St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-15
All, THEaa. MERRIAM.
How the Business Administration
Is Conducted.

MORRIS. MIMI. Oct. s, 1S90.-His Ex-
cellency. Gov. William r. Merriam:
Having taken deep interest in the es-
tablishment of a system OF twlne ma
chinery at the states prison at Still
water. | am disappointed at the action
of MessrS. OBrien, Temple and Hall,
committee of the prison board, VINO. l
am informed, have bought a system of
Irish machinery known as the Coombe,
Barbour Il Coombe system.
At the time the report was made to
you by O'Brien, Temple. Lathrop and
myself, it WAS the understanding that
the Todd system of machinery would he
bought. This was the machinery rec
commended by Mr. Lathrop and myself
During the harvest just past many
farmers in Minnesota have used twine
made on the Identical machinery offered
10y Mr.. Todd, and know that The ma
chinery will make good jute and flax
twine. The machinery is an assured
success. and had it been bought the
only question would be can prison labor
make twine as chraply as outside labor?
From letter written by j. T.. Swan,
of st. Paul, L learn that he has had
thirty years experience in the manu-
facture of our Western fibers. With his
permission quote a part of his letter:
was the oly practical manufacturer who
me- the Iard at their meetings. stated to
them time and again (aS | Was present at all
of their meetings) thit had no lnte. est in
any way in advocating j. C. Todd system
beyond what knew was a fact. aud that was
that he built The only system that Was adapt
ed to working our Western fibers. Isiated to
each one of the board that had build and
superintendent four mills in my lifeume,
worked thousands Of tons of just such fiber
as they would have. have made all kinds Of
tWi bOuUlt and uSad almOSt Sfvlo M
machinery in nse for the past thirty years
imported from Dundee Scotland, a system
of Irish machinery identical with c., b. d.
C.'s, brought over family of Scotch flax
spinners with the same. and after nine
months experiment, under the most favor
able circumstances. was compelled to set it
aside and put in American machinery.
These are facts.
With t..ese facts before the board. and
Mr.. Todd's proposal for system of his
| machinery. set up at Saltwater, and run
| one week, fully warranted and capable
| of making $500 pounds of twine per day
| for S1i, 7l6.40. they have bought sys--
+ TEN, same number of spindIes for S2l,-
| 693 delivered in New York To this
may be added $1,000 for freight ard
| putting the machinery up, difference
| of S5,97660, in favor of the American
machine offered Jy Mr.. Todd. can
| not understand why honest men, look
| ing to the best interests of the state.
| should utterly ignore and disregard the
| facts given them by an expert of the
experience of j. c. Swan. when they
| acknowledge that they have no personal
knowledge of what they are buying, and
| | fail to understand why this committee
| disregards the known wishes and ad-
vice of every member of the committee
| who recommended aud was in favor of
| establishing at least one system of twine
machinery at the Saltwater prison, un-
| less it was that the whole thing might
| prove failure. The difference in favor
| of the American machinery is nearly
$4,000.
fne machinery is known to be sue
| cess, yet the state of Minnesota, with its
$4,000 majority in favor of protection,
| gives premium of $4,000 to foreign
manufacture.
| Thisls protection with vengeance.
| 1t Is claimed that the Todd macliD-
| cry was secondhand. That is true:
| but when it is known that it had been
used only enough to put it in first-class
| running order, and was in no way in
| jured. was really worth more to make
| the s'experimeDt' with than new ma
| rhinery, this objection is not well
taken.
1 mad set my heart on accomplishing
| something for the farmers of Minnesota