The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-12
BINDING TwINs QUESTION.
IL Is Exciting Comment Ameng the
Farmers of Minnesota.

IL Is Exciting Comment Amcng the
Farmers of Minnesota.
To The st. Paul Globe
Our state binding plant and states prison
| board continue to furnish food for pertinent
comment among the agrculturists OF Mime
sofa.
First of all l desire to state that although
l use several thousand pounds Of binding
Irvine on my farm, am not personally in
terested inasnuch as l have purchased
full supply at a reasonable price, therefore l
write only in the interest of the public.
Among the institutions of the state which
nave direct bearing upon the interests OF the
| farmers is the states prison, on account of
us establishment of Irvine factory to fur
nish employment for the convicts of that in
sttutlon. This Plant originally estab-
hshed by the farmers of the state by over
coming the most stubborn resistance of near
~ every member of the legislature who was
not farmer for several sessions.
The establishment of this Irvine plant had
the effect of breaking down the eXorbitant
| prices of the Irvine trust prices at that time
ranging from 171a to % cents per pound. I'm
ineolately upon the commencement of this
| industry and the placing of its product on
t ,l.;1 market the prices came tumbling down.
! until last year it reached the low mark of
4t2 TO b cents per pound The farmers after
! securing their industry and seeing that it
had accomplished Their ends (tae breaking of
the tWlne trust allowed their own enterprise.
| TO fail into the hands of representatives of
any Gazing but that Of agriculture and as
result the plant for all interests and pur-
poses as far as the farmer was concerned,
eight Just as well be in Manila as in
saltwater, for the reason that the entire out
put OF the plant of $3.50. COO pounds has been
soid 10 the Jobbers and merchants of the
| state: 1t will be readily seen where the in
tsfests OF the farmers come in when left to
n Ine Tot af OF board of five members,
| ~hen oeciaing what policy they should pur-
sue IN disposing Of the twine product of the
r. Rtoson. But the Plant was established for
nf info
| at cost ~ IA Incl
BY what ri right does the prison board dis
pose OF 100000 pounds of prison twne to
| jobbers at 81 cents per pound several
months before harvest without any notifica-
t te 10 the farmers, thereby compelling them,
81 ene iarihers or tire state, to pay at least
| 9Z,ooO,Uoo more for their binding Irvine this
season than they would if they could pur
t ts greet from the prison, as the law con-
! lished. was "' eS'ap-
- | submit Mr.. Editor, it is not unrea: on able
- request MS excellency, the governor, to
| appoint a committee of bonorabIe citizens ~
investigate this deal ~
! .b as 10 tne warden's recent circular that
enose Jobbers who have purchased the states
prison twine at 61@ cents per pound must NOT
charge the farmers more than 8 cents ner
[ound, under penalty of the disfavor of tha
ooaro OF managers in future years, it is really
amusing; why. the most ignorant chump of
a a Jobner in the state could. drive a coach ana
lour through such a contract
oHe case IN point: know Of dsa,er who
/ bought car. $4,000 pounds, of binding tw na
from the prison at 6h cents per pouni under
! the contract. He sold few pounds at cents.
ne CLAIMED he had some left over frcm last
pound; his 10000 pounds CT this wears mr.
chase had dFwindled to few pounds his last
years remnant had swelled mountain high.
Brother farmers, what is the cause of al,
this imposition on the great agricuItursi IN
terests of Minnesota? -
we have neglected our Farmers Alliance
ana permitted these outside CT our procession
to manage affairs we should have managed
ourselves.
What is the remedy? Revive your elli-
i a .1S at once and through them INSIST that
Alliance farmers shall be elected to. the next
legislature from every agricultural county in
the state. When you get control o. the legis-
lature you will have no more jc5bing on your
twine plant, you will be able to purchase your
tWlne direct from the state at cost. How long
are we going to permit the sharpers of the
state, who live by their wits, to manage our
affairs, compelling to be the drawers of
water and hewers Of wood in all the walks CT
life? Let US steady cur inter=s S. know ng
cur rights. by all means defend them; do not
permit demagogues OF every other profession
to Iue your interests, consequently keeping
you in chains I'd the end OF time.
The st. Paul G 10 be of recent date peril
nently asks the question, why should the
state limit its philanthropy to twiEe?" Ny
answer is, the state has not Shoes and
boots have been manufactured at the states
prison at big profits to jobbers.
The prison labor has been extensively used
in making threshers the profit of which has
not gone to the farmers. 1t is not fact
that the farmers of Minnesota who at great
sacrifice. have broken up the prairie C cared
the forest. and made it possible for Mime
sofa to attain the proud position she does to-
day, are as much entitled to use the con-
Wet labor of the Safes prison to manufac-
ture binding twne and purchase it at cast as
the jobbers referred to have to purchase the
states prison labor at less than half its
value?
The G be also asks the question, "Why
should one class of citizens be thus favored
at the cost of all?' further stating that pa
per trust has recently been formed to thror-
tie competition in print paper and asks,
Are the printers not as worthy of the states
berefactions as the farmers?" My answer to
the above question is. it is wei known
fact that when newspaper men have griev-
ances they know how to defend their rights
and remedy the evil. For my part, | glory in
their intelligence and pluck in defending their
rights under al circumstances. | venture
the assertion that farmers will not attempt
tablish a paper plant at Saltwater or St.
Cloud pardon suggestion to the newsc aper
fraternity. When you get your plant estab-
lished. you will not do the farmers have
permit the appointment Of board that is
not in sympathy with your interests When
you make your contract with the state to
publish its laws and other contracts YOU
certainly will not permit the said board to
sell the product of the institution to specu
lators at cost, and compel yourselves to pay
three prices for the raw material This is
exactly what the present board has done to
the farmers. If such should happen in any
other civilized country but free American
the farmers would rise up as one man and
demand the expulsion of such a board from
Office. horse, foot and Dragon.
Farmers do not ask expect fayors but
they may demand justice They understand
that the expense of producing their products
must first be deducted from the proceeds. the
surplus will be used for the necessares and
luxuries of life.y and will circulate in their
immediate neighborhood consequently the re-
duced price of Irvine would be to the. benefit
of all, as WOULD the manufacture of boots,
shoes, threshers and paper, provided the
product was sold direct at cost to the con-
sumner. If the newspaper proprietors are able
to purchase their print paper at cost of pro-
duction, they will be- able to furnish news
papers to the reading, public at much less
cost than if they had to pay three prices for
the raw material. y
| am writing this in my hay field with a
large crew of men, so have no time to cor
rect mistakes. u
In conclusion believe that the taxpayers
of the state who contribute to the mainte-
nance of the stRae's prison. are justified in
utilizing the labor of such to manufacture
goods to be used, by citizens of said state.
p. II. Rahilly.
Mt Pleasant, July ?. 1898.