The record-union., 1896-09-13
BUREAU OF INFORMATION.

M. p. S., knights Landing, asks to
settle contention among some of his
friends:
L. Did Congress pass a uniform or
Australian ballot law?
?. Is it the law in every State in the
Union?
3. Has Congress the power to pass
such law?
4. Do all the States now vote under
the Australian system or something
similar to it?
D. How many States have not adopted
that system?
The questions are synopsized from S.
F. Ms letter. The Record Union" re-
plies: 1. No. 2. No. f. No. ). Have not
the data to give you accurate informa-
ton, but fully half the States have not
the law, we think. Some Of them have
something approaching it-similar to it.
Probably half the States have the law
much as we have it, with some modifi-
cations, however, more or less radical.
g. No, not as to States. Probably Con-
gress has the power to prescribe how
elections shall be conducted SO far as
electing men to fill Federal places is
oncerned-Congressm Congress has
exercised supervision over such cleo
tions, but has never yet sought to set
aside or invade the State laws under
which such elections are held, so Con-
gress has never prescribed the form of
ballot, ETC., for elections in States
Eds "Record-Union" Did Major Nc
Kinley in Congress favor use of silver
money freely? CLIP
Yes hp did
frequently spoken in favor Of the largest
possible safe use of silver money.
Eds. Record Union: ExpIain
please, what is meant by reciprocity.
SO much talked Of by you. CHAS c. l..
Lincoln.
The doctrine of free reciprocal ex-
! change of articles we produce to best
advantage and that another produces
70 least advantage, with that other
country for articles we produce to least
ana that country to hest advantage
Eds. "Record-Union": Will you be
able to give me the fact as to the pro-
portion of silver to gold production be-
tween $500 and 1910 as compared with
the production between 1873 and 1892
we are in dispute here over the ac-
tual comparative fact. Can you settle
it? II AND 6 AMI w
Woodland.
The production Of silver in proportion
to gold was greater between 1873 and
1872 than before 1873 for twenty-one
years. Coins book denies this. but the
statistics contradict him. Twenty-one
years before 1878 the gold production
was $2,510,575 900; silver. coinage
value, S9S9, ,265,O0O or $50 per cent.
more Of gold. After 1873 for twenty
one years, gold, 50, 157, ,197 900: silver,
s2,246o19,OO0, or per cent more
Comparison between 1900 and 1910
with the period after 1873 cannot be
fairly made, the time terms are not
equal for one thing; the later cond-
items are not such as to permit fair
comparison with the earlier From
1900 to 1910 silver was the chief money
OF Europe and other countries, but dis
| covery of gold fields and the greatly
enlarged character of commercial
transactions brought on a decided mon
etary change, so that fair and useful
comparison as to the proportions of
metal production as related to our mon
etary system cannot be made.
Eds. Record Union: Can you give
me the facts as to wages paid in most
labor lines in Mexico, Peru, Russia,
Japan and China. I have seen a half
dozen lists, all different, and don't know
what to believe. MARION.
Sacramento.
The best among many authorities
give US this list Of weekly wages. and 1t
is We'll sustained by the publications
or the Bureau of American Republics: