Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-27
AUGUSTA MAINE. FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 27 1891

\ it should be recommitted to tha,
committee and the whole matter
examined by them. and then they viii b
able to present the matter precisely - the
Senator from Kennebec asks, and then We
shall know what we are voting upon.
Mr.. HaireeEvidently ] have not made
myself understood, yet. The committee
did not have the bill in the new
draft before them which 10 part cf
Senate Document No. ll5. II the
Senator from Somersst will examine his
papers he Will ind that the minority report
of this committee was that the bill should
pass in . new draft. That new draft 10
made on that page, and the amendment
which was offered yesterday vas offered
for the very purpose that the senator might
understand this question today and
| ii vas printed - amend
ment "A". do not cay this matter
Vas not considered by the committee.
said the proposition of new dsafs clearly
| and distinctly vas not before them. How
the men worked at waterville was con.
| sidered, and also all the testimony and the
mittee wss on that point. or principally
from the Representatives OF the
| there ut that time, that they ssrenuously
objected, and hoped, after that it would
be adjusted by consent, and went to these
men and asked them il they wouldn't pay
these men once fortnight, and cav some
I>Hs skAs~ >uA NhNx.
| said they thought they would. II was
only objected to in the committee
on the ground Of precedent as agreed here
today which submit 10 no proper consid-
Grafton. II the senator from Somerset
find it is fairly before the Senate
the minority report, and the amendment,
which l stated l should offer to
the new draft, amendment "a" 1t
caa never have any more intelligent con-
siderstion than it can have before this body.
Mr.. StewArt-lf this matter is. as the
senator from Kennebec has stated, about to
be settled by the employees and managers
Of that railroad company, why are We called
upon at this time 10 lesislate upon 1t. II
the matter is to be adjusted outside Of these
halls, why 10 II brought in here At all?
Why does it come here at this time when
the senator states that he has been between
these parties and that he has nearly accom-
piished an arrangement! Because that
was virtually his statement. l hope this
matter will not be recommitted to the COM
mittee. As stated before. it has
not been considered by the COM
mittee. And right here let me ex-
plain. The senator from Kennebec
would convey the impression that l
have misrepresented facts, not intention
ally, but his argument would convey that
impression. The hearing before the com,
mittee in relation to these two witnesses Of
whom spoke was simply this One man
went to the corporation, to . clerk, to see
if he could get his pay. He said he had
been at work three or four days for the
company. He said he was feeling badly
for want Of money when he went to work
he said he was not fit to work--said he was
in "hArd box" and went to the company
to get some money. The msn's counte-
nance probably showed to the managers
that he was in "hard box" l submit
TO the senator from Kennebec, II
his hearing in the committee room
would not bear out the statement that the
man needed money at that time as badly rs
he ever needed it, and If he had got it at
that time he would probably never have
worked in the chops again. They a.ked il
he wanted it to pay his bills. buy clothing,
pay his board or for any legitimate purpose
and be said he didn't tell them what he
wanted it for. He simply wanted it. What
was the fair Inference from that statement,
and he 10 brought in here and held up as
an instance that the company would not
pay, il asked. In the case Of the other
man, whose wife died, he was Frenchman
and could not talk any English. How many
Of the senators here have employed French
men who could not talk English3 For
series Of years, have employed these men
ard know that an interpreter for the
for the Frenchmen will lie nine times out
of ten when brought up to interpret. The
people in the shops knew the Interpreter
would lie for they had had experience,
wouldn't trust an interpreter half 50 far as
/ would the Frenchmsn himself, because it
is for the interest Of the interpreter to lie,
and when the interpreter told the manager
of that shop-of course he could have
Investigated the matter for himself-that
the mans wife was dead, and that he want.
ed the money to bury her with, it didn't
follow at sll that such was the fact.
say he might have Investigated
and might have paid that money.
believe the Maine Central should
have advanced the money to that man
which he did not receive, but why? Sim
ply because he could not understand the
method that the officer proposed to him for
getting this money. |. was q misundsr
standing resulting from the fac. that the
two men could not understand each other
in common language. The Frenchman
did not understand that he could get his
money by taking bill Of his time and
leaving the employ Of the company. The
paymsster of the company was before US
and submitted the fact that he might have
had his money, that the corporation would
have paid it il he had understood whst he
wanted. The senator from Kennebec Gays
there 10 no evidence that shows these men
Can get their money without great deal of
tfouble. The psymaster OF the corporation
stated in the committee that sny man in the
employ Of the shops at Waterville could
have his money every Saturday IL he
wanted it, or every day for that matter
| submit that the corporation is ready and
willing 10 pay these men their money, and
thst there il no necessity for this lie egisiAtion,
and think the very arguments of the SEN
ator from Kennebec are the greatest srgu.
men.s in favor of election Of this minor
ity report. with or withou. the amendment,
and the adoption of the ms ority report.
As member Of the committee, do not
want this matter recommitted to il.
believe We can consider it right here and
pass upon it more intelligently than it Can
be passed upon in The committee, or after
The committee has again reported 1t.
MIR. Hsines--I have nothing to say par
ticulsriy about the class Of men who went
before the committee. Mr.. Jones, q rep
resentative Of these $50 men, the man who
ran against me for the seat occupy, q
hi2h-minded man, . man who has the re-
spect of the Democratic party of this State.
| said tbs. be could not get his money unless
the managers Of the company thought it
vas necessary. Are you going TO place
restrictions upon employees Of railroads
different from those of other men? fyou
run mill and employ Ffsnchmen, do you
ask them il they need money. or do you
comply with the law of 1887 and pay them
Mr.. SsewaYt-I pay them at the end Of
the season under q contract.
EMr. Hsines--If your men demand their
money once q fortnight the Law says
you shall pay them. What right should a
| big concern have IS a matter of Law. which
you do not enjoy yourself? Is the Msins