The Portland daily press., 1899-02-03
TRANSFERABLE MILEAGE.
Supporters Of Measure at Work in
Earnest.
LEGISLATURE AT LAST HAS REAL
FIGHT on ITS HANDS.
The Abuse Of the Disclosure Commits
ssoner Law Gets an Airing I'm the
Houss--AAverso Report on Morey
Insurance Bill.


Houss--AAverso Report on Morey
Insurance Bill.
IsFKcIAL TO THE PREss.l
Augusta, February :. There is q great
lining up of forces in anticipation of
a fight over the proposition to make the
mileage books Of Maine railways trans
ferahle 90 that any person may present
such o book and have the coupons ao-
cepted by the conductor. This morning
| Representative Gardiner Of Patten, who
introduced the first bill, and others in
terested, called q meeting and there was
session Of about 90 or 80 members who
discussed the steps to be taken. In
view of this action, the Vermont law
which was to hare been introduced today
did not make Its appearance. A new bill
will bs prepared embodying the essential
| features Of the Vermont act and on this
measure the fight will he made. 1t was
said this morning that 30 or 60 members
| of the House had already entered In the
campaign. Petitions are being general
| Iy circulated In the state and letters have
also been prepared to explain the pur-
pose of the movement. The travelling
men are interested as was explained in to-
days PRESS. but they are not alone in
the movement.
On the other hand, the railroads will
make an active opposition, claiming
| that the business in Maine does not war
rant the radical reduction In fares which
the bill would bring about because
system of transferable mileage books at
two cents mile rate would naturally
very materially reduce the sale of tickets
| of other kinds. Tno railway representa-
tiyes explain that such u reduction has
been In contem plntion, but that the time
has not yet come to bring 1t about. Boz
| instance it is said that on the Maine Gen.
| tral in order to meet modern conditions.
the road must make as 1t has bean max
ing, extensive improvements in Its road
bed. Then there are several expensive
stations which must soon be erected,
Including that at Brunswick for which
the contracts have been let. When Hon.
George p. Wescott of Portland was here
| Yesterday, he "a iked with Mr.. ManleS
and the railroad attorneys and 10 Is said
that the two cent rats was one Of the
topics discussed. The springing of the
movement has put more life into the ses
sion than any thing which has happened
SO far.
THE DISCLOSURE PROCESS.
Maine lawyers made some vigorous
comments today on the proceedings be
fore disclosure commissioners. The mat
ter came before the judiciary commit
tee In two forms. One was bill TO sprc
vent disclosure commissioners from do
ing business outside their own cities ant
towns, The other was an order directing
the committee to inquire into the expe
dienoy Of amending the law so as to pro
hibit Imprisonment for debt and to Civ
to judges Of probate the power Of the dis
closure commissioners. The commitoe
did not act on ths subject
Hon. simon 5. Brown OF Waterviil
was the first speaker. He said that hi
observation had been that the chapter o
the statutes entitled one for the pro
lection of poor debtors should be called
chapter for their persecution. MIR. Brow
said that under the present law. while h
would not impung the motives of dis
closure comm issioners he was surpiise'
at some of their doings. IL seemed {
him that the object was often TO entapgl
a man and get him into Jail SO that hi
wife or his children should raise tn
money to pay the debt and the cost. Tn
legal profession, said MIR Brown, Is oalle
an honorable one, and he thought tina
the law should to so amended that th
intention of the legislature should b
carried out and the performances unde
this law stopped.
Judge Stearns, chairman of the com
mittee, said that 1t had been suggeste
In argument that young lawyers wer
dependent upon collection cases unde
the disclosure law. What do you say +
that? asked Judge Stearns.
MIR. Brown made a vigorous reply tha
il young lawyers found it necessary Q
send poor men to Jail in order to get
living, they should got into another bust
ness.
The same view was taken by Il. W
Clark, ESQ.,, of Waterville, who as
young lawyer. vigorously denounced tn
practices under the present law as per
Inicious and detrimental TO young law
yers who were parties to them.
J.. S. Williamson. Esq, of Augusta wa
of the opinion that the disclosure com
missioners were a convenience and whil
there we've features of the law which
regarded as burdensome evils CON
planned Of did not exist 50 far as Kenns