Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-25

croft, the bill was again laid on the table,
and Friday next was assigned for IT. consid-
Grafton.
| House document No. l4S, m act establish
ing refUrmatory for women, came up on
1 its passagsto be engrossed and was laid on
the table, and Friday next was assigned for
its consideration on motion of Mr.. Walton Of
Skowhegan.
Bill an act providing for the choice of Park
Commissioners, on it's passage to be enacted,
was tabled on motion of Mr.. Foss of Saco.
Mr.. Heath of Augusta, by unanimous con-
sent, laid on the table to be printed. bill an
act additional to an act to authorize the Maine
Central r. r. Co. to form steamboat conner-
tons. approved Jan. 80, 1885, and Thursds,
next at 10 o'clock was assigned for its con-
sideration.
| READ AND ASSIGNED.
An act to amend sec. 5. chap. 2Sl of the
special laws of 1888; resolves to correct GER
tain clerical errors in the State valuation;
an act to amend secs. % and %, chap. of
the revised statutes, relating to elections;
resolve for the protection of seal and shore
fisheries and shell fish; an act to amend sec
81 of chap 46 of the revised statutes, relating
to clerks and treasurers' reports; an act ad
ditional to chap 20 of the revised statutes
relating to the discharge of insolvent debtors ;
an act to revive sec. chap. 7, public laws of
1875. relative to the citizenship of persons
connected with the Soldiers Home at Togus;
an act to provide for inventories by assignees
in insolvency; all act to amend the revised
statutes
| PASSED TO BE ENGROssED.
Resolve in favor Of the Maine I tate College
of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts; resolve in
favor of the Penobscot tribe of Indians; an
act relating to the Exeter Mica Co.; resolve
in favor of the town of Orient; resolve in
favor of the town of Littlet0n; resolve laying
tax on the counties of the State for the
years 1885 and 1886; an act to amend chap.
of the revised statutes relating to making
and printing the reports of treasurers; an act
to amend sec. 81 chap. IA of the revised stat
utes relating to contagious diseases among
animals; an &C: to amend sec. IA chap. Z of
the revised statutes. relating to the records
and indexes in the Registries of Deeds an
act to incorporate the East Side Water Co. of
Augusta; an act to prevent the throwing Of
refuse into Royals river; an act to regulate
the hours of labor and the employment of
women and children in manufacturing estab-
| lishments.
PASSED TO BE ENACTED.
of Scarboro in relation to the bridge of the
Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad Co.
over Dunston river; an act for the protection
Of bass in Winnegance Creek; an act to
amend sec. 100 chap. Al of the revised stat
utes relating to Banks and Banking.
| FINALLY PASSED.
! Resolve authorizing temporary loan for
the year 1885; resolve authorizing a tenn
porary loan for the year 1886.
| House document No. ia, an act to prevent
the throwing of refuse into Royals river,
came up by special assignment, and had its
third reading. and was passed to be engrossed
on motion of Mr.. Dyer of Foxcroft.
| House document No. 13l, the majority
report, and House document No. 1872, the mi
nority report of the Judiciary Committee on
an act to regulate the hours of labor, and the
employment of women and children in man
ufacturing establishments, came up by spe
cial assignment, the peudin. question being
the acceptance of the report.
Mr.. Hale of Portland moved that the mi
nOrity report be substituted.
Mr.. Hale SAID that he would give, bri, fly,
his reasons for supporting the minority re-
port, which had been submitted BY him. He
considered this subject one Of very great i'm
portance. and one requiring the careful con-
siieratioa of this House. He compared the
sections of the two bills relative to the en-
ployment of minors, and referred to existing
laws upon the subject, and said that it was
now for the House to decide whether it de-
sires to do anything more than what is
tprovlded for in this minority report, which
is simply to perfec: and carry out
the provisions of our present law, and
not to under axe to hamper the small
industries of the State by saying to the wo-
men who have employment in our manufac
tories that they shall have an iron gridle
placed upon them and their labor that they
shall not work an hour extra. if they desire
to do so, to carry out their contracts. and that
they must be holden to the strict rule, or give
their places to men.
| The people of State have become interest
ed in manufactures, and the capital of other
States has had its attention directed 10 our
wonderful water power, to the streams which
flow from the mountains to the sea, running
our numerous mills, and giving prosperity and
wealth to the State.
Mr.. Hale quoted from the messages of our
various governors relative to the wonderful
water power of the State and the development
of our manufactures The great mass of
those engaged in manufactures are native
citizens. These manufactures are in the
small villages, all over the State, and in them
work class of people, largely women. and
in some instances the hours of labor are reg
ulated to accommodate those women. If the
business is run but few months in the
year, they are allowed to work extra
hours, and make their contracts the same as
the men. Does this House wish to say
that those industries shall not be allowed to
employ labor in that way? Will this legislature
say to the woman who is struggling to main
tain her family that she shall not be allowed
to earn dollar in the way she chooses? Will
it say to the mature woman that she shall
have this iron belt put upon her labor, and
that she shall not be permitted to make
contract the same as men? In our small vii
lagos, it would cripple labor, and would Grip
pie our struggling INDUSTRIES, and injure
struggling women. We are not here to leg
islate for man alone, but the struggling wo-
men of our State should be helped as well.
She pays taxes, and her property is protected,
Why should we say to her that she shall not
make contracts?
| Mr.. Hale said that he did not believe ev-
erything could be reached by legislation. In
some of the larger States where they do not
have to foster small industries, they may en-
act such laws, but it is for ,as an agrcultu
raj community, to foster the little industries
which have grown up all over the State, and
in fostering the small industries we are not