The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-13
HELLSTRON ON
The TWINE TRUST
WARDEN or NORTH DAKOTA
STATE PRISON SAYS THAT
TWlNE TRUST is WORKING A
SCHEME TO WORST FARMERS
CONTROL RAW sIsAL.1

Warden Hellstrom of the North Da-
kota penitentiary has sent out the fol-
lowing statement:
THE Irvine trust, who own and con-
troll an absolute monopoly on sisal
fibre Of the world, are strongly advo-
eating that all Of their agents insist
on their customers using sisal Irvine.
1.-THE Irvine trust, in a circular let
ter recently issued, announces a cut
in prices of Il cent, in order to par
TALLY meet competitors prices. They
also lay particular stress on the fol-
lowing point, which is quoted from
their letter:
We suggest that you caution your
customers to be on the lookout for
mixed twines, and insist that their 500
foot Irvine be made of sisal fibre only
Five hundred foot Irvine made from
Manila fibre can be distinguished by
its peculiar color and by the fact that
1t is usually much rougher and more
uneven than Irvine made from sisal'
There is little wonder that the
twine trust should be anxious to con-
vince the people that sisal is the bet
ter fibre for the manufacture of Irvine,
for the reason that they own and con-
troll an absolute monopoly on the raw
sisal of the world, and of course If
they can convince the public that sisal
is the better product for the manu-
facture of Irvine, then they are in a
position to levy tribute. But the farm
err who will seriously consider the
proposition that sisal is better fibre
than Manila must indeed be an un-
sophisticated fellow, and know very
little about the quality Of different
fibres and twines. The only objection
to the use of pure Manila has been
lowered and this taken into considera-
ton with the fact that the trust is
attempting to raise the price of sisal,
has brought the two twines so closely
together in price that the pure Manila
Irvine is by far the cheapest Irvine for
the farmer to use. Standard Irvine
measures 500 feet to the pound and
pure Manila measures $50 feet to the
pound. 1t will be readily seen that
taken foot for foot the standard twine
at ~ cents per pound is more ex-
pensive than pure Manila Irvine at 81
cents per pound Besides, there is a.
great deal more satisfaction in using
the pure Manila Irvine than the stand
ard. 1t is quite evident that the re-
suit of this years business will, in a
large measure, determine whether or
not the Irvine trust will in the future
control the Irvine market, through the
ownership of the raw material. Every
farmer that has his own interest at
heart will turn a deaf ear to the sisal
argument. First, because It is con-
trary to common sense and reason, and
second, because to fall in line with
that argument would mean to help
bind himself hand and foot for all time
to come to pay the Irvine trust what
ever tribute 1t might see fit to levy.
"a glance at the following table will
show that it takes 1900 pounds of
standard Irvine to equal 1000 pounds
of pure Manila Irvine in length. 1t is
trust expects tribute:
Pure Manila 65o-Foot Irvine.
zone thousand pounds, $50 feet per
pound, equals $4,000 feet.
six hundred fifty thousand feet. or
1000 pounds, at cents per pound,
equals $4,000
six hundred fifty thousand feet or
1900 pounds of Standard, costs the
consumer $1O1.75
Saving the user of pure Manila
$11.75.
STANDARD 500-Foot Irvine.
zone thousand pounds, 500 feet toI
the pound, equals 100000 feet.
Five hundred thousand feet, or 1000
pounds, at TX cents per pound, equals
$77.50.
Difference in length between Stan
lard and pure Manila, 10000 feet, or
800 pounds.
Three hundred pounds at TX cents
per pound, equals $23.25.
Excess freight on 800 pounds, aver
age rate, 3315 cents per 100 pounds,
$1.00.
Total, $101.75."
Casselton Visitor.