The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-30
DID NOT ANSWER THEM.
Questions Which Were Put to Hon,
G. ID. O'Brien.

G. d. O'Brien.
The following letter was sent to Hon. c.
D. O'Brien, who declined to answer the ques-
lions:
To the Hon. c. D. O'Brien: Noticing the
advertisement of the fact that you will ad-
dress the people of Graceyille on Wednesday
evening, Oct. Fl, on the political Issues of
the day, from free silver standpoint | hone
1T will not be treated as presumption for one
who is interested in the paramount issue CT
this campaign to approach you as one of the
leaders OF your party in this state for in
specially request your answer to the follow
ing questions
First-Will the free coinage Of silver at a
ratio of 16 to l increase the rate of wages
now paid to the workingmen in the United
States? If you say it will, please name some
free coinage country in which the working
men are paid wages as high as they now re-
ceive in the United States.
Seconds there a free coinage country in
the world where workingmen can buy as
much for dollar he can now in the United
States?
Third-W. ]. Bryan and other advocates of
free coinage claim that it will increase the
price Of all commodities If it should increase
the price of things which the workingman
has tc buy and does not correspondingly in
crease his wages, will he not be most seri-
ously affected by the change?
Fourth-Is it true that between 1860 and
1865, when the currency was inflated with pa
per, that the price of all commodities rose
116 per cent. while wages rose only 43 per
cent?
Fifth-If wages increased only about one
third as much as the price of things for
which wages had to be exchanged between
1860 and 1866, when hundreds of thousands
of laborers were in the field as soldiers, do
you believe wages would increase SO much
under conditions that would follow Mr.. Bry-
ans election?
Sixth-Is it true that on the Santa Fe rail-
read, operated partly in the United States
and partly in Mexico, that the laborers on
the American side receive an American silver
lean side the paymaster with the American
silver dollar buys two Mexican silver dollars
with which he pays for two days work?
Seventh-Why is it that 371Agrains of silver
with the stamp of the gold standard Amer
lea on it will buy 754 grains Of silver with
the stamp of silver standard Mexico on It?
Eighth-If you say 1t Is because the silver
dollar of America is maintained at par with
gold by the government, when the credit of
the government is removed by free coinage
and silver stands on It's own merits, will not
the American silver dollar sink to the value
of the Mexican dollar, and will not the
American workman who receives 1t be Put
upon the low level of the Mexican laborer?
Ninth-Mr. Bryan says that gold has az
preciated. That under the gold standard the
gold dollar has grown in value from 100 to
200 per cent. Wages in this country are paid
In gold or its equivalent The rate Of wages
has risen since 1872. If the American work
ingman receives many dollars for days
work now as he did prior to 1873, and those
dollars have grown in value from 100 to 200
per cent, do you net think It would be I'M
wise to swap 1t for dollar that Mr.. Bryan
frankly tells him would be worth only half as
much? - ~
Tenth-n there is anything in ngures, the
more the coinage Of silver has increased the