St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-23
TO BUST THE TRUST.
Farmer Legislators Discuss tho
Manufacture of Binding Twine.

Farmer Legislators DISCUSS tho
Manufacture OF Binding Twine.
The Legislators who went to the capi-
tol last evening for the purpose OF at
tending the third meeting of the Alli-
ance and other lawmakers, who desired
to hear all sides of the situation dis
cussed, were entertained for short
time previous to the opening of the
meeting by Eugene Bosse, of st. Paul
Park, who exhibited specimens of flax
fiber raised and prepared by him. ~
number of specimens were shown, from
the rough or twine fiber up to the very
finest fiber prepared for linen and other
similar lines of manufacture.
The meeting proper was commenced
by ex-senator o. Ii. Paige. OF Olmsted,
who took up the subject OF the manu-
facture of binding twine at the states
prison. Mr.. Paige thought there would
be no trouble in building up this indus
try if the farmers Of the state were only
patriotic enough to purchase the twine
manufactured in the state. Senator
Paige was followed by Hon. ID. f. Akin,
of Dakota county, who read
Carefully Prepared
paper on the subject of twne making.
Mr.. Bcsse discussed the cost of flax
Minnesota. The discussion took wide
ra ge, Representatives Currier aud
Knudson, of Blue Earth, rather ques-
tioning the ability of the states prison
to manufacture binding twine in conf
petition with the world. Representative
Sheets, of Todd county, presented hg-
ures showing that the cost of the flax
fiber would be so much that 1t could not
be manufactured i'll competition with
MANILA twine.
The resolution under discussion being
in favor of the purchase Of another set
of tWinp-making machinery, Secretary
A. l.. Warren. of the Farmers Alliance
state committee, presented hgures 10
show the Cost
of the fiber. and expressed it as his
OpinIon that the state had best 20 Slow
and not purchase another plant until
the first one had been tried.
The prison board was roasted literally
nv II. Y. PoOre and several other gen.
tjenIen. and Senator Mott made con-
servative speech, advocating a careful
trial of the twine manufacturing scheme
in the state.
Senator Keller, who had been invited
TO attend the meeting. was called for,
and. after some persuasion, took the
floor. He was evidently very angry at
the talk of the grangers on the twine
business. and gave them some rather
sharp, though amusing, thrusts. ia
said if the Alliance had talked so much
about flax and twine two years ago, they
would not have gotten one cent OF an
appropriati0n from the legislature at
that time. II have spent about S20,000."
he said, ''in the twine business, and
when you farmers have done this
YOU will know something about twine-
"Now that yon have got yourselves in
hole. go ahead and make the best of 1t. You
must make twine. but don't you allow any
politicians to buy fiber anything else OK
YOU will make political twine."
KelIcr's Machine.
lie gave a description of his machine.
which he declared could be made TO
| manufacture binding twine at the rate
| of three cents per pound. He declared
that be would bust the binding twine
trust this year if each Minnesota farmer
would raise to acres of fax. In con-
| clusion lie brought down the house, say
ing:
| We have got the world where the hair is
! short. Minnesota is just in its infancy 90
| home and raise fax, sow flax plant max.
| mix flax In your haYseed, and you VIII Dust
\ the twine trust.
The following resolution. offered by
| ex-senator Paige, as adopted, anu tlid
| meeting Adjourned:
1 Resolved That il is the sense Of this meet
/ ing that the Manufacture OF binding twine
| he confined (. me present 10 the machine
| already purchased and that SUFFICIENT APP
| proprintion Of muEry and supervision ana
1 su;criu,eudeaey il the purchasing ard SELL