The Portland daily press., 1889-01-11
DoINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
Senator Lords Idea OF What labor
Law Should Be.
Mr.. Fogg's Bill Amending the Mar
rlage Law.
The Fisheries Committeeman Early
Adjournment Proposed.

Especial 10 the PreSS.l
AUGUSTA, Jan. 10.-A little excitement
was occasioned at the State House this fore
noon by bill introduced by Senator Lord of
York, to amend sec. of chap. 139 of the Pub
lie Laws of 1887. This section is the famous
1o-hour law Of two years ago, and as Sena-
tor Lords bill proposed important changes
in 1t there was naturally considerable COM
ment,and even excitement among the friends
of the 10-hour law. Senator Lords bill reads
as follows.
In all manufacturing and mechanical establish
ments In this State ten hours services each day
shall be legal days work and an additional com
pensatlon at higher rate of wages shall be paid
for services rendered more than ten hours each
day. No minor under 10 years of age shall be
emp,oyed IN said manufacturing or mechanical
week. and no minor under 15 years of age shall
be employed more than ten hours each day except
when 10 isneceSsary to make repairs to prevent
the ordinary running OF machinery, or when a diff
ferent apportonment of the hours Of labor is made
Tor the sole purpose of making shorter days
work for one day of the week. No minor over Is
years Of age or under Is years of age shall be
day or go hours each week, except he voluntaiil.
ly contracts to or with the consent of one of his
parents, Il any, or guardian a,d in no case shall
his extra hours OF labor exceed nine hours In any
one week or 80 hours in any one year.
"The changes from the present law" said
Mr., Lord to the PRESS correspondent today
lis that women are placed upon the same
footing as men so far as contracting for their
labor is concerned. In the 10 hour bill
passed last year they were included with
minors. My practical experience as the
manager of a twine and duck mill at Kenne-
bunk has shown me that women are as well
qualified TO act for themselves in contracting
and as we'll able to work the same number
of hours as men. So far as / have talked
with them the women in my mill want this
freedom to contract for and manage their
own labor unrestricted by law. The present
law prevents us running extra time, a privi-
lege of great Importance in a business like
ours where there are seasons of dullness and
others Of unusual activity. Now so far as
minors are concerned, my bill puts male and
female minors on the same footing, the lin
its of IS and 10 years being the same for
both; while the law of two years
ago makes the limit for fe-
males IS years, and for males 16 years.
One advantage which claim for my bill is
that it secures not only the extra wages for
extra time, but higher rate of wages to all
employees, minors, women and all. My bill
fixes it SO that the employer who pays his
help S1.25 day for work in regular hours,
must pay for extra work at a higher rate
than $i25. Then my bill defines what a le-
gal days work is; that it shall beaten hours
tor all laborers, though giving to each adult
laborer, whether male or female, the right
to contract for extra work. Minors between
10 and Is years may contract for extra work
not in excess of nine hours in any one week,
or ninety hours in any one year, provided
their parents or guardians consent"
Representative Looney, the author of the 10
hour bill of 1887 said to the Press representa-
tive-"Mr. Lords bill virtually repeals the
present law so far as women are concerned,
and gives away all the advantages of the vic
tory we won when we fought out this ques-
tion about women laborers two years ago. |
don't think it will receive the support Of the
friends of labor in this legislature; and am
certain that IL will meet no general support.
Men who opposed the clause relating to
women two years ago say to me that it will
be better TO let well enough alone this year."
An ordor that ehouid bo obeyed.
Ex-Governor Robie presented an order this
morning that will please the legislature and
State, especially if it be lived up to. The or
der fixes the date of adjournment ON or be
fore February 20. In presenting the order
Gov. Robie said that for four years the legis-
lature adjourned in February, once early as
the 9th, and no time later than the 2lst So
1t seemed to be possible and probable thing
for this legislature to adjourn early. That
would please the people of the House and of
the State. 1t was matter of public inter-
est and therefore Gov. Robie said, he took
this position. The order goes to the Senate
for concurrence.
Proposed Change In the Marriage
Law.
l. b 81
which was introduced this. forenoon, is as
follows
The following shall constitute sec A, of chap.
SO. in place of the section repealed:
Prisons intending 10 be joined in marriage in
this State, shall, before their marriage, cause no
tice of their intention to be enGered in the Office
of the clerk of the city, town o. plantation in
which they respectively dwell; or If they do not
dwell within the state in the office Of the clerk of
TO have the marriage solemnized. If there is no
such clerk in the place of their residence, the en-
try shall be made in the adjoining city, town or
plantation.
The difference between this provision and
that of the present law consists in the aboli-
tion of the stipulated five days of notice now
required as to the intentions.
The preamble which accompanies this bill
gives these reasons for abolishing the five
days delay
The present law is an annoyance, and very
often works injury and inconvenience to
persons intending marriage, from the fact
that the restrictive portion Is not known, as
this delay is not required in any other State.
Ninety-nine one-hundredths of all intended
marriages are doubtless all right and no pos
sible good can come from requiring the delay
of five days, and since neighboring States
are readily accessible, the other one-hun-
dreth can, as can all others, betake them
selves there to be married and we have no
record of it. The law begins "All residents
OF the State intending to-" SO that non-resi-
dents coming here are not obliged to regis
ter at all, and so great wrong may be done to
any person from want of proofs of marriage.
The city clerks of Augusta, Auburn, Bath,
Belfast, Bangor, Lewiston, Rockland, Saco
and Waterville, write booming the change
and cchcurring in the opinion that the five
days notice Is unnecessary.
The marriage laws OF other States are
much less formal than those of Maine. In
New Hampshire licenses are issued at once
without delay; in Massachusetts certificates
are issued by city and town clerks on appli-
cation; so also in Rhode Island; in Connec-
ticut licenses are delivered to the parties i'm
mediately ana may be used by them at once.
The Fish and Game Committee.
Representative o. B. Whitten of Portland
says there is no truth in an assertion made
recently that the project of dividing the
fisheries and game committee is scheme on
the part of the lobster Gamers to dominate
legislation. The only object was to have
the committee that looks after seashore
fisheries composed wholly of men acquainted
with the subject instead of having the COM
mittee partly composed of men from the
interior counties who know nothing of the
shore fisheries. He says there has been
some very unwise legislation concerning the
seashoIe fisheries which are of much more
value than all the interior waters fish or the
game. 1t is not likely, however, that the
committee will be divided this season as it is
already organized.
Senate Business.
In the Senate Mr.. Walker Of Knox, intro
duced an act to amend the fortnightly pay
ment law so that the penalty for violation
should apply to firms, as we'll as persons and
corporations, this provision being omitted by