The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-27
IMPORTANT AND SENSIBLE.
The Irvine Plant at Stillwater-An Is
sue Raised With the Prison Man

The Irvine Plant at Stillwater-An Is
sue Raised With the Prison MAN.
ayers.
To the Editor.
In your issue of Feb. 81, I see a report of
Warden Wolfer on the Irvine manufacture
at saltwater, in which he recommends, if
the plant is to be continued, the legislature
make provisions for a system of long fibre
machinery.
1t seems strange to me that since the
Alliance was strong enough to secure the
establishment of the plant at the prison,
yet with the exception of an article or two
by H. v. Poore and. I believe, one or two
others, there has hardly been an expression
given for or against this action by the
prison board through their report.
At the annual meeting Of the State ALI
ance it will be some members
of the prison board were present, and one
Of this number stated that they had tried
to purchase a long fibre system, but were
unable to secure the necessary machinery,
owing to the opposition of the cordage
trust. They control all the machinery OF
that kind, as we'll as the material, sisal and
MANILA fibre.
Now, it appears if they can get the leg
~islature to make the necessary appropria-
ton and legalize the act, they will proceed
to become an annex to the trust. In fact,
the state of Minnesota will join the trust.
so the board can run hand in hand with the
trust, caring nothing whatever as to
whether it benefits the farmers. Well,
why should they, if our organizations do
not care enough to say anything.
Let any one examine "gunny sacks
and see the strength of the thread used in
their making, the length of fibre used, and
form his conclusions as to whether a Irvine
made Of that short fibre material spun as
large as binding Irvine would not be strong
enough to bind grain with. Then let him
examine the flax straw lying in the fields
throughout the state and judge for him
self whether all this now waste material
could not be utilized for the farmers bene-
fit if an honest effort was made by those
who have the power to do it. The machin-
cry now at Saltwater, as near as one who
inspected it could judge, was designed to
use straight flax and hemp fibre similar to
the long fibre machinery, but any one
knows fully well who has investigated the
matter that there are machines made to
spin two or three short fibre.
Why should the prison board so persis-
tently ignore these facts and the demands
of the farmers through their alliance? Will
they answer or leave us to draw our own
inference?
Another comment upon the warden's re-
port l wish to make, and that is in the
statement that about 81 800 remained I'M
collected. Does not such a report leave
the inference that this amount is due the
prison board from farmers who bought
Irvine last year? If so, is that correct? The
prison Irvine sold in this vicinity was sold
to a dealer, who resold to farmers and re-
ceived his profit. If the sales were made
throughout the state in the same manner,
then this shortage in collection must be
owing to the dealers failure to meet their
obligations. There is, no doubt, much bus
mess wisdom in refusing to sell direct to
farmers for cash upon small orders unless
they pay 1 cent more than where sold IN
car load lots upon time To use this mode
of business is simply direct hostility to the
alliance organization.
Farmers, the utilizing of the tons of flax
fibre rotting and being burned throughout
the state, means millions of dollars to us II
made into binding Irvine. How long will
we be contented to deprive ourselves of an
industry which mems SO much to us!
Simply through our Indifference. 1t is With
in our power through organizations to en-
force the prison board to make an honest
effort in this direction, or make it COM
Portable for them to get off the board the
first opportunity. There is more pressing
need for organized effort at this time than
ever before. Let us pull together.
L. H. r