The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-07-11

to borroW at at 81; and we are able to
| other hand, we have more than $S,OO0,QO0
| Of the bonds of other states In our strong
box and all that we have to do to secure
But more valuable than the bonds, even,
Is the sum, of 100000 due on state
lands, fronf counties, cities and town
security is better than any state bone,
and the rate of interest higher: The
amount LOANED since Jan: /, 1901. IS in
| this credit? If SO, keep the Republican
| party in power.
THE STATE PRISON AND BINDING
: THYME PLANT.
During the last campaign the manage
ment OF the state prison, especially in
! connection with the binding Irvine plant,
| was constantly under discussion. II was
claimed by our party that it was greSsy
the opportunity, to remedy the evils and
place the institution in the same excel
lent condition in which our political enc
Upon Investigation it was found that
unfavorable conditions existed in the
| management, and also that the years
business, then, just closed. had not only
| resulted in a loss to the state, but that
| the manner in which the business has
been carried on had proven very unsatiS-
I factory.
DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT.
Democratic management Of the state
prison, and especially the Irvine plant,
! briefly stated, were as follows:
The prison Irvine was sold to the farm
ers in 1900 Ghe only year. that the Demo-
Gratis tsn had fun charge Of the PRISON. at
or cents per pound higher than they
| could have bought their Irvine for from
| local dealers.
The Democratic management did not
| guarantee prices, as former administra-
lions had always done, or as the present
prison management is doing and did do
both last season and this season. This
being the case, the option Of canceling an
order and the price guaranty being cut
off, they We're obliged to take the Irvine
whether they had any crops to bind or
| not.
Much Of the Irvine made was inferior in
quality, short in length, uneven, bunchy
| and overloaded with oil
| In the operation Of the Irvine plant dur
| ing the season of 1900 the Democratic
year) the management of the prison Irvine
actual purchasers of the Irvine, in that
| they were obliged to pay at least or 3
| have Bought it for elsewhere from local
dealers, but it was damage to all other
con sum Of tWine throughout the: state
regulate or lower the prices by coming
cordage manufacturers, it kept prices up
! and made them even higher.
The state also lost money under the
Dem ocratic administration of 1900 by the
! purchase Of large amount of high-priced
which had to be carried over and manu-,
| featured the following year.
| The discipline of the institution, as af
fecting both officers and prisoners, was in
| a deDlorable condition and gradually
| growing worse. This was clearly evil
| denced by the discovery Of a plot on the
| part Of two officers OF the prison to as
| slst long-term convict to escape from
| the institution. The discovery of this plot
having been made within three days after
| Warden Wolfer was reappointed. The
| officers were arrested and both convicted
| OF the crime, one sentenced to the state
| reformatory and the other to pay a
heavy fine.
sumers of that product in the state by
which amounted to something over 5000,
more than they would have been obliged
to pay had they purchased the same
grade of twine from their local dealers:
was inferior in both grade and quality.
The complaints as to the management
of the Irvine plant under Democratic. rule
throughout the state, and these com.
plants were general, regardless OF party
| or party affiliations; viz: That the prices
| to cancel their orders when crops failed;
that the Irvine was inferior in grade and
| quality, that they were Obliged to take It
| and pay for it whether they could use it
or not; that the Irvine plant instead Of
being benefit to the farmers Of the
state as managed, was positive, detri-
REPUBLICAN MANAGEMENT.
| I succeeded in making such changes in
| the board of managers as to secure the
reappo1ntmelt Of Warden Wolfer to that
position p5sdts'1 on %ao March 1 1901 but there had
| !actured. Much Of the Irvine made and
| IN store was found upon examination ito
be BE- inferior , in quality. 1t was also found
taken by the former administration
which fell due in the preceding November
still unccllected.
The new management set about to rem
edy some OF the evils of it's predecessors
and these were overcome as expeditious.y
rs possible, although some of the poor
3sst eoa manufactured at the beginning Of
the new warden took CHARGE together
With the reputation made the preceding
yea year, made it very difficult to disposesof
last seasons product, and in order to dis
pose OF the Irvine and effect a clearance
OF the entire outr ut Warden Woffer was
Obliged to hire a large number Of traval-
ing salesmen. It was all sold, however,
ana the Irvine gave general satisfaction,
except the poor Irvine that was made st
ire heginafng Of the season, inst referred
to. or before the change took place
GREAT SAVING TO THE FARMERS.
There was manufactured in the season
OF 1901 something over $500 coo pounds
ct which 3.s9o:oo0 pounds we're sold to-
E%lsS
pounds were sold to the dealers at the
following prices, viz, 81 cents per pound
for sisal and standard :; &lA cents Sspar
pound for mixed Irvine. and o Ia cents
per pound for pure Manila; an average
Of about ? cents per pound below the 4
Prices at which Irvine Of equal grade and
quality was sold by the jobbers and man.
ufacturens to. the dealers of. the state.
when ,Would make an actual saving Of 4
state by the purchase of prison Irvine. 3,
The competition coused by sale 81 the
state prison twine at these figures a1sn
tended to lower the prices of Irvine sold
IN the state by other manufa cturers,
which resulted In a benefit to the cor
sumers OF binding twine in the state ken-
crafty. 81 s55a5%3 Is -
4s The profit on binding Irvine last season
a1nounfe ed in round numbers to- Sa33. O{NI
This was = clear profit after all expenses
the twine plant.