Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-09
The Question of Installing a
Plant In Iowa Penitentiary
Is Discussed
SO BENEFIT THE FARMERS
Plan Is to Do Away With the Exae-
tons of the cordase Trust, So Far
as Binding Irvine for the Iowa
Farmer is conoerned-No COMPETE
sion With Free Labor.
Special to Times-Repuolican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des AIoines, Feb. s-The proposal
That the state of Iowa shall begin turn
lng out convict made binding Irvine for
off the exactions of the cordage trust
win be pressed to the attention of the
legislators of Iowa in a very short time.
Ten days ago resolution was intro
duced and passed the house providing
for a, joint committee of the two hous IS
to inquire into the feasibility of having
twsne made at the Anamosa prison for
The state of Iowa. The resolution had
tackled on it an amendment TO invests
gate, also. the feasibility of convict
roadmaking all over the state. There
was some discussion at the time indi-
opinions on the road question. But as
10 binding Irvine. there was lack of In
ANIMATION. The resofwtion went over to
he senate and is hung up in commit
tee. In the meantime a number of the
members are engaged in making an in
vesttgatdon of the Irvine question. 1t Is
found that there are now three states
engaged in Irvine maSing-A1tnnesota,
Kansas and North Dakota. The expe-
Tience OF THESE states has not been uni
formly encouraging. but the friends of
nhe movement insist that 1t has been
demonstrated that The plan is all right.
Il believe that Iowa ought to make
dts own binding twdne,' said Repre-
sentative Powers, of Floyd county, the
author OF the resolution. Il have sent
Tor full stanenfent from the Mime
eota board OF control as to the opera
ttonS OF their plant. have here
newspaper account OF what the warden
OF the penitentiary has announced as TO
the prices this year. He will seq the
etandard Irvine at 81 cents pound to
farmers this year. which Is a half cent
under last year. 1t is stated that the
penltentiary in Minnesota furnishes
nine million pounds for that state. The
lbaqf cent reduction is saving of s45.-
900 this year to Minnesota farmers over
last year. Now believe that Iowa
2wine as those of Minnesota. We can
nse o vast amount OF 1t in binding oats
and barley and in corn, and hts use is
1ncsensang for wheat farundng should
ltlnk ne could do as web for our people
aS-<xnesso6h does for hers.
But the fact is that we paid last
year - cents a pound for standard
irvine in Iowa. II We could get dt for
Bny So cents pound and use as much
as they do In Minnesota it would mean
a saving to lowe farmers of 100000 n
year. That's an item worth consider
ang."
"Are objections being made to the
plan OF having the state make Irvine to
cell to the Iowa people?'
Eyes" said Mr.. Powers, there are
n1lose who oppose the measure. 1t Is
being stated ta1nt the first cost is i'm
mense l have here a cataiog Of twdne-
making machinery and find that a full
get of the machines can be installed for
about $4,000. II more Irvine is to be
made other machines are added. The
buildings viii not cost much, for
they can be erected with the convict
labor largely. The first cost win not.
be in Iowa what It has been In some
other states. And we win have the ex-
I'LL our operations.
'Then dt lie being stated that 1t VIII
mean that conviots are to be taught
that will be OF no benefit to
chem afterwards. That is true; but at
THE most 1t Will use only about seventy
hve OF the convdcts at Anamosa: and
u will elevate them from the rock pile
to the handling OF machinery. Much
THAT Is done by the convtcts Is of mol
value to them other TRAN it keeps them
occupied
"Then 1t Is being stated that the state
has no right to pay out money to bene- I!
fit any one class Of persons. I would
provide that In THE fixing of prices at
which the Irvine would be sold the state
would take for itself the average of
what Is received now for convict labor
Harmed cut. say 80 CENTS day. The
state would get pay for Its convict la
Dor The Same rs now. / would see to
1t that The state made profit out OF
the work, hence 1t would not be a do
nation to the farmers of the state.
Then there is the objection that the
dealers would object, for It would In. |
terfere with them. But as understand
Il, the state Of Minnesota sells 60 farm
ers who put in CHER orders by GER
taan date: and after that the rest is sold
to dealers at a less price and with the
condstdon that they shall sela 1t at a
profit OF cent pound. They get their
profits on all they handle. And as for
t71et the dealers say that there Is not
amy big thing in handling irvine. The
pao6t % small. conA destng the trouble
ana the matter Of collections.
~ w can save THE people OF Iowa
over 100000 a year and do It without
hurting . edngle industry or costing the
state cent outside OF a permanent In
vsatnSent It Is our duty to do so. and
we1ether a1te Investigation Is made or
not bile Will be introduced and pushed
70 the front providing for the estab-
liohment OF Irvine plant at the Ana
mosa penibentAary."
NO BOOZE AT cENTERvlLLE.