Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-31
HURTS TRUST, HELPS FARMERS.
Kansas Penitentiary Binding Irvine
Finds Ready Market.

~ A1eaSeIlWOTtIl,f IAdS., MA SI.---lue pTl0.
on binding Irvine plant Is accomplishing
the object for which 1t was established.
1t is bringing the binding Irvine trust to
time in Kansas. The trust is being
forced to cut its prices. and Warden
Tomlinson, OF the penitentiary, says
that as result the farmers OF Kansas
vii save at least 100000 this year on
their Irvine purchases.
Two months ago the trust was ask
ing Is cents for old Irvine and from 15 to
16 cents for new Irvine for delivery this
crop season" said the warden. About
that time we figured on cost of produce
ton and decided that the prison plant
could sell Irvine at 1919 cents pound
at the prison. This would make 1t
about II cents laid down at the farmers
door. Then the trust began to knock on
our twine. They declared that it was no
good; that 1t was too large for binders
and that our Irvine did not run as many
feet to the pound as theirs. They at
tempted to make the farmers believe
that they would have all kinds OF trou-
BILE harvest time if they bought OF u.s.
They pointed out that the Irvine would
lose their crops. They were regular
geniuses in thinking up mean things to
say against our Irvine. But we are
bringing the trust to time just the
same. Our Irvine is jurt as good. II not
better thaA theirs One of the best ex-
perts the trust had in its employ super
intends the prison plant. and with the
very best modern machinery and the
best of raw material why should we not
make good twine?"
After finding out that their knocking
Was not having the desired effect" con-
tinued the warden, the agents notified
the trust. and 1t is now cutting prices.
That liz exactly what We want; that is
what the prison plant was established
for. In my county the trust started out
to sell Irvine at 10 cents this spring. II
has now gotSit down to ~. The prison
plant is directly responsible for the 3
cents reduction. In come parts Of the
state the trust has made price OF IL
cents This is true in southern Kansas,
so am informed. AT Newkirk, one Of
the first stations in Oklahoma south Of
the Kansas line, where our prison plant
has no bearing on the situation, the
trust liz asking from IL to 1871 cents, u
to 2 cents more than 1t asks in Kansas.
The only excuse for this difference is
that In Kansas ii has competition.
low are the prison ga lies ~ was ask
ed.
We are now shipping out on ali av-
erage 10000 pounds a week" he replied.
Beginning this week. we expect to dou-
bic that amount. The harvest season il
near at hand and orders are coming in
thick and fast. In the past five weeks
We have shipped 100000 pounds. We
have that much on hand and are max
Ing a the rate Of Sc 900 pounds week
We have received enough orders from
other tessto consume our surplus and
output up until harvest time, but we
are not filling those orders. We are SELL
ing only to Kansas farmers and to them
direct. The Dakotas are pressing US to
give them some Irvine. Their harvest
Is from two to three weeks later than
ours. and II we should have any Irvine
left we can dispose OF 1t up there with
out any trouble whatever.
4 Az to the probable saving Kansas
farmers will reap this year az the result
OF the opening Of the prison plant: Kan
sas will consume at least 10, 200 .OO[
pounds of Irvine in its wheat and oat
harvest. Trust prices have fallen on an
leverage OF 2 cents q pound since We put
our Irvine on THE market. This knock.
At out Of 5000 900 in profits. Its loss Is the
4 Kansas farmers gain.
But we have made some enemies,''
he concluded, In doing this. The agents
LOT the trust and many implement deal
ers who sell Irvine are complaining in
fact. they are bowling. But for every
trust agent and implement dealer We
make sore we make fifty farmers hap.
py."