Willmar tribune., 1900-02-21
BINDER TWINE
WILL BE FURNISHED MINNESOTA
FREE OF COST THIS SEASON.


Statement Of Prison Board NIanaeers-Mc-
Kinley's War and Republican Trusts
Boost Twine and Other Prices, Wheat,
OF Course, Excepted-First Blow Against
Imperialism Struck in Kentucky.
Glimpses of the Field of State and Ma
tional Politics-Twin City Notes.-The
Weeks General Review.
Reform Press Bureau,
st. Paul. Feb. 10, 1900.
By far the most important state event
Of the week, from the farmers stand
point, is the action of the Saltwater
prison board of managers in deciding to
furnish binding twine this season at the
bare cost Of production in the factory.
For accurate information it. is we'll to
reprint from the boards formal notice
as follows:
During the season from Aug. l, 1897,
to Aug. l. 1898, prices of Manila hemp
ranged from ~ to Sc, and of sisal from
32sc to 5Nc per pound. For the year 1898
1899 about 200 900 pounds of Manila were
carried over, which cost on an average
4.S5 cents per pound. The price of Manila
Tor the same year ranged from 65sc to
7Ssc per pound, and the price of sisal from
1-16c to 7Ac per pound. For the current
year, Aug. l, 1885, to Aug. l, 1900, the
average cost of sisal purchased by us has
been 9.O4 per pound, delivered ut Still
k<,. s-A ~
the average price of 1897 and 1885, Tho
advance in twine oil has been about 200
per cent. In view of these facts the price
barely covers the cost of material, cost of
manufacture and reasonable allowance
for repairs and depreciation of the
plant"
1t is well known that the price at
which twine was sold last year yielded
a small profit, exceeding $4,000. Be-
sides recognizing that it is not designed,
either in principle or policy, to make
money for the state out of the twine
plant, the managers have been specially
moved, perhaps, by the fact that the
trusts in their grip on raw fiber and on
oil, have boosted the price of binding
twine enormously, which, added to the
continued low price Of wheat, pinches
that greatest Of industries in this state,
almost beyond endurance. This action
of the board will give the farmers twine
at 10 cents for pure sisal, and Manila
and sisal mixed at 12119 cents per pound.
The factory will not attempt to make
any pure Manila this season and but
small quantity of the mixed, something
like 800, 1000 pounds.
The total output is expected to be
about 100000 ponnds. AS this is not
one-half of the total quantity used in the
state for the season, there is a rush with
orders, and farmers should not delay
in sending them in. Something like
1000 orders are already listed.
An idea of the situation can be had
from the following latest quotations of
Minneapolis dealers for twine in car load
lots:
'Sisal. 1870
Manila, 600 foot .............1 1870
Pure Manila, $50 foot. 1910
The farmers have the Standard Oil
trust to thank for the boost in oil which
averages above 10 cents a gallon in
crease for twine oil. The Philippine war
has operated to increase fiber, and the
trusts have done the rest. And, by the
way, here is a good application of the
question Of ''expansion" by the ''con-
quest" route! Of course the product of
Manila is much greater and the price
lower when the country producing it is
plunged in war, and when our soldiers
are chasing the Filipinos over their
islands, shooting liberty and civilization
into them!
Probably every farmer who pays to
6 cents per pound more this year for his
twine will be very fond of the McKin-
leyism that is responsible for it!
Speaking Of stability of prices, Otis is
paying the same price for renegade
Filipino guns, 80 pieces Of silver, as was
fixed by the rulers for Judas!
.
Sulu harem is that the Christian En-
deavorers have abandoned efforts there,
for the reason that they could find moth
ing to pin the badges to!
In Kentucky, after all, has been struck
the first blow against imperialism, in the
overthrow of bayonet rule established
in the shadow of murder and fraud.
The scheme to use the military power
to establish Mckinley RepubGcanism,
looked we'll at the commencement, and
the blood in the nOstrils made ignorant
men shake their head like the NANCY
beast of the forest, or stiffen themselves
as those have done in our war against
the Fiipinos. It even looked well when
the assassin fired his wen-hidden shot,
for that might bring on the desired con-
fict. But when deaths angel lowered
over the deathbed Of Goebel, and when
the Federal administration refused the
cooperating step that with every rea-
son had been expected, the scene changed
and fear made those shiver who had
been 50 eager at the outset.
And as this first move of imperialism
in the Union has failed, so will the
whole policy Of the administration fail,
and in that revulsion Of feeling which
always succeeds wicked excesses, the
people will rebuke it and it's tendencies
by overwhelming defeat in November.
The result of Mr.. Bryan's New Eng