St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-25

further information required on the subject.
and to show you or your friends my Miss and
machine shops. Yours truly: J. G. ToUD.4
P. S. l return the committees report; it
being SO rich and racy. have taken a copy
of it for future reference.
Now where do Messrs. Dunn and
Temple stand?
Under the circumstances hadn't the
governor best demand the resignation
of a part of the board of prison inspect
Ors?
The governors whitewash of the in
spectorS is interesting. Read it. Here
it is:
STATE OF MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE DEPART
MENT, June "a, 1S90.-To the Honorable
Board of Managers of the Minnesota State
Prison: | addressed to you communica-
ton dated June A. 1899, of which the follow
ing is copy: You are doubtless aware that
very strong sentiment exists throughout
the state in favor of utilizing portion of our
convict labor in the manufacture OF binding
Irvine. The opinion prevails that, without
loss to the state, this article can be SO pro-
duced and made available to our farmers at
a price materially below that which 1t now
commands in the market. For this reason.
and because OF the vast quantity
used annually in our wheat-growing
states, the matter will commend
itself to you as one deserving of the most
that such operations are feasible, and that
they will result in a saving to those of our
people engaged i'll agricultural pursuits, l
most heartily recommend that arrangements
for the manufacture OF this article be per-
fected as rapidly as possible. Kindly report
to me the result of your investigations at the
earliest practicable moment, that your deter
miuation may be communicated to the yarI-
Gus organizations about the state, whose
members have interested themselves IN agi-
tatiug matter which seems to me in all re-
Spects commendable.'
Acting. upon the authority so conferred
upon your board, committee was appointed
from among its members, consisting of Hon.
Edwin Dunn and Aon. Frank ". Temple to
make investigation of matters pertaining to
the binding twine industry, with the view OF
ascertainlng whether or not 1t was feasible
to employ portion OF the convict labor OIL
the state in the manufacture of binding
Irvine. Under the date of Aug. /, 1889, this
committee made report to you which was
in due course transmitted to me, and which
has been given to the public through the me-
dunn OF the state press.
The report of the committee was adverse
10 the project for reasons stated therein bear
ing upon the following points:
First-Amount of capital necessary.
second-Character of the labor that would
be required.
Third-Amount of room demanded for the
enterprise.
Fourth-Souree OF supply of the material.
In regard to the first obstacle, and for the
reason that in this particular the findings OF
the committee do not seem to be generally
or correctly understood by the public, and
through the press an unintentlonal injustice
has been done 10 the gentlemen who made
the investigation, | copy here, in full, their
report as to this matter:
I'm order to employ seventy five men a cap
ital of from 81, 100000 to S2.00O,000 would
be necessary. Binding Irvine costs the manu-
facturer from II to 10 cents per pound. or
this cost not more than from to 3 cents per
pound is labor and power, leaving from to
II cents per pound for the cost of material:
plant employing seventy-five men would
manufacture about fifteen tons of Irvine per
day, which. allowing 800 working days in
the year. would give 4. 800 tons
1.-THE material alone. if the manila and
sisal Irvine manufactured, would cost
about $3.50 per ton, making a total cost for
material of ST., 125, 900 for years business
at present prices. In addition to this. the
timated to cost $3.50. 600. exclusive of power
and shafting. If hemp Irvine is manufact-
ured the machinery would cost about So
0OO and the material for years work would
cost 100000 to employ seventy-hye men.
In the case of hemp Irvine the labor forms
larger portion of the value of the product
than in the case of the sisal and manila
twne."
From the foregoing 1t will be readily seen
that the impression which prevails that this
size and character referred to Tor the manu-
facture of binding Irvine at the state prison
would cost 81, 900, 900 or abOve.is erroneous,
since it is clearly stated that such cost would
be from $50, 900 to 100000. 1t is in com
founding the cost of the plant with the
amount of capital required 10 carry on the
industry that the report of this committee is
in some respects and quarters misunderstood,
and feel that it is but an act of simple JUS
tice that should call attention to this mat
ter.
1t will be seen that upon the proposed
scope, and in accordance with the plan out
lined, in excess of the actual cost OF maehln-
cry and plant, it would require. in the judg-
ment of the committee 81 ,002, 600 and over
to purchase a years supply OF raw materials
manufacture the same into binding twlne,
and carry the product until proceeds of sales
were made available. At later date,
/ and after the submission to me of this report
| of your committee, / was called upon by the
| Hon. r. j. Hall and Hon, John Lathrop,
president and secretary respectively OF the
State Farmers alliance, gentlemen who mad
personally been making Investigation OF
binding Irvine matters in the interest of the
farmers of the state, and by them was pre-
scented with such additional data as led me
to believe that 1t was my duty to further IN
vestigate the subject, with view of confirm
ing by still more searching investigate n. If
possible, the report of your committee, or OF
demonstrating that some practicable plan
might be devised whereby without excessive
and burdensome cost 20 the state the expert
ment of manufacturing binding twine at
Saltwater by convict labor might be tried.
With this end in view, and for the purpose
stated appointed on the 22d day of April,
1890, as such committee, Hon. j. s. O'Brien
and Hon. Frank w. Temple, members of
your board. and Hon. r. j. Hail and Hon.
John Lathrop.
lam in receipt of the report of this COM
mittee. which is herewith enclosed, aud
reads as follows.
Here follows the report. which has
already been published in the GLOBE.
The governors letter continues:
In view of the fact that in the judgment Of
this committee plant to consist of one set
machinery will cost not TO exceed S23, 900;
that the agricultural interests of our state
dominate all Others and employ the major
portion of our population; and that this IN
dustrv most earnestly demands of the state
that this experiment, which, if successful,
will result in so large saving to our people,
shall be tried and for the further reason, pa
tent to all, that convict labor so employed
will in less degree than in any other inter
fere with the interests and Well-belng OF free
labor. most earnestly recommend to your
board that as soon as practicable, and by
means the most direct, steps be taken to pur-
chase and put in place and operation one or
two sets of machinery, as in your judgment
may seem best, at the prison at saltwater, for
the manufacture of binding Irvine. the funds
to defray the cost of viii ch have by legisla-
tive enactment been placed at your disposal
lam sure that no effort will be spared by
your board TO make this experiment a sue
be greatly benefited. Respectfully.
W. r. MERRIAM, Governor.