The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-10-14
A W0RKINGMAN's QUESTIONS.
An Open Letter to Some Free-silver
Politicians of Alabama-Appli-
cable in Every Part of the
United States.
From the Mobile Register.

GENTLEMEN: Noticing the adver-
tisement of the fact that you will ad-
dress The great Bryan aud Sewall rati-
| fication meeting on Saturday night,
hope il may not be treated as presump-
ton for one who "earns his daily bread
by his daily toll" and who is, there
fore, vitality interested in the para
mount issue of this campaign, to APP
proach you who are leaders of your
| party for information. Its To me mat
ter of no concern whether the position
of ex-Gov. Jones and other Alabama
gold Democrats is consistent or incon-
sistent. do not care whether Bryan is
bolter or not. The reconstruction of
Alabama by the Republican party
twenty-five years ago belongs to the
| dead past. The issue of the campaign
for the Gubernatorial nomination be-
tween Capt Johnson and the Hon. II.
III. Clarke may concern some people,
but it has no interest for me. want
to know how / will be affected by hav-
ing the financial plank of the Chicago
platform made the law of this country.
With this purpose in view, l respectful
ly request that one or all of yon answer
the following questions:
First-Will the free coinage of silver
at ratio of Is to increase the rate of
wages now paid the workingmen in
the United States? If you say it will,
please name me some free coinage
country in which the workingmen are
paid wages as high as they now receive
in the United States.
Second-we are not only interested in
the rate of wages but also in the purchas-
ing power of the money in which wa
ges are paid. Is there a free-coinage
country in the world where work
ingman can buy as much for a dollar
as he can now in the United States?
Third-Mr. Bryan and other advo-
Gates 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 TO buy aud
does not correspondiagly increase his
wages, will he not be- m)ss seriously
affected by the change?
Fourth-Is it true that between 1859
anh 1855, when the currency was infa-
ted with paper, that the price of all
commodities rose ll6 per cent, while
wages only 43 per cent?
Fifth-If wages only increased about
one-third as much as the price Of
things for which wages hal to BE- ex-
changed between 1850 aud 1860 when
hundreds Of thousands OF iaborers were
in the field as soldiers, do you believe
wages would increase so much under
conditions that would follow Mr.Bry-
ans election?
Sixth-The railroads of the country
derive their incomes exclusively from
freight and passenger tariffs that are
practically fixed by laws enforced by
State and Interstate commissions. If
free coinage increases the price OF all
the commodities necessary TO the oper-
alton of railroads and their income is
kept down by law, can the large body
of men employ ed in the service hope
for an increase of wages? As a matter
of fact, would not cut in wages be
about the only way in which the rail-
roads could meet the increased cost of
operation?
Seventh-The street railway systems
of this city are operated under munici=
pal ordinances which fix their income
at ) cents per passenger carried. III
Mr.. Bryan is right in saying free coin
age will increase prices of all eommod-
ities used by street railways, can you
advise the conductors, mOtormen, aud
other street railway employees OF this
city to vote for free coinage with the
hope of improving theif condition?
Eighth-As understand it, your par
ty has for years made war on protective
tariff because it increased the cost of
the necessaries of life. If Mr.. Bryan
is right, will not free coinage in this
respect be just as bad? VIII it not also
create gigantic trust and make mar
ket by law for the property of the sill
yer mine owner at q d,l5ie its value?
Ninth-It is true that on the Santa
Fe Railroad operated partly in the
United States and partly in Mexico,
the Iaborer on the American side re-
ceives an American silver dollar,
while just across the imaginary line,
on the Mexican side, the paymaster
with the American silver dollar buys
two Mexican silver dollars with which
he pays for two days work?
Tenth-Why is il that 37lI grains of
silver with the stamp OF gold standard
America on it will buy 75i grains of
silver with the stamp of silver stand
ard Mexico on it?
Eleventh--If you say it is because
the silver dollar in America is MAIN
tanned AZ par with gold by the Govern
ment, when the credit Of the Govern
ment is removed by free coinage and
silver stands on its merits will not the
American silver dollar sink to the val
ue of the Mexican dollar, and will not
the American workingman who re-
ceives it be put upon the low level of
| the Mexican laborer?
Twelfth-Mr. Bryan says that gold
has appreciated. That under the gold
standard the gold dollar has grown in
value from 100 to 200 cts. Wages in this
country are paid in gold or the equiva-
lent. The rate of wages has risen since
| 1873. If the American workingman
receives as many dollars for days
work now as he did prior to 1873, and
these dollars have grown in value from
100 to 200 cents, do you not think he
would be unwise tn swap it for dol
lar that Mr.. Bryan frankly tells him
would be worth only half as much?
Thirteenth-Will the workingman,
under free coinage, have to work as
hard and as many hours for a dollar as
he does now?
Upon your answers To the foregoing
! questions depends the vote of myself