The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-06
A FIRST LIEN
For THRESHERS.
An Important Question with Our
Comments.
LAMBERT, Nov. Is, '93.
HON. 1GNATIUS DONNELLY.

LAMBERT, Nov. Is, '93.
lion. 1GNATIUS DONNELLY:
l beg your pardon for presuming on
your valuable time; but / feel that l
can trouble you with the certainty of
your ctrOpera upon a legislative
subject which is of the highest i'm
portance to myself individually and
10 all other persons owning or Operat-
ing threshing machines throuvhout
the state.
AS you no doubt know, there is no
law securing the wages and earnings
O1 thresllermen in this state, and as
consequence we threSlermen, in
most cases, are compelled to lose our
wages, our earnings. and all the heavy
expenses attending a threshing ma
chime. On the other hand there are
laws Which give the right to any in
Oivluual working for us to seize and
confiscate to their own use any per-
SOnal property Or earnings we may
nave. In the extra hard times we
are living in now, people have to
mortgage all their property, Uf course
including the crop, and, as a conse-
quence, they pay all they can on the
mortgages and there is nothing given
or left To pay the thrcslling account.
Whatarc the consequences? We pur-
chase machines at s., ,4OO in three pay
ments Of 500 with seven per cent in
terest, secured on our farms and all
loose personal property. Then we
run these machines at an average ex-
pense of $15 per day in the threshing
season; then thresh for &c. per busli-
ell for oats and barley, and &c. for
wheat; making a bare average Of SO
a day for an average of 30 days.
Then you ask a man for your legiti-
mate and hard-earned dues and you
are confronted with the reply: IL
can't pay you now; / have a certain
mortgage which l must pay first"
And as they have generally three or
Tour each you are quite certain in
hard times IT, get nothing. You will
probably advise me to sue them and
get judgment against them. Frank
ly l prefer to lose it without any
trouble as to lose it just the same
with the addition of more expenses.
because Il judgment in this part Of
the country is ABSOLUTELY WORTH
LESS, as everything is murtgaged and
kept SO, either legitimately or fraud
ulently.
Now the remedy for this is plain
enough;-a simple law which will adj
NIT of securinga Il threshing note, and
by pr. per filing to make it Il first laen
upon tue grain threshed, whether it
be mortgagcd or held by seed grain
note, will give an equal chance and
Justice in this matter. l enclose Il
thresher note drawn up by myself
which will meet the case f lacked by
proper law. | cannot see that cur
legislature cannot protect it's cOnstit-
uents as we'll as North Dakota, which
has i thrcshermen'S lien. The JUS
tice OF proper law in this matter is
as Q viOus and necessary as it is fo1
building house or railroad grade
where mechanics lien Can be had
Now, honorable sir. knowing your
influence and ability, rely on you tt
effect Il law covering this case; and
aided 10y our representative and 9th
ers Of tile party, am sure the law
will be realized.
Hoping that you can pass this law
at the winter session, 50 as to have il
! in force for the thrcshing season o1
1894, | remain most respectfully,
SAMUEL GIBEAU.