St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-04
A BANKRUPTCY LAW.
Representatives of the Com
mereial Bodies Of the
United States
In Session at Minneapolis for
the Purpose of Framing
a Law
Governing All Bankruptcy
Cases in Every State In
the Union.
The First Days Work.
Names Of the Local and
Visiting Delegates.

President Torrey, of the national con-
vention of representatives of CONNER
| cial bodies, called a session of the con-
vention to order at the West hotel at
1O:4O yesterday morning, and appointed
| the credential committee and commit
tee on permanent officers, as follows:
| edentials-Beverly R. Moore, Henry A.
| FRYE. G. L Lamb George W. Pindle and j..
| L. Wicks.
| Permanent Oficers-David Hersche. Judge
John j. Hornor, B. +. johnson. j. b. TarDox
| ana A. NJ. Keith.
After the appointment of these com
mittees adjournment was taken to give
| the credentials committee time to re-
| port. A half hour later the convention
was called to order once more, and the
| committee reported the following dele
gates entitled to seat and voice in the
! deliberations of the body of representa-
| tive business men who are here to take
| action on uniform bankruptcy law for
the whole United States:
Chamber of commerce, Helena, Ark. Maj.
| John ]. Horror; New Orleans board OF trpde,
! limited. W. E. Steele; Boston, n. e. SHOE
! and Leather association. J. b. Iarbox; BIOS
| ton Merchants association, Beverly *.
| Moore: Detroit. Mich, Merchants and Man
| ufacturers' exchange, L. IL. Hluchmani MIN
| neapolis board of trade, Judge Isaac AtWater;
| H. G. o. Morrison, j. X. WEEKS ST. Faul
chamber of commerce, Daniel r. Moves; job
! bers' union. William B. Dean, Charming Sea
| bury. j. H. Werthen. j. P. Larkin; Rochester,
MIMI, board of trade. Judge c; M:
start Kansas CITY MG aSsociS
ton. j. NJ. Mare; St. Louis Merchants
| exchange. F. W. Risque. mechanics ex-
! change; Anthony Ittner. real estate STOCK
exchange. r. A Campbell; Newark. \. -,
| = R1nnE. NpW York civ
board of trade, David Hirsch; jewelers.
| baard of trade, A. NJ. Kent; Saratoga board
| of trade, F. j. McMaster; GaIhpols o.,
beard of trade, II. C. Akely; Philadelphia
| groeers' and importers exchange, ii. A.
| FRYE; Pittsburg, association of glass manu-
facturers. n. B. Scott: Wilksbarre, Pa, Doard
of trade. j. Newton Mind; Chattanooga,
| Tenn. chamber of commerce. c. l.. LAMB;
Galveston. Tex. grocers' association, C. w.
johnson: Richmond, Va, chamber OF COM
merce. B. L. johnson: New York stationers'
board of trade, R. G. Evans; Chicago associa-
lion stove manufacturers. ID. NJ Thomas
Judge Atwater then welcomed the
visiting delegates on behalf OF the local
board of trade and the citizens ana Ousl,
ness men of Minneapolis. He informed
them that he had in his possession let
tiers from Senator Davis and all other
members of congress from this state,
stating that they were entirely in SYM
pathy with the object of the conven-
ton.
He also, in behalf of the ladies of the
| West hotel, presented the convention
with two large and handsome bouquets.
which adorned the presidents table
during the day.
President TOrrey responded becom-
ingly. He said the great object was TO
formulate a law which would be for the
benefit of commerce throughout the
x1fand nnf
dishonest men and give honest ones an
opportunity to succeed.
j'he committee on bills then pre-
scented the national bankruptcy bill,
which has been prepared by President
TOrrey. The bill was then taken up by
sections. and all the delegates were in
vited to suggest any changes they might
deem advisable in each section. All
these suggestions were noted by the
stenographer and submitted with the
bill itself to the committee on bills,
which was in session at the hotel until
a late hour last night.
W. B. Dean. of st. Paul. thought 1t
would be well to change the word re-
spondent to bankrupt in the first section,
and also to substitute assignee for
trustee.
Judge Atwater allowed his eloquence
to flow for some time in regard to the
publication of insolvency notices as set
forth in section IA. He thought it would
! be well to compel the publication of
such notices in two papers of opposite
political tendencies, and thus prevent
the possibility of political Schemlng IN
such matters,
Section 80, which reads as follows,
| provoked extended discussion:
The bankrupt shall be allowed the same ex-
emptiOns as are prescribed by the laws In
| force at the time of the passage OF the act, in
/ the state wherein the court Of bankruptcy is
| held in which the proceedings are pending;
| provided. that if such exemptions do not eX-
| coed 81 900 and the bankrupt is the head OF
q family and in actual need of the necessities
| of life the court NAV allow him not to eX-
! coed $500 additional.
| Charming Seabury. of the st. Paul
| delegation. thought the section ought to
be more flexible, as he did not believe
| in interfering with the exemption laws
| of different states where different
| circumstances might render varied reg
ulations in this particular desirable.
! He thought it might be we'll to strike
out the last clause beginning with PRO
| VIded."
Mr.. Dean, of st. Paul. spent consider
! able time in discussing section "a, rela-
| tive to who may become bankrupts. The
section as printed in the pamphlet cop
les of the bill distribute to the dele
gates excerpts mechanics who habitually
labor at trades, farmers who have no
place of business in any town, city or
| Village: municipal, charitable, literary,
! religious. canal, banking, insurance,
railway or street railway corporations.
The convention then adjourned for
lunch.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
At 2:3O %. m. the convention reas-
sembled. and took up and considered
the remaining sections of the bill, No
very important changes we're recon-
mended. 1t was suggested thai the
time for the calling of the first creditors
| meeting should be fixed at the same
time within thirty days from the time a
person is adiudged a bankrupt, instead
| of within sixty days, as in the original
drafting.
Mr.. Seabury called attention to the
wording of lines ), 6 and Z, section IA,
which refer to priority claims, and espe-
cially to attorneys fees in the matter of
filing papers in insolvency. He thought
fee ought to be fixed by law. Several
other unimpoTtant amendments were
suggested, and then. after the appoint
ment of committees on bills and reSOlu-
tionS, the meeting was adjourned. The
| committees are as dOllOWS: Blll-EX-
officio and chairman, President Jay L.
Torrey, Judge Isaac Atwater, Beverly
K. Moore. Judge John j. Harnar,
J. NJ. Nave, D. NJ. Thomas, Claiming
Seabu ry, David Hirsche, Anthony lit
ner, r. G. Evans, II. A. Eyre, c. NJ.
S tart, F. w. Risque.
Resolutions Charming Seabury, An
thony Ittner, D. NJ. Thomas. q. C. Gar
land, Adolph Cartier, Clay McCauley,
U. B. Staff, j. Newton Mind, A. NJ.
! Allen.
The convention then adjourned until
a. m. to-day.
At 4 O'Clock the delegates took car
riages at the West and were driven out