The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-14
At TER TWINE TRUST
Farmers of Seventh District
Want Philippine Ports
TO BE OPENED AT ONCE
Are Alarmed Over Increase in
Price of Binding Twine.

The farmers of the Seventh district IN
particular, and Of Kansas in general, are
UP in arms against the Irvine Trust.
They have planned an endless chain of
protests by letter and will besiege con-
gress for action in the matter at once
The letters will be in substance the one
given below, which is formulated by D.
w. Blaine Of Pratt, Kansas. Mr.. Blaine
says that one year ago Irvine was six
cents a pound, and now it is eleven and
higher That next June if congress does
not open the Philippine ports the farm
ers of Kansas will have to pay 80 cents
an acre for Irvine in harvesting their
wheat, as against Is cents a year ago
The effort grows out of a rumor that
the Irvine Trust is laboring with con-
gross to keep the Philippine ports closed
and prevent the shipment of hemp to this
country. The letter follows and is adj
dressed to Congressman Chester 1. Long.
Pratt, Kan, Dec. -, 1899
Hon. Chester l. Long, Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir-Encosed please find clipping
from the Kansas City Star under date Of
December s, giving interview with Will
lam Filter, president Of Filter Cordage
Works of Philadelphia, which explains it
self.
Rumors have been current for some
time that certain cordage manufacturers
are working with the view OF preventing,
if possible, any more Manila fiber from
reaching this country until after the
coming harvest While cannot voucl1
for the truth of the runors, yet they are
probably true.
I also enclose a letter to Secretary
Wilson. of the agricultural department,
and ask that you call to your assistance
the other members of congress from this
state and arrange to present my letter
to Secretary Wilson with such informa-
ton as you have, and urge the opening
Of the Philippine ports with the least
possible delay.
Thousands Of letters from retail nipple
ment dealers and farmers will begin
pouring in to all members of congress
and the different government depart
ments at Washington within the next
few days.
over the late advance in prices of all
classes Of manufactured articles, and
they are strenuously protesting that the
advances are not legitimate but are at
tributed to trusts and combines.
Possibly there is no single article which
creates such direct criticism as the ad-
vance of fully 100 per cent in the pres
ent price of binding Irvine over its value
in the early months of 1898. In fact it Is
so high now that the dealers have te-
come thoroughly alarmed as to the prob
ability of further advances which will I'M
doubtedly be made before harvest If we
are not able to induce the government
to open the Philippine ports within tbe
next thirty days.
If the information as to the subjugatfOn
of the Philippines is correct, there is HUt
little danger to be apprehended in giving
free outlet to the large amount Of hemp
which is now ready for shipment in the
islands.
1t is generally understood that very lit
tie hemp is now in the hands of the orig
inal producers, and that the original pUr-
chase money has already passed into cir
culation, and that in permitting the ship
ping out of the hemp would in no way
financially help the natives. The present
holders of it being foreign importers and
spectators.
My reason for calling on the secretary
of agriculture to bring the matter to the
attention of the administration is that
the agricultural classes are more affected
in the end than any other.
Several thousand implement dealers of
Kansas, Oklahoma Missouri, Iowa, Ne
'braska and the Dakotas will meet in an
nual convention during the first three
weeks of January, and if the Philippine
ports are not opened for the shipping out
of Manila fiber before these conventions
meet there will be many urgent protests
sent to Washington charging the admin
istration with favoring and abetting the
Irvine manufacturers in their efforts to
fleece the farmers or at least TO the gov
ernment's indifference in the matter
You may give these letters such public