The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-12
TO BUY TWINE.
Kansas Plant Will Supply Oklahoma
Farmers If Wanted.

Guthrie 0. T., April lit has been
known here for some time that the ter
ri,orial board of agriculture had taken
| up the request of the farmers of Okla
| hoba to be permitted to buy twine of the
Kansas penitentiary.
The farmers of Oklahoma have learned
that the farmers of Kansas got their
| twine cheaper than they were getting it
and they assumed that it was on ac-
count of the penitentiary twine regulat-
ing prices. They at once came to the
conclusion that Oklahoma was helping
to bear the expenses Of the Kansas peni-
tentiary and that they ought to have
chance to buy part of the twine.
1t will be seen that there is ONE
grounds for this claim when it is stated
that the quarterly statement received by
Territorial Auditor Baxter today from the
KANSAS penitentiary shows that at the
close Of the last quarter there were 344
Oklahoma prisoners in the Kansas peni-
tentiary, and that during the quarter just
closed there was received 42 prisoners,
making the entire number 1856. During this
quarter there were 80 prisoners dis
charged, leaving in the institution 347.
For keeping these prisoners during the
quarter just closed Oklahoma paid the
sum of $13,94S.S0.
This, of course, makes the people, and
particularly the farmers of Oklahoma
feel that they have some interest in the
penitentiary twine factory. Speaking n
the matter today, Secretary Thoburn
said that the farmers of Oklahoma called
the attention of the board of agriculture
n tWin
and that his board in turn called the
attention of the Kansas penitentiary
board to it.
1t seems that the territorial board of
agriculture appointed a committee, of
which Mr. Kleiner is chairman, to pre-
sent this matter to the proper authorities
in Kansas. The Kansas board of peniten-
tiary managers held a meeting on the 9Th
of this month, which Mr.. Kleiner at
tended, and he was cordially received. He
returned home, reporting that the peni-
tentiary board would give the request
of the Oklahoma farmers due consdera-
ton. and that they would take such ac-
ton as seemed just. A few days later
letter was received from Warden Jew
EFT of the Kansas penitentiary TO the ef
feet that the board had determined to
sell twine to the Oklahoma farmers at the
same price as was paid by the Kansas
farmers. the amount depending upon the
crop prospect in Kansas
That is about where the matter now
rests, and il will be proper to state that
Governor Ferguson and the territorial
board of agriculture do not desire in any
way to Interfere with the first duty of the
Kansas penitentiary authorities TO Kan
saS farmers.
The opinion prevails pretty generally
in Oklahoma that Kansas is always ready |
to do a good turn for Oklahoma when a /
good opportunity if offered and it was /
this feeling that induced the farmers OF !
make this demand for twine. Secretary
Thoburn said today that when Mr.. Klein (
er returned from Kansas he was delighted /
with his reatment in the sunfower state. /
lie told the secretary that while in Kan |
sas he had visited the Lansing peniten- !
tiary and ne did not hesitate to say that /
under the management of Warden Jew |
ett it was the best managed public insti /
tuition he had ever seen.