Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-04

the gentlemen from Lisbcn has alluded 20
nv appearing before the committee. think
= feu fActs for tie Information Of The
House would be pertinent. This act pre-
poses 20 improve the system adopted BY the
corporation which has been directly re-
ferrsd TO, which 10 somewhss Of this form !:
The tina 10 taken for theee men daily.
The rolls are made mp monthly, sent TO the
general Office for approval, referred TO the
r.ops, officer who rsvtses the fooange.
draws upon the treasury for the amount
required and ~ rapidly -. possible
distributes the money auorg the men.
There are in connection with this syssen,
what are known - pay tickets" These
are especially provided to facilitate the
men receiving their pay, and there 10 hard
Iy dsy pssses--I may say not one day
passes bu. that these men avail themselves
OF the privilege provided by these tiekess
Their time being taken every day. there il
no man Ia the shops ct either Watefville,
Portland or Bangor. or in the employment
of the road, whocsanot receive their pay
on requees, giving reasonable excuse, OF
course, Why he should receive il out Of the
common course. Nov, Mr.. Speaker ard
gentlemen OF the House, this being ths
fscs, there was no need Ct any such
smendatory set - this bill provides, and II
vas SO presented to the committee.
The representatives. Of tie petitioners
cane down here and by th.:,
testimony admitted that there was no
cause for it. In ore case, gentleman said
he had been refused his money on sppii-
cation. Upon being further questioned, be
said that he gave no reason why be should
receive his money. He said he asked be.
cause he wanted il. He said that he had
heard Of one other case. There WAS 8
Freedman who could not talk English,
aud maze his wants known through an in
terprster. He received his money ard went
cf to bnry his wife, as be said. aud never
returned. Theee mea objected before the
commiita on the ground that they consid
cred themselves discharged. The question
was asked in regard to their considering
them selves discharged whether they re-
ceived their pay rnonthly or ofeener and in
one case it operated ss fully ca in the other.
In all my 10 years experience going 10 and
out once q month among these men situated
in Wa!efvil,e, this is the irsI iusimstion
ever had. and the frs. iutimaiion that the
corporation ever had in aoy way. shape o,
manner, that the men desired any change
IA the system of paying off. Il seems to
ME that such being the esse the first du'y
ment fer relief. and having failed ia tina,
they might possibly come down here and
seek the relief which they have under thi.
sc.. The question of expense came up
Nov. as We very we'll know, a large cor.
pora ion like the Maine Central railroad
for instance, requires considerable ot
a system TO render il effectual AMI
Of the greatest good to the great
est lumber. These men. when they
entered the employ Of the corporation,
knew exactly under what system they
were TO be paid just IS much A. they knew
the amount Of wages they were to receive
and il they come forward at this time and
ask for this radical change without good
and sufficient reasons, il seems to me thst
it is asking q great deal. This maudstory
act would impose grievous burden on the
corporation and it would enter very largely
into the breaking up OF the system which
has been adopted and which has worked
very Efficiently 10 TO the present time and
will be continusd. think, with the per
mission Of this Legislature, and the ex
pense would be very large. The practice
Of the Boston & Mime Road has been al
iuded to. 1t has come witEia my personal
knowledge that the employees of the
Boston & Maine Road who raceive their
weekly pay under the laws of Massachusett.
have seriously protested weekly to the pay
master against receiving thei, wages, ssy.
irg that they did rot want them then. that
. hol rtk r,l,o tt,axy U
and were ursble to accomplish tha. which
they would under the monthly system. and
have known cases where the corporation
has had TO send gu. to its employees and
beg them to return their checks to the pay.
master or have them csshed a. the banks,
so that they could check up their accounts
SO it seems to me. Mr.. Speaker and gen.
tlemeu of the House, that without permit
ting sny corresponding benefits this would
be an act Of injustice snd without warrant
under the premises The,spp,icAtion was
said TO sIpIy on4y to Wsterville That il
in the lire Of class legislation. 1t would
bresk in upon department covering some
700 miles in this and other e,ates and
would not be productive OF sny good. and !
hope, gentlemen of the Houee, that the
msj ,ri'y report Of the committee will be
sustained.
Mr.. Hsm--Mr. Speaker and gentlemen
The gentle man from Portland, for whom |
have great respect, must have had q mis-
understanding of the evidence in the case
The honorable gentleman came in the re
snd knew Of only one man who asked 70,
Lis pay. 10 not think tia. any Of US
could have doubted him for moment
10 o
Maize are so uneasy il is strange tina. We
who rfad the daily papers should hsve
heard of no complaint Of .Eeir having
money in their hands. never before in
my life heard of any holy making that
complaint The Msine Central Rsilro adj
sgrees ard all sgree that ssli-pre servatiou
il The srss rule. They have m an,hs' wases
in their hands. don't know What The pay.
roll OF the Marie Central Railroad il, bu;
you can imagine hat /. is. At our station
ttey take more freight aud passengers thu
at mast ady country village on the line end
they mus be mshirg something or they
would not be running this road. They are
getting interest on the money Of these men
and it doesn't belorg 10 them. II they
propose in s.n etity the kindness which they
do to these men i the shop at Wsterville,
Why c0H'f they do ii? It was said in
the PAPER. that Mr.. Tucker hai been con-
sidering this very question. don. know.
Papers are not always correct, perhaps,
any more than the res. of Us. Nav use
these men well and you will in turn End
them working with will and with interest
You will remnm Der that even tho savage
will rot forget his benef.cto-. Isppesi 10
these railroad men to grant this little re-
quest here TO-DAY. ard yon will win q
brighter laurel ard wear brighter crown
than sEy railrosd ma ayers in the State or
ration ever wore. The amendment intro
dIced by the senator from Kennebec pro-
videi thai this Law shall apply OILY to shops
employing % men or more. Nos
if they have not psymasters or
clerks whom they can trust with
a for,pisht's pay, they had better turn them
RICH. off. I know our station master can
be trust, Il. ard have every reason to be-
lisve that these clerks and gentlemen ave
as honorable ard :rustv orthy as a,y 10 thl,
State. There is DO reason Why they can't
have their morey here for those men snd
that is part what This says. Wien we vote
on substituting the minority report for tina.
Of the majority we want TO understand.
gentlemen, that it Doesn't pertain to the
whole line snd is only an amendment to
pay in those shops employing % men or
more. / move, Mr.. Speaker. tina. The