The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-05-06
HOT DEBATE In SENATE
SENATOR BROWN STANDS BY the
WAGE EARNER.

Foreign Attachment Bill Defended by Sem
tors Warner and Keeler--"No Honest
Laborer Can Object to Its Provisions"
| Saws the Observation-Disclosures Asked
to Protect Their Customers.
In the senate yesterday the resolution
appointing joint committee consisting
of one senator and eight representatives
| to investigate the charges against the
state prison authorities came from the
house and was concurred in. A discus
sion arose as to whom of the senators
should be O. member of the committee.
Senator Brown said that as the inquiry
was to be thorough and complete he
moved that Senator Warner be appoint
ed. The latter pleaded previous engage
ments and an abundance of work re-
quiring his attention as an excuse for
not serving on the committee, and sug-
gested the name of Senator Lounsbury,
chairman of the joint prison committee,
and moved for his appointment, The
motion was carried.
The committee on railroads reported
favorably on amending the charter of
the Mexican International Railroad
company.
The senate concurred In passing the
resolution relating to the payment OF
the bills for work done on the New Ha-
ven and the Waterbury armories; also
in passing the resolution making Z. "A.
Johnson justice of the peace OF East
Haven, his name having been omitted
from the list; also in recommitting the
bill requiring cashiers or secretaries of
corporations whose stock is taxable to
notify assessors in all towns of stock
holders residing therein.
On motion of Senator Gay the bill re-
lating to the bonds of savings bank Off
Gals was tabled This bill came from
the house rejected.
The time for considering the order of
| the day having arrived, the substitute
for house bill 147, an act concerning eX-
emptions from foreign attachment, was
taken up The bill was favorably re-
ported by the Judiciary committee and
passed in the house last week, amended
by substituting $15 for SO and $40 for Sc.
kotudlOl " al lltl SeiiN, IL otpPSit VI
the position taken by the judiciary
committee, that there had been no OBJ
lection to the bill by the men whom the
opponents would have you think they
were favoring. 1t was not in the minds
of the judiciary committee to pass any
law that would be oppressive to the Ia
boring man. Owing to the system of
weekly payments, and the operations of
the present factorizing law, there had
grown up a widespread evil. Men were
deprived from their just dues from the
| wage workers, It had been urged be-
fore the committee that the republican
party could not afford to pass this bill.
This weak argument had not been con-
sidered for one minute,
Senator Warner said that the $40 per
week exemption did not work hardship
on the man of family who only received
$40 or SIS per week, for when the ex-
emption was deducted there would be
so little left for the creditor that he
would not attempt to collect the bill.
The lawyer and the constable would
take the balance.
The men who get eight or ten dol
| lars per week pay their bills. It was
/ W lteiCll Tile lleil WHO Stt lNtliLy -llNti
thirty and even fifty dollars per week
and who do not pay their bills that the
bill should be passed,
Senator Plimpton could see no need
of changing the law, Besides working
a hardship to the laboring class it
would be a great nuisance to the manu-
| facturers.
| Senator Warner replied that he was
| glad to hear Senator Plimpton advance
the argument he did. He had let the
cat out of the bag. This $50 exemption
was in the interest of the manufactur-
ers.
| Senator Plimpton said that this was
all news to him. If the old law was in
the interest of the manufacturer he had
never taken advantage of 1t. He was
sure the present bill was in the interest
of the lawyer and the constable.
| Senator Brown said:
Mr. President and Senators:
| The Importance of this bill demands our
| careful attention, inasmuch as it concerns
directly very large and respected class of
| our community. 1t does not relate espe-
clally to the property rights of the lawyer,
| the physician, the farmer or the merchant,
but 1t is direct legislation upon the subject
| of the wages of the working man. II in eff
| feet reduces the present fifty dollar exemp-
| ton of wages from attachment to ten dol
| lars.
AS result of my own Investigation of
this matter, I have reached the conclusion
| that the bill ought never to pass In Its pres
ent form. | am too Jealous of my party to
willingly allow it to do 50 great injustice to
/ the workingman, and ! think too much of
those men who are the bone and sinew of
the country, every one of whom Ia indeed a
producer, to remain silent and allow this
to become law without my protest. | am