The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-11-12
Gives Gov. Mead His Views on
Grain Bag Situation
OFFERS SEVERAL GOOD SUGGESTIONS
WOULD GIVE EACH COUNTY
BAGS IN PROPORTION TO
WHEAT RAISED.

In letter to Gov. Mead E. A. Bry-
an. president of the State College at
Pullman, makes suggestions concerning
the handling and sale of jute fabrics
and grain bags manufactured at the
state penitentiary, says the Seat
tie Daily Times. If the governor fol .
lowed the suggestions and ordered
Superintendent Kincaid to carry them
out it is feared that the latter would
tempt the same fate that befell a. F.
KEGS, his predecessor, as it is pointed
out that he would be violating the
state law touching on the matter.
The statute, Section 6942, Pierce's
Code, for the violation Of which Frank
KEGS was discharged, reads in part:
1.-The jute and other products
shall be sold to actual consumers =
in the order, as near as may be, of
the making of applications"
The laws do not permit of appor-
tioning the bags to different parts of
the state, although the state board of
Quill VI ldNO1S Tic cldClIilcIlI VI lcSlS.
lation providing for such a distribu-
ton.
Bryan's Views.
The letter of President Bryan to
the governor follows:
"My Dear Gov. Mead:-I have a
suggestion to make relative to the
distribution of grain bags, namely, that
after the date at which bids may be
received-which, bye the bye, ought
to be we'll circulated throughout the
county papers-an amount Of bags
be reserved for applicants for a period
of, say, ten days for each of the grain
producing counties, in proportion ap-
proximately to the production of wheat
in that county. For example: If Whit
man county produces 100000 Of
bushels, Lincoln 100000, Douglas g.
100000, that a relative proportion of
bags be reserved for sale in each
Of these respective counties for, say,
period of ten days.
Il believe that the whole business
will be made much more popular and
will be much more satisfactory, if the
bags are more widely distributed. OF
course, if some county should not use
it's quota the remainder could be open
to the public. 1t is generally be-
lieved that the bags have been bought
mostly by persons near the peniten-
tiary and that others had little
chance.
Farmers DisgruntIed.
Il have heard many good men say
that under the circumstances they
would a great deal rather see the
sacks sold at the market price, for
then, in the capacity of taxpayers
they would get their share in reduc-
ton Of taxation, while under existing
conditions they had little or no
chance to buy sacks. Such a plan as
l suggest could be merely a rule of
the board Of control and would not
require legislation. 1 believe you
would find it popular measure
You will pardon me for making
this suggestion, but 1 am so situated
here as to hear a good deal on the
grain bag question"
An Un just Attack.
recent attack was made on the
board Of control, alleging that the
farmers Of Eastern Washington would
lose from 100000 to $75OOOO be-
cause Of the shut down of the lutte mill
at the penitentiary. The two years
output of the mill for the period end
ing September 30, 1906, was 1882
2S5 bags This was for the period
before the short time began at the
mill.
The state price for bags this year
is 6R cents. Assuming the price in
the open market to be liz cents, the
difference would be considerable. In
the two years $126,614.25 would be
saved to the state farmers. but it
would not reach the big loss charged
The reckless exaggeration continues
throughout the attack. The board
OF control can spend only the money
directly authorized by legislative en-
actment. Today there is $4,000 in
the revolving fund, but only SIG, 1000 of
this available for jute, being the bal
ance remaining to run the mill until
next April, on the appropriation made
two years ago. 1t costs about $4,000 a
month to run the mill.
Lately the state authorities estab-
lished rock quarry at Meskill to test
the working of convict labor on road
material. The work is authorized by
statute. 1t is just as much a law as
the operation of the jute mill, but
every cent of the cost of the work is
being paid out of the revolving fund,
and provision must be made out of
the $4,000 on hand to carry this
work along until April 1 next.
About Laws.
Unfortunately the revolving fund
does not revolve, because, while
Lewis county must pay the state for
the stone quarry work, the money can
not be Immediately applied to the
work, but must lie in the treasury I'M
til the next state legislature reap
propriates it.
A net profit has already been turned