Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-26

/ FCoat;rued from LIT page
course; but mean to say i. 10 tag which
hears more dire csly upon The reor tosns
| and upoa the POOR people. vithoas regard
20 their wealth or condition. Sox It seems
so me that il IL proper and wise iessslation,
II We are going 70 have too much common
school fund.- ard shal be pleased to
see that Day srrive-I have come douoss
Of liz coming very zoou-h We
are gsing u have too much, LET
us rather rsdacs that which comes from
the per csp'ta tax. I understand there has
been bill intrcdaeed in the House 10 Gu,
il from 80 to 80. which would mske dif-
ference Of 500 COO each yssr. Let rs
rather do TIA; than to reduce this tsx whiet
comes from the entire wealth Of the State
| and ia properly devoted TO this purpose.
Therefore. Mr.. President, | hope both this
bill and the amendment will fiji of your
approval.
Mr.. Waison-It seems to me we have
hardly i;gs, enough on this question 20 act
upon = matter Of this importance as the
press D; time. We have no report yet from
the vxlusi.on commis.i,r, and while feel
the importance Of the arguments that have
been Eisds on bo.h sides. il seems to me
we should understand this matter more
fully before we proceed II act Upoc it.,
and move 1t lie upon the table, both the
bill AID the Amendment. and be sssigced
for = week .rsrs today,
| Mr.. Powerful understand the position
Of the bill, il is row under consideration,
and l. viii no, be necessary 10 assign any
time until this Ssrate decides to lay it on
the table.
| The question being put upon the molten
of the senstor from Somerset. it xss voted
! that the bill be laid OF the table.
! On motion By Mr.. Hsines of kenne-
bee. the msjsri.y AID minority reports
made by the committee on labor
As TO The foitnisbtIy payment bill
we're taken from the table
| Mr.. Hsins.-At the first of the session.
at the request of the men in the employ of
the Maine Central Railroad Company At
Watersi!le. who work in Ia, manufsctur-
ing departments in the car shops, offered
an amendment to section chapter 1874 of
the Acts and Resolves Of 1887. The
amendment WAS TO include railroad and
electric railroad companies. At the time
| offered il did not examine the question
to any extent. introduced The bill for the
purpose Of having it investigated before the
proper legislative committee. Afterwards
gave tie matter more careful considera-
ton. 1. wen. before the COM
mittee on labor. Before the committee
that question came up in just
the sense it was offered, pertaining TO
amending the statute 60 as to include rail
road companies. That. of course, would
include all the employees of all the rail
roads in this State. Examination before
the committee disclosed the fact that to
many Of our small railroads, extending
through the " ilderness, it would be great
inconvenience TO have this law applied.
1t seems The demand was principally from
the manufactu, pg depat meut, Of which
we have but one connected with this State
and tbst is az Wa.arville. The Boston &
Maine railroad, under the laws of Maesachu-
sets not only adopted fol nightly but weekly
payments, and pay their men weekly. 10
accordance with the laws of Massachusetts.
There was no new draft presented to the
committee at the time and they had really
nothing to act upon except that particular
purpose of amending the law so IS to apply
to all railroads. Representatives were
there from the Canadian Pacific, the B an
gor & Piscataquis, and the Maine Central.
II didn't appear, as understand, that there
was any objection to paying the men en-
ployed in any large aggregat.ons. There
was objection to paying the men in the
train service as it would be inconvenient
imposing duty without q corresponding
benefit to the employees The committee
so understanding it decided that the bill
ought not to pass. In that, after
considering the matter more fully they have
my approval. There was one member OF
The committee who did net agree, and he
decided TO make q minority report. and
! Intervene him and finally the bill vas re.
ported in new draft, which is the minority
report, adding to that section this ore
"And every railroad company doing bust,
ness in this State shall psy Us employees il
the same manner provided in this section
when said employees are engaged in any
manufacturing or repairing department OF
said company" Since that report was
made have talked with number of the
representatives of the different railroad
companies in the State and / did not
learn or hear OF any serious objections to
paying the shopmsn. The shopmsn al
Wsterville, thst being the large and princi
pal depar nent Of the railroads in tbi'
State, have signed the petition almost to 8
man. 1 think there are some 235 petitions
Of employees Of the Maine Central Railroad
at Waterville asking for fortnightly pay
men,s, and others coming in later. believe
there are about 2j0. These men are SINH
!srly situated to any ether manufacturer,
institution, there is no Il ference in theil
local force from the cotton and lumber
mills or any other manufacturing concern
They are stationed there. 1t is thei
permanent business. They are really in
manufacturing business although employed
by the railroad. They market at theiI
home; they are obliged TO use their money
to buy their provisions, groceries and al
they have TO buy 2t some regular and stated
place. and il they can have their money
onCa fortnight inste ad of once month
it is worth great deal to them 1t would
not impo.e any considerable expense Of
trouble to the Maine Central Railtosd Co
They said they didn't want il, as / under
stand, on ace junt of the precedent it nigh
establish. do no. think tina. is proper
consideration II IT is right for ,ham t.
receive their pay fortnightly, they shoult
receive it withou. reference TO any othe.
body of men. Les; it do injIstic TO som,
of The small railroads, and as tn,
law is intended to apply to th'
principal establishment in the State o.
Maine, tbi, am sndment is offered. pro
pose 10 offer An amendment which wa
placed in my hsuds this morning by {
prominent attorney. have msde it mors
broad and liberal thsn he asked for. 1t i
not my purpose to benefit any body at III,
!, expense of another, don't desire to d,
anything at the expense of the railroads il
this State. am not an enemy to rail
rosda in any sense. | ask this as a reason
! able proposition to the laboring men il
: this State whom it effects. If no: reasons
. bic DO not ask it. The amendment tha.
offer ard wish you TO understand this il
voting upon which report you will sccep,
is This, and every railroad doiEs
business in this State having more than 2
persons employed in any one place or ca
, department, phail pay employees etc. in tn
1 -yovideJ in thin 7