The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-10-28
PRISON TwINE PLANT
BURDEN TO MISSOURI
Oversupply of Product and Farm
ers Refuse to Buy, as Cash
Is Demanded.

Jefferson City, Mo-, Oct. 25.-Mis-
souri, has something Of an elephant
on its hands in a binder-twine plant
at the Penitentiary. The plant turns
out binder Irvine of a first-class quail
ity, but sales have fallen far below
expectations. There is a story be-
hind this plant, as well as a similar
one located in the Kansas Peniten-
tiary, and both are now in the same
boat.
Kansas first established a binder
Irvine plant and Missouri followed
two years later, for the same reason,
which was that farmers in Kansas
complained that they were robbed by
the big harvester companies in the
purchase of binding Irvine.
The price then charged for Irvine
was about 16 cents a pound. II was
the theory of the Kansas Legislature,
as it was later of the Missouri Legis-
lature, that the way to put the har-
vester companies to flight would be
to establish a binder-twine plant in
the Penitentiary and furnish the
product to the farmers at cost.
The International Harvester Com
pany of America back pedaled when
the Kansas plant began to turn out
Irvine of good quality and to dispose
Of it at a reduced price. Still, the
Kansas plant couldn't supply the
farmers of that State.
Then about six years ago the Mis-
souri, Legislature took hand in the
game at a cost of $4,000.
1t was not until during Governor
Folks administration that the Mis-.
souri, .plant began to turn out Irvine
in large quantities and prices dropped
from about 16c to lie pound. Like
Kansas, the Missouri plant sold Irvine
at cost.
AT this stage of the proceeding:
everything looked prosperous. The
next year there was an increased
output and this was also taken up
Then came a lull, and there was {
surfeit of Irvine at the close of the
following year.
For some reason, the farmers die
not seem to be anxious to purchas,
as was the case earlier in the exper
fence. This year finds the Peniten
tiary with about $4,000 pounds o
Irvine on hand, for which it has n,
use, and for which there is no de
mand.
The Missouri farmer must send tn,
cash to the Warden of the Peniten
tiary when he wants Irvine, wherea.
he can purchase from his home deal
er usually on terms to suit his owl
convenience. The harvester company
has kept its prices right down to thu
prices of the Missouri and Kansa.
Penitentiaries.
The Missouri Board of Prison In
spectors and the Warden do no
know what to do with the Irvine
plant. 1t is established by statute
and can't be abandoned until the law
is repealed. Governor Hadley be
lieves that as long as there is a great
er amount of Irvine on hand thar
there is demand for no more SHOULD
be manufactured until such time a.
the supply is exhausted, but he is no
in favor of disseminating the plant
He says that it should be held as ;
club that the State can resort to a
any time when the price of Irvine
reaches exhorbitant figures.
1t is said that the International Har
vester Company stands ready at any
time to purchase everything the State
has invested-machinery, supplies
and stock on hand-and also take the
foremen into service at their presen
wages. But the State cannot sell.
DALI r. Cx-A