The representative., 1899-05-11
THE TWlNE PLANT SPREADING.

Globe of recent date:
Warden N. Boucher and the board
OF prison managers of the North Da-
kota state prison passed through the
city yesterday on their way to their
home in the Flickertail state. The
party has been in Chicago for the last
ten days purchasing machinery for
athe new binding twine plant for the
lature at its recent session. 1t is the
intention of the board to commence
building operations on the new plant
Immediately, although it is not
thought the farmers of the state will
receiNe any benefit from its output
until next year The construction and
equipment of the plant involves an
expenditure of $15o,ooo and it will
require from six to eight months to
get the buildings up and the factory
IN operation.
Warden Boucher says the new
plant will give the farmers binding
twine on basis of 10 cents per
pound, as against ID cents now
charged by the trust 1t will, how
ever, be some time before they will
be able to get the price down to a
level with that charged by the Min
nesota state prison, as the difference
in freight rates always has to be fig
ured in when computing the cost to
the consumer in North Dakota.
Plans have been drawn for a new
building, I4ox4o, and contracts will
be let at the next meeting of the
board The structure will include
oil ,~r1, ,o1,
nish light and power for the entire
prison and the new binding twine
plant, which will be situated on the
first, second and third floors of the
building.
While in Chicago the board con-
tracted for large amount of the ma
chinery necessary to operate the in
dustry, but as there is no particular
hurry about the equipment of the
plant, the board left several matters
unsettled pending further investiga-
ton. The machinery necessary for
the operation of the plant is largely
controlled by the trust, and the board
did not find as open market in Chi.
cago as it would have liked, but ex-
poets to have all the machinery ready
to be put in place as soon as the con-
tractors turn over the new buildings.
The fiber machinery is all held at
very high figure, but the board hopes
to complete the building and put in
the machinery within the limits of the
appropriation
Our farmers" said Trustee Brat
took, ARE taking great interest in
the plant, and are looking forward
to the time when they will be nde-
pendent of the twine trust. 1t is a
matter Of regret that we will be un-
able to put our product on the mar
ket this year, but the extent of the
undertaking makes this impossible"
The time is not far distant when ali tn,
wine needed by the agriculturists of thu
United States. for binding their grain
will be manufactured by convicts in thu
'tate prisons, and thus the people be re
eased forever from the grip Of the twin'
rusts In that day let it never be for
gotten that this great reform was startet
Il the state of Minnesota by the Farmers
Alliance
AS we have said before, we challeng
he two old parties to point to any in
stance where either of them has ever in
tiated any beneficial reform in this state
hat has been copied by other states
Their whole game has been humbugger,
md plunder.
In Minnesota, as the state auditor ha
shown, the total taxes paid by three hun
lred thousand voters is thirteen millio1
lollars annually! Nothing but tn,
prolific bounty OF a virgin SOIL in whcl
las been stored up the gathered fatnes
If millions OF years. could enable the peo
,le to make even bare and scant subsist
nee under such conditions
In that one instance of the twine plant
he Farmers Alliance has shown wha
,ould be done for the alienation of tn,
nseries OF the people If the people
would sustain the Peoples Party thor
oughly and heartily, and elect honest leg
slators. and officers who would not sci
is out we could revolutionze things ii
his country. and take from the backs 0
he people one-half the burdens that nov
oppress them. | ID.