The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-02-22
BINDING Tw1NE AT COST.

Ten cents will probably be the price
of state prison made binding twine in
Minnesota this year. The prison board
of managers meet at Saltwater tomor.
row to fix the price. It is understood
that Gov. Lind has come to the cOnclu-
sion that in view of all the facts 10
cents pound is about the right price
AS the board is now constituted SO that
what the governor favors is likely to be
approved, there is little room to doubt
that the board will adopt that price.
| To make that price the board will
practically have to figure on selling the
twine at about cost. Last year the
board fixed a price that left margin of
about three cents between the cost of
the raw material and the finished
product.
Owing to the fact that the war in the
| Philippines has SO decreased the supply
| OF manila fiber that the price is very
high, the prison twine plant will make
little or no manila twine this year,
though it may be possible later on to
make some. When the difference be-
tween sisal twine and manila twine is
more than two cents per pound the
farmer does better to purchase sisal. AS
| more than that difference exists at the
present time the board will figure on
making almost the whole, II not all,
the output of sisal.
But, whereas, sisal was about four
cents pound last year, it is now trifle
above nine cents. In other words the
cost Of the raw material is this year
about two cents more than the prison
made twine sold for last year.
Friends of the 1O-cent rate claim that
inasmuch as the farmers have got to
pay more for their twine this year than
last, anyway, the state ought to figure
on dispensing with the usual profit
from the operations Of the plant and
endeavnr to supply the farmers as near
" at cost as possible. II the raw fiber
costs 9A cents, and half a cent is al
lowed for labor, one-fourth of a cent
remains to cover other expenses and
possible increase in the cost Of the
fiber. For three years past the twine
plant has been operated at a profit.
Those interested in the private twine
industry are displeased with the propo-
sition to make the price 10 cents on
the prison product. They regard it
largely as a move of the state admins
tratfon made with the intent to appeal
to the farmer vote. They think that
the prison managers should fix about
the same margin as last year. 1t has
been claimed that the profits of the in
stitution are fictitious on account of the
large amount of unpaid notes that are
alleged to figure in the balances.
According to Public Examiner Pope's
recently made report to the governor,
however, there were only about $1,000
in notes out at the end of 1899; about
$500 worth of these were declared
worthless and almost all of the then
outstanding balance has since been
taken up.
Representatives of private industry
also claim that 1t is unfair for an insti-
tuition which is supported from the pub
lie funds to sell twine substantially at
cost, thus cutting down the legitimate
profits of private dealers where they
meet the state product in competition.
The reply made to this is that the state
prison is entirely self supporting, and
even better. The reports of the board
of managers show this to be fact.
Still it is conceded that the new de-
parture is q radical one.