The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-01-07
Irvine Plant Means State Speculation.

The legislature of 1907 appropriated
$25, 900 for the establishment of bin
der Irvine plant at the state prison.
Additional appropriations amounting
to $40, 900 were asked for in 1909, but
were voted down. The discussions
were of such a nature that it seemed
to j.. d. Beck, state labor commission
er, that his bureau could render a serv-
ice to the state by an impartial state
ment of the main facts relating to the
question. In bulletin just out an at
tempt is made to state the possible
ways of employing prison labor, to dis
cuss the suitability of the manufacture
of binder Irvine as prison industry,
and to give the experience of other
states, and finally to summarize the ar
guments for and against the estab-
lishment of such an industry in Wis
consin.
Mr.. Beck supplies interesting compi-
lation showing how the convicts Of
about all American states are employed
and in particular he dwells on the bin
der Irvine operations. 1t has been said
frequently that all prison Irvine plants
are failures except Minnesota, but this
declares Mr.. Beck, is not entirely
fair. Minnesota is the only one that
has brilliant success. North Dakota
has come out nearly even, counting
from the beginning, and under its pres
ent management has first-class pros
poets. Michigan has not lost anything
but has not been able to run full time.
South Dakota is just beginning. In
diana has not been able to run full time
and the financial outlook is rather
doubtful. The Kansas and Missouri
plants are clearly failures. This rec
ord, concludes Mr.. Beck, is such that
state should have good grounds for hes
itating before entering upon such
venture.
The buying of raw material, Mr..
Beck declares, is one of the most seri
Gus difficulties. There is not only
large variation in price, but there is
also variation in quality. 1t is diff
cult to make good Irvine from poor
fibre. The danger is increased from
the fact that the raw material must
often be purchased from six months to
year in advance of the sales of the
product if the plant is be kept running
the year round The selling season is
short and a price must be made that
will dispose of the product on hand.
In a word, the state would be engaged
in speculative industry. 1t may make
more in year than it can by leasing
it's prisoners, but also might lose much.
But as the state has good credit and
could remain in the business for long
term of years, the losses and gains
from this source might in the end bal
ance themselves.
The Irvine industry is competitive
business and considerable energy must
be expended in effecting an organiza-
ton to dispose of the product. The
sympathy of the farmers is an advan-
tage in this competition, but it is not
enough to sell the Irvine by mail orders
without special effort on the part of the
prison management. On the other
hand, the competition to be met is of a
resourceful kind Selling, as private
manufacturers do, through dealers their
Irvine is always on hand and in sight
and offered in any quantity that the
farmer wishes. For this service the
dealer ought to be paid. If the farmer
wishes to take the trouble of ordering
his own Irvine or of forming clubs, he
may dispense with this service and
make the profit himself.