Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-01-15
THE PROPOSED TwISE FACTORY
G. 7. Allen Writes in Regard to Bill
introduced by Senator Biggs For
the Establishment Of State
Plant--0ther Natter,

upon all the property OF the State,
Another important matter Is em-
braced by a bill introduced by Senator
Blggs--to provide for the establish
ment and maintenance at the peniten-
tlary Of a binding twine plant to the
end that binding Irvine may be made
aud sold to the farmers Of the State at
prices much lower than the Irvine
trust has done. Last year Audrain
farmers paid ID, IA and is cents per
pound for Irvine, and how many thou
sands OF dollars went out Of the county
TO the pocket OF the Irvine trust no
one can tell At the same time u
farmers were paying these prices Kan
sas and Minnesota farmers were pay
ing % and 10 cents for their Irvine.
These two states have killed the Irvine
trust within their borders "dead as
Hector.n How? In 1892 Minnesota
erected a binding Irvine plant in her
penitentiary at a cost Of about s35, 900,
placed at its disposal the sum of $780,
900 as a working capital or revolving
fund" as it is called, and told the war
den to ''let her go, Gallagher"
Ia due time the whistle blew and
the machinery went ';a-cluching, and
as good Irvine as ever bound a sheaf OF
oats, wheat, hay or corn anne out, and
was sold to every farmer who would
pay the cash for it and at a price so
much lower than the trust price that
the woods rang with the shouts Of the
farmers. This was in 1923 and since
that time experience has taught the
warden how to run a Irvine plant.
Senator Biggs has a letter from the
warden Of the Minnesota penitentiary
saying that last year he sold Irvine at
% cents per pound-while the trust
was selling it TO Audrain farmers at
Is to IS cents and even at that price
he cleared $4,000 for the working
capital the present year.
Here is a trust Killer All honor to
the brave old man who would rather
serve his people in a practical way
than to be known as a smooth parlia-
mentary expert.
Kansas followed the example Of
Minnesota in 1899 and is getting along
fairly well selling Irvine at 10 cents
and holding her head above water.
Senator Biegs' bill provides for a
s35, 200 plant, sl25, 600 for a revolving
fund.- or working capital and a suit-l
able brick building for the plant-and
for the sale Of the Irvine to the farm
ers Of the State for cash, I. o b. at
Jefferson City, and at a price just suf-
icient to indemnify the State againstl
loss in the manufacture OF the Irvine.
The bill also provides for is sale to
the farmers by n or persons in
every county and that person or those
persons are held down to a certain
price per pound for the Irvine.
This bill, | think, will pass, and it
is hoped that by next fall the plant
will be in operation.
If things work right, then a wheat
sack department may be added, and
after awhile a rope department, and
then. may be, a horse collar depart
ment, and 50 on.
But | had better quit, or some one
might say, "You are in favor Of
municipal ownership Of public utili-
ties, and you will soon want the State
or town to fry our batter-cakes."
Well, | favor any and all things that
kill, cripple, maine, break down,
smash, riddle, cut, slash, or dehorse al
trust or anything that looks like a.
trust, $50 help me God, amenln
Quite a number Of Senators and Rep
resentatives have spoken to me about
Audrain's former representative,
Rhodes Clay, and all deplored bis
death and spoke Of him in the highest
terms. Our present Representative,
Col. Green Clay, has attracted a good
deal Of attention-unknown to him.
because of the fact that he is the
father Of Rhodes Clay, that he is we'll
and fayorabIy known all over the
State and also because Of his impress
siye personality.
A day OF two ago, while in the
House looking over the field of"young
thoroughbred s"and''old coach horses"
a stranger standing beside me said,
pointing 70 Col. Clay as he walked
down the aisle to bis seat, "Wh0 is
that mani" | told him. After look
ing at him for at least two minutes be
said; 81 have heard a good deal about
that a / know something of his
stock and | give 1t as my opinion that
Missouri could go farther and fare
worse than to make him her Senator.
II be hasn't strength of character and
Intellect, then there is nothing in hu-
man face and form" | was about to
ask him his name, residence, etc,
an ozark Mountain fellow slap
ped me on the back and the stranger
got away from NE.
How many strange and queer people
a fellow meets at the State Capital-l
the stately gentleman, the exquisite
lady-masher, the political trader and
roustabout, the hoodIum bowler, the
good fellow who is always in a
humor and ready with a big laugh, the
thoughtful and earnest public sen
want, the brave old fellows who wore
the blue aud the gray in the days OF
Long Ago" and the sproutling with
the downy moustache whose faces
seem 10 say: owe are coming, o, con-
fathers, fully fifty thousand
and Nissouri's u~ntarnished
shall a higher when we lay
hands on It's staif.n Q. T. ALLEN.