St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-03
FACTS ABOUT TWINE.

FACTS ABOUT TWINE.
The High Price Due to the Tariff
and Scarcity, as Shown by MIR.
La Due.
The following statements and infor-
nation presented by President La Due,
Of the Alliance in Rock county, to the
farmers, is of sufficient inter-
est to all the wheat growing
readers aof the GLOBE to war
rant its publication, although quite
lengthy. 1t may aid them in Sunder-
standing the situation, and in securing
twine at the lowest attainable rates.
The tWine question was under discus
sion, and Mr. La Due read letter writ
ten by the secretary of the National
Cordage company to the editor of the
Carroll County Qo.) Herald bearing
upon the question. and said:
Now, gentlemen, as to the truth
fuInesS of this letter in regard to COM
binations formed to advance the price
of twine, it will avail US nothing at this
time to discuss. 1t is, to say the least,
a plain, concise statement OF the conn
mencement and growth of the twine in
dustry in the United States, and to-day
the National .Cordage company are
manufacturing more than half the
tWine that is consumed in this country,
and are. no doubt, with or without
trusts, able to establish and maintain
prices. They state in this letter that
the manufacturers price for twine made
from the siSal fiber last season was
II cents per pound, from the ma
nilla, IL cents. Prices that the job
bers and machine men charged they had
nothing to do with. This is what at
tracted my attention, the manufactur-
er's prices as compared to the prices
we paid for it here. If ! am not mis-
taken we paid for the sisal twine not
less than l6 cents, and l believe that II
was nearer the average. | do not charge
that our dealers here at home made too
much profit themselves, but l dO say
that five or six cents per pounds Or $6
per hundreds too much for Us to pay
above the manufacturers price in New
York, and if our dealers here
DID NOT BUY RIGHT
last year we must look to it ourselves
and see that the prices we pay this sea-
son are in harmony with the manu-
facturer'S prices in the East, and for
this purpose | wrote the National Cord
LUvERNE, Minn.. April 2, 1SS9.-National
Cordage Company, No. 81 Front Street, New
1ork-Gents: l am farmer and at the
present time am president of Farmers Ali
ance No. 4O1, Luverne, Rock county, Mimi.
] have read your letter with much interest
editor of the Carroll Herald. Of Car
roll, To-, bearing on the manufacture
and price of binding twine, and if the posi-
ton you take in that letter is q correct
one, and have no reason to doubt it, wish
every farmer i'll the grain-growing states of
the West could read it, as l believe it would
tend TO quiet feeling Of unrest and diSsats-
faction that is rapidly growing among the
consumers that the high price of twlne to-day
is not the result of supply and demand, but
our hard earnings not fair. Legitimate profit,
such as could be sustained by honorable com
petition but all eXtortlOn on your part for
necessity ON ours. But grant there is no
trust or combination, you manufacture the
tWine, We grow the wheat; you establish the
price of the twine with the tariff added. when
our wheat ripens and is ready for the market
the world fixes our price in competition with
wheat raised in India with labor
that is paid eight cents per day,
il. / am not of that class who believe we can
harvest our crop without twine. In my judg
ment we must have it or do worse. How are
the prices going to be this year compared to
1HSl. ana Will you Sell US, Clle FARMERS OF
this county. twenty-five to forty thousand
pounds. and at what prices for the different
qualities? One other question, how much
more does the twine cost us on account of the
tariff? Should you find time and think it to
your interest to answer this letter, you will
much oblige Yours respectfully,
JAY La Due.
TO this letter received the following
reply, which will now read:
New YORK, April 6, 1859. Jay La Due,
Esq, Luverne, Minn.-Dear Sir: Your inter-
esting letter Of April 2 is just at hand. 1t
gives us great pleasure to answer your ques
tions and state to you the facts as to the
cause OF the advance i'll Sisal and MANILA
hemps from which our twines are made.
As TO your questions in regard to tariff du-
ties. They are, on sisal hemp SIS, and on
manila S25 per ton. We should like to see
this tax abolished, as it is not necessary for
either protection or revenue.
The cause of the high prices of twine this
year is simply active demand and limited sup
ply. IL is true that the supply of MANILA has
increased. 1t is also true that the supply of
sisal has diminished. But taking the two
both used for twine, their joint production
has not increased as fast as the worlds de-
mand tor their use has increased. Sisal
hemp to-day is worth in cargo lots at this
port u to 12l2 cents per pound; manila
Ia to l1i2 cents
There is no corner in either fiber, nor can
there be. All the manufacturers combined
have not money enough 10 control them for
a seasons business: and if they should at
tempt it they would fail, and deservedly fail.
Neither is there any corner in twine. 1t can
be bought in the market to-day at about cost
of manufacture. We will sell you sisal t.yinc.
10000 lbs, at 14l2c, ana manila for 16l2
free on board New York, less la per cent
for cash. We regret this high price. and
have done our best to prevent 1t by refusing
TO buy until forced to do SO or close our
mills. What would the farmers of YOUR sec
ton say o. do if We had taken this step,
which would have taken more than one-half
of the production of this year out of the
market: The price of twine would be GER
tainly double what it is now-naturally con-
sumption would have been largely reduced
but could the farmers of your section reap
their crops without it?
ature in the Western press. in which it is
stated that the Farmers Alliance will not
submit to extortion, ETC., etc. We hope and
trust they will not. But before they make
any such resolution let them be sure of their
ground.
When wheat advances 25 per cent what is
the cause? Every farmer in your state has a
ready answer: Demand outruns supply"
If the price gets too high consumers viii
change from wheat 10 corn ana other subst-
tutes. So will they now on other twines. of
which limited supply is already in the mar
ket. In facI we viii sell you a well made,
merchantabla jute tNine at IL cents per
pound, and we believe it will DO excellent
service in the field.
The tone of your letter we like very much.
You do not appear TO be preiudiced, and in
quire after facts. We give them TO you
in the hope that you will do your part to
spread reliable information among your
neigbbors.
We are large corporation, but we make
our living from farmers. ard farmers aloue
We will do everything il our power 10 make
their powerful aid our business wonlt. soon
come to an end. We have every motive to
assis, and none to antagonize them, and