The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-04
STATEPRISON TWlNE.
Is the Twine Trust at Work?

| Hon. 1gnatius Donnelly:
Dear S1r-On the 10Th day of June 1894 we
| mad caucus in the Town of Rocksbury, for
| the purpose to elect two delegates to rep
| resent our town Il the Peoples party coun-
| W convention, to be held in Crookston, on
June Is 1884. had previously written the
| warden in saltwater for some information
| IN regard to the prison twine and the con-
utlons for buying the same. got prompt
| reply and also su Efficient lot of samples. l
| brought the matter up, and everyone pres
| ent was surpriae to learn the decision O f
the board of managers: Not to sell twine
| on time less than in car loads 10000
pounds.) This town would probably use in
| the neighborhOOd of 1000 pounds, and we
are willing and anxious to patronize that
industry al Saltwater. We are we'll aware
| thatlf that industry at Saltwater is not
| patronized by the farmers it will probab bly,
some day in the Legislature be claimed to
| be failure and a law be passed to quit
| twine making.
Why could not the board just as we'll sell
5,OoO or 4OOO, or even 1000 pounds of twine on
time to next fall at seven cen is pound,
the parties giving joint note approved by
some one approved commercial standing.
we know very we'll that it is more trouble
TO send l,0OO or 1900 pounds in one ship
ment' but the difference in price is also 4
cent. and that seems to US to be sufficient
to pay that extra trouble.
IhlS arrangement seems to us to be die
tated by some one hostile to the spirit in
which the arrangement was made, to make
twine at Saltwater.
In obedience of the board of managers
promise to meet all legitimate competitions
we, farmers of the Town of Rocksbury. Polk
county, assembled for discussing the twine
matter, propose that the board Of manag-
ers call another meeting for reconsidera-
ton OF their last decision, and change the
limit in ordering twine on time. We, for
our part. would make the following pro-
posals:
l. In car load Let 100000 pounds), 61s cents
on time.
x In lot or shipment less than a car load,
but not less than 1000 pounds cents, on
time.
B. On amounts less than 1000 pounds at
cents the cash must in all cases accompany
the order.
In localities where farming is carried on
on small scale, that selling of twine only
on time for car load lots would, for many
who may possess good feeling towards
that industry. be a great obstacle in pat
ronizing it.
The raising of money to pay cash for
twine is at present almost impossible, and
we do not know where a community of
farmers can be found that can take car
load.
Whereas, the money is so scarce now
among farmers that it is q curiosity to see
dollar. and money can not be borrowed
less than ~ to 25 per cent interest or even
more. and as it would hardly pay to borrow
money at such an exhorbitant rate, at the
same time as we believe the state would be
just as safe and may be safer, in selling
LOCO pounds to party than 10000 pounds.
Therefore, resolved, that we, under such
circumstances tn two nj
the saltwater twine this year as readily as
we would like to. And by sending you this
letter or resolution we hope that you would
have this matter brought up and aired in
the Grain Growers Convention or else
where, you see fit.
IL this letter does no other good it will
let you know the reason why we can not use
Saltwater twine. Very respectfully,
p ENGELsTAD,
Sec. Rock Alliance. No. $50, Polk county,
While we have every confidence in
Warden Wolfer, it does look to us, as
Mr.. Engelstad says, as if some hostile
influence was at work to prevent the
sale of the state prison twine. We
can judge what that influence is when
we observe that the Twine Trust has
been pushing bill before congress to
prevent the sale of prison manufac-
tured goods outside of the state they
were made in; under the power of
congress to regulate interstate COM
merce: and under the plea of protect
ing workingmen from competition
with convict labor-a mere excuse.
This is aimed directly at our Still.
water twine.
Everything more and more clearly
shows that if the producers are to
have fair treatment, in Minnesota.
they must take possession of the gov
ernmcnt of the state. If Mr.. Owen
was governor he would fetch that
state prison board up with round
turn, or we are very much mistaken in
our estimate of the man. Take off
your coats. brethren, and go to work.
Elect legislature that will not per-
NIT the Twine Trust to run our Off
cials, or wipe out our twine manufac-
ture. And let our Peoples party pa
pers, all over the state, make it per-
fectly plain that if the output of twine
for 1894 remains unsold it is not the
fault of the farmers. 1t is simply pre-
posterous to say to the poor, strug-
Cling grain-raisers: "You can not get
pound of twine, on time, unless you
buy 81 400 WORTH" That is the price
of an average farm today. The propo-
sition is. '"The state will not trust you
for s., but it will trust you, because
the times are hard, for 81, ,40O!"
Here is another specimen letter. We
receive scores of them:
WEGDAHL, Minn., June Is, 1894.
Hon. Ignatius Donnelly:
Dear Sir-AccOrding to the understanding
that prevailed at the annual meeting NJ. F.
A, and from letters received by local alli-
ances here from the warden at the state
prison. we expected to receive the peniten-
tiary twine for cash or on time -four
months) at price not exceeding Z cents
per pound f. O. b. at Saltwater.
AS we got ready to order VIC received a
circular letter from the warden, stating
that time orders must not be for less than
10000 pounds. Now we have tried this large
lots transaction through.the Alliance Busi-
ness Agency, and 1T is q failure as it is i'm
possible to handle twine here, shrough CO.
alliance machinery. Through the local al
liances it works admirably, but it must be
in lots ranging from 1900 to 5000 mounds.
We were in the hopes that we could do our
part in relieving the state of its twine this
year. but this ruling deprives us of the op-
portunity. There should be no discrimina-
tion between cash and time orders as to
quantities or the farmers will not bother
with it.
Hoping you will investigate the matter
and find out the reason for the reversal of