in possession of the mint.
The others can no longer be struck,
and the few copies of them in exist
encc are much-prized by collectors.
Washington set precedent that has
never been broken when he refused
to allow his likness to be reproduced
cents were minted in 1871 and 1892,
following the European usage by
which the sovereign's head adorns the
| coinage of the country. Some of these
coins were, it is believed, minted in
England. Washington is said to have
| been indignant over the suggestion
| that such coins become standard. He
| insisted on the destruction of dies for
| pieces bearing his head, and advocated
| in their place designs with a head of
| liberty. The senate held that the
presidents head should in respect to
| him be used on the money of the re-
public. but the house agreed with
Washington, and a law as enacted
| as the president wanted tt
Use Only Dead Celebrities.
Since then, no living persons fea-
lures have been used on our money
either paper or coins. Likenesses of
persons who might be suitable for
monetary designs are kept sometimes
until time when they will be
eligible to this kind of fame.
! Medals are different. Every presi-
dent has been immortalized in bronze,
tho the presidential series which the
mint now strikes and sells was not