St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-15

the governor sent to them J. C. Swan,
now of this city, who for more than
thirty years has been engaged in work
ing American-grown flax fiber. Mr..
Swan told the prison inspectors to go 70
William Deering or any other manu-
facturer who had tried to use the Irish
or Scotch machinery, and learn from
them how it had worked on the
American fiber. He told them of
an experiment made by himself
years ago when he was operating mill
in Illinois. He imported a costly out
hit from Dundee, Scotland. and with it
came a family of Scotch spnners. This
he operated nine months and at SO great
loss that he was obliged to throw it
aside and put in its place that made in
this country. Mr.. Swan was seen by a
GLOBE reporter last evening, and on
being asked about this matter, said:
Yes, was before the board and told them
OF the experiment had made with foreign
machinery, but it had no effect on them. l
know of certainty, however, that Mr..
. Brien wanted 10 buy the American ma
chinery, but he was overruled by NJ. o. Hall
and F. W. Temple. will now make a pre-
diction thai in q year there will be some
cheap binding twine machinery for sale at
Saltwater. l can put i'll plant made in this
country and produce twine three cents a
pound cheaper than it can be made the
prison by this foreign-made machinery.
Another poiut.' confined MIR. Swan: 1.-The
trial. If it did not give satisfaction the state
would be none the loser. With the Belfast
machinery it is quite different 1t was
bought ltright. and must be paid for when
laid down in New York city. l have no in
leTest in this matter one way or the other,
but as | was sent to these men as an expert,
and gave them references TO substantiate all
/ said"
Peculiar. Ehe
A more disappointed and vexed man
than President r. J. Hall. of the Farm
erS' Alliance of this state, it would be
hard to find. He it was who discovered
the peculiar" manner iii which the
prison board, year ago, investigated
this matter, and the result was that a
reinvestigatiou was ordered, which re-
suited in showing that the first report
made to the governor was entirely
wrong. and that instead of it costing
one or two millions of dollars to estab-
liSh the twint-manufacturing industry
at the Saltwater prison it cnuld be done
for S25.0 900. President Hail, during the
past year, has devoted conSiderab bic
time to making careful study of this
matter, and knows the difference be-
tween the American and Irish or Scotch
grown flax fiber. When he heard that
the prison board had ordered the Bel
fast machinery he sat down and wrote
letter 10 Gov. Merriam, washing his
hands of the whole affair.
IF it is part of the plan of these
men to make a failure of this expert
ment, | am through with it." he said 10
GLOBE representative last evening.
1t will be remembered i'll this connec-
tion that the board of PRISON inspectors
were forced into agreeing to make this
experiment by President Hall AMI other
Farmers Alliance men. who laid evil
dence before Gov. Merriam-such a
mass of evidence that he was Obliged to
order reinvestigatiOn. This evidence,
published in the GLOBE at the time,
went to show that the members of the
prison board interviewed only twne
trust men, like William Deerng and
others, OH their original tour of
investigation. They were unwilling to
.have the investigation reoprned. and
have fought the project from start to
finish.
Great is protection to American in.
dustries and labor when the state OF
Minnesota, with its $4,000 majority for
''prOtection for protection's sake" buys
foreign-made machinery of poorer
quality. and at an additional cost OF
nearly $4,000.
Here is President Hall's communica-
tiOn to the governor: