The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-29
ABOUT THE TwNE TRUST.
OTHER FARM INTERESTS DISCUSSED.
Utilizing the Weeds-Kseping Clean the
COrnfields-Late Potato Crops-Farm
Notes For the Month and Some
Valuable Household Hints.

The republican farmers of the West and
Northwest who last fall thought that
trusts are private affairs, and voted with
enthusiasm to double the tax on the raw
material and to increase the duty on Sisal
Irvine, are now up in arms against the
twine trust, and have perfected state or
carnations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota,
Nebraska and other states to fight it.
Their battle Is already lost. Their surren-
der must be unconditional says the New
York World.
Foreseeing this advance in price, the
Mills bill put Sisal grass on the free list
and reduced the tariff on Sisal Irvine to %
per cent. If it had become law the trust
would have been possible, but it would
have been 25 per cent trust instead Of
the present 30 per cent. trust; and with
free raw material there would have been
no excuse for 1t. The price of Irvine could
not have been put at more than % per
cent beyond the cost to import the for
eign. During the past three years there
has been an actual decline in the amount
OF Slsal grass imported from Yucatan, in
the lace OF largely increasing demand
for Irvine. The price abroad OF the raw
material advanced from 500 per ton in
1886 TO Sl47 in 1888, and all stock on hand
has been used up. The advance in price
is general all over the world and is caused
by the scarcity of raw material.
Why are the cordage companies pro
tected' by a duty of So per cent. on for
eign Irvine ii it is not levied solely to
enable them to form trust and charge the
republican farmer 80 per cent. more than
the foreign Irvine would cost to import?
! ~,
always done and what these republican
farmers have always approved OF. Why
did these republican farmers vote-in favor
of trusts and 10 per cent. [senate bill
duty on Irvine. If they did not desire to
pay 81 and 40 per cent. more than it was
worth The advance abroad has only
been met by corresponding advance
here. The trust has not exceeded the 80
per cent. ''gouge," in which it is protected
by law
The farmers OF the Northwest can not
afford tofight the Irvine trust To harvest
by hand this season will be to harvest at
a loss and to ruin many a small farmer.
1t will not affect the trust. All the boy
cotting possible VIII not reduce the price
of Irvine. The farmers delivered them
selves last November into the hands of the
trust, bound hand and foot, and favor now
the still further addition to the price of
Irvine which the senate tariff bill will
make next December. Their objection to
the present increase after voting for it. is
illogical and absurd They rejected the re-
lief offered by the democrats in the last
congress, and can hardly expect sympathy
If what they asked for and received is not
what they wanted.
But it is not on Sisal Irvine alone they
will be robbed without mercy by a trust.
It is the twine trust to-day, but tomorrow
II viii be the salt trust, the next day the
lumber trust, the sugar trust, and so on
through the whole list of trusts made pos
slble only by protection, which the demo-
cratic party vainly asked them to destroy.
The Late Potato Crop.
Among the innovations made and DEM
onstrated as a success is the trench sys-
tenn of the Rural New Yorker, which is one
worthy of trial, as the season for the late
potato crop viii soon be here. 1t is very
simple, and the farmer can try few rows
by way OF experiment, side by side with
other rows grown in the ordinary way.
Make trench twelve inches deep and
eighteen inches wide. Use the special
potato fertilizer, If necessary. Cut the POI
tatOes to two eyes, and use no seed put a
small quantity OF the fertilizer on the bot
tom, cover it with a sprinkling of earth,
lay down the seed the usual distance and
cover with an inch of soil After the seed
begins to grow scatter the fertilizer in the
trench, on the sides of the plants and be-
tween them, and add more soil, so contin-
uIng until the vines grow to the top OF the
trench, when the surface is given level
cultivation. 1t is claimed that the vines
make new roofs on their way 10 the sur
face, and have more room than the devel-
opment of tubers that as the fertilizer is
placed in the trench and near the roots
the plants are more promptly fed and APP
propriate 1t sooner, while the deep root
ing also protects against drought and in
sures moisture.