Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-08-26
THURSDAY. AUGUST 20. 1909.
KANSAS FARMERS AND THE
"TWINE TRUST"

From the CnlCdBO lutoI OOo"N'
Kansas may close the binder Irvine
mill operated for some years at the
state prison. The mill was established
to deliver the farmers from the exac-
tons of the "twine trust" The Irvine
is satisfactory. 1t Is sold at a mere
trlfle over cost Of making.
But the farmers don't buy It. ihe
mill could have supplied this year
One-fourth the twine used in Kansas.
Il had the Irvine ready for delivery
to that amount. But more than half
the stock Is still on hand, with the
harvesting season over.
The prison warden blames the To-
cal implement dealer and the selling
system. The mill tried to deal direct
with the farmer. The local dealer
resents the mail order" business. He
''knocks" the prison Irvine. He offers
"trust" Irvine on credit against pri-
son Irvine for cash. He gets ne
trade.
Such is the warden's story. He
proposes to let the local dealer han
die the Irvine instead Of trying to sell
direct to the farmer. He argues that
II the dealer can make bigger profit
on the prison Irvine he will push 1t.
He Is sure the state mill has kept
down the price Of twine.
The warden's argument proves too
much. If the local dealer could make
a bigger profit by 1t he would be sell
ing the prison Irvine. He would find
farmer friends to lend him their
names as ostensible purchasers. At
every county seat there would be a
little pool Of dealers ana farmers
handling prison twine,
There are no such pools, ana the
mills output is not sold, because the
mill is not a real industrial success
Having to pay its workers no wages
beyond a bare subsistence, 1t should
be able to sell Irvine low enough I'd
command the trade to the extent Of
its capacity.
II the mill were a real success 1t
would have no trouble In selling It's
output. Neither the farmers nor the
implement dealers are fools in q
price argument,
What this and other prison Irvine
mills have done, and all they have
done, is to hasten by more compete
ion the perfecting Of machinery and
the organization of methods for an
adequate production Of binding Irvine
at regular and moderate profits.
Binding Irvine prices we're high"
at first chiefly because the Irvine was
q new kind Of cordage, There is an
interesting story, and true one,
which illustrates what the situation
was.
When william Deering became
satisfied that his staff Of inventors
had made practical twine binder he
ran into further difficulty. The
new machine would work we'll only
with peculiar Irvine. He had made
ready to build the machines on q
large scale, but he must be sure Of
supplies Of Irvine.
He made the rounds Of the cordage
mills In search Of twlne. The precise
kind he wanted wasn't then made to
any extent. Edwin H. Filter Of Phila-
delphia told him that to make this
peculiar twine, except by hand, would
take new and special machinery, and
that cordage makers would not be
justified In going to such expense
unless certain Of large orders. About
how much did Mr.. Deering thing he
could useg
Mr.. Deering said he had thought
Of placing first order Of ten car
loads. Mr.. Filter, who had been
courteously explanatory rather than
acutely interested. sat up and took
notice right away. II Deerlng was
ready to risk a fortune in building
machines that would use that much
Irvine right at the start Filter wasn't
going to miss q chance Of making the
Irvine. He didn't
The harvester was ready before the
Irvine. The new machines were pour
ing into market, creating q demand
for this special tVine. when only q
few cordase mills were equipped 70
make Tie tWine on a large scale
Irvine mills multiplied, but for some
ysars they we're always behind the
demand which he new binder wa
RsstinE. And % tvine prices were
-HiIh.s