Treasury Officials Worried

Washington, Dec. 15. - Treasury offlcials are in a worse quandary than ever over the question of how to stop the counterfoiting oí silver coins. It has been ascertained and proved to their gre,at dissatisfaction that the expensive engraved dies used for stamping the coin can be duplicated at a trifling expense from the coin itself by what is known as the "hot metal" process. These "hot metal" dies will do as good work as will the engraved dies, the only difference being that they have rot as long life. A set of these dies was made by a mint employé in Philadelphia and coins were struck from them so perfect that they withstood all tests. This was done at the suggestion and in the presence of mint officials who had doubted the posslblllty of the feat. No change of device will afford any protection so long as millions of the old coins are outstanding, nor has any device been suggested which in reality offers any great difflculty for counterfeiting to overeóme. Where the counterfeiting Is being done is equally a mystery.