The Advocate and news., 1899-02-22
THE SOCIALISM OF SENATOR
HESSIN.
Capital giving an insight into the
causes of the rapid growth Of
sOoiallstic sentiment In
this country.

ElBnJ years ago senator tteSsln ana .
brother owned and operated a bagging
plant at Huntington, Ind
A twine and bagging trust, which had
been organized about that time, offered
to pay Senator Hessin $4,000 a year II he
would shut down his plant.
This offer was accepted, and for two
years the firm received the stipulated
amount. AT the end OF that time the Gus
toners whom the firm had previously
provided with bags, had been absorbed by
the trust. Accordingly the trust stopped
paying the $4,000 per year 1t had agreed
to pay, and Senator Hessin found that
his firm must either buck the trust or
quit business.
A compromise was finally agreed to, by
which the machinery was purchased by
the trust. From that day to this, sena-
tor Hessin has had no use for the binding
twine trust.
While he was heartily in favor Of es-
tablishing the twine plant at the peni-
tentiary on account OF It's apparent use
fulness TO the farmers Of the State, he
has also had deep interest in the bill be-
cause It gave him an opportunity to help
create competition in the State for the
twine trust, which still exists.
Senator Hessn thinks that a warden
should be appointed whose business quail
ifcations make him especially compe-
tent to manage business of the niagni-
tude of the new industry which the State
Is establishing. He should be CHOSEN,
the Senator says, without regard to poll
tics, or residence, the governor going, II
necessary, to another State to find him.
The Senator also Is OF the opinion that he
should be permanently retained in the
position, the salary to be raised IL the
right kind Of a man can not be found and
kept at the present salary.
There Is but one State that owns and
operates binding twine plant and that
is Minnesota.
The North Dakota legislature, how
ever, Is providing for the erection of a
plant on the same plan as the one which
the Kansas legislature has adopted.
The Kansas plant is Like the one in
Minnesota with half the capacity Of the
Minnesota plant.
The bill provides for the purchase and
erection Of 3O0-horse-power engine,
which is larger than required for the
operation Of the plant; but the engine in
use at the penitentiary is old and nearly
worn out and new one is needed. Il Is
also thought that before long there will
be demand to Increase the capacity of
the twine plant.
The other machinery consists Of one
heavy breaker about four mixing ma
chimes; four separators; two light break
ers; 100 double spinning jennys; fourteen
balling machines; one ball shaper, and
one measuring machine.
II will perhaps be interesting, now that
the State Is to manufacture a part Of the |
twine that the farmers will use, to know
the process Of making the article.
The raw material, after 1t is taken
out Of the bales is run through the heavy
breaker to take out any foreign substance |
that 1t may contain. 1t is then passed |
through the separators to straighten out !
the threads then through the light break
ers to take out any remaining foreign |
substance that has been left by the heavy
breaker
The material then goes through the
mixing machines which mix the various
grades and make It a uniform color. The
leaves the mixing machines in
large rolls Of various sizes and is wound
on large spools then going through the
spinning jennys, from which it emerges
as the finished product,
The twine is then run into the ballers,
which wind it into balls. Shaping ma
chimes shape the balls. and after sacklng
hey are ready for use.
Sisal and manila are the raw materials
which are used in the manufacture Of the
wine.
The sisal is raised in Yucatan and ma
nila is procured in the Philippine Is
lands. It is gathered into bales and
shipped to New York, where the jobbers
purchase 1t.
The opinion seems to prevail that the
Jaw material is controlled by trust as
The finished product now Is. Senator
Householder says that this Is a mistake
10 saws that N Is nrnduced lika Wyhaat