The Portland daily press., 1901-01-30
Other Proposes Uniform
Divorce Law.
Gov. Powers Loan Order Held
Up by Mr.. Pattangall.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRzs&.l

Augusta, January 29.-Two bills recon-
mended by the commissioners to secure
uniformity of legislation among thS
states were the subjects of hearings he.
fore the judiciary committee this after
noon. In support Of the first there wal
present, besides members of the Maine
commission, a large representation OF the
state bankers association. This is the
bill in relation to negotiable instruments,
used in banking and merchantiIe tran.
sactions.
lion. Charles f Libby. president oil
the Maine commission, addressed the
committee. first recalling the history OF
the negotiable instruments acts passed by
the commissioners on uniformity of lsgis-
lation in 1895. Since 1850 there has been
such law in Great Britain and 1t has in
that time stood the test OF the courts,
The system Is a tribute to the genius OF
Lord Mansfield In making a law to cover
the usages of merchants. The American
commissioners, with the example OF the
English law before them. appointed a
W uDhA WIN TINS Ad0oeAbh
of negotiable Instruments, and in their
task had the assistance OF an expert, MIR.
J. j. Crawford of the New York bar. 1t
will be found that the existing laws OF
the states, while they differ In minor
particulars agree on the general. underly-
ing principles. The act was under dis
ussion for several years and was con-
sldered sention by section finally taking
the shape rsDorted by the conference
The American act has been examined by
some OF those who took part In the franz
ing OF the English act and they have said
that where slight changes were made they
thought that this American act was an
improvement on the English. 1t Is hard
to find a subject OF legislation SO free
from local interests as this. 1t is as broad
as the land and sir. Libby expressed the
hops that Maine with her motto "Diri-
go'' would not lag behind In the adoption
of the bill.
During the hearing, there was consider
able discu ssion of the objections to the
bill made by Professor Ames, dean of the
Harvard Law school, which have been
answered by Judge brewster and which
are not considered by the commissioners
as we'll taken.
The law has been enacted in Connecti-
out, Colorado, Florida, New York, Mass
achusetts, Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina. District of Columbia (by Con-
gressl, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oregon,
Washington. Utah, North Dakota and
Rhode Island. The Judiciary committees
of over twenty states have recommended
the law. MIR. John J. Crawford 10 q let
ter to Mr.. Libby wrote that during the
four years the law has been In operation
In New York only once have Its pTovislon
been carried to the upper courts and in
that case the law was upheld, the court
dc claring that its meaning was perfectly
plain and intimatlng that the case woul1
nsver have been brought had IL not been
for the subtleties OF some lawyers mindR.
The act has been recommended for
in Pennsylvania by the Bar
Association of Philadelphia and 1t Is now
before the legislature OF Illinois. The
judiciary committees body of lawyers
and Mr.. Libby debated the provisions OF
The act at grea length with reference to
their bearing on existing law. MIR. Libby
urged that the act should BIS adopted in
It's entirety. He said that no doubt MEM
bers Of the committee might see points In
the law which in their opinion might be
better expressed but 1t was the object of
The act to secure uniformity of legislation
and minor considerations should not be
allowed to stand In the way OF the attain
neut of that object.
Mr.. Alvah Irowbridge, the president
II the Ninth National BANK OF New York,
md also president of the National Bank |
RS association was then introduced and |
poke to the committee concerning the |
confusion which arose under the old sys. |
EN- when there were many conflicting |
avs. The real interest In this uniformi-
y of laws is that Of the merchant, the
armer, the lumberman who makes q
tote or holds one, but the bankers had
Undergone the worry, trouble and vsxa-
ion. To illustrate his position, Mir.
referred TO the varying laws
n reference to days of gracs, to the
Methods Of payment when instruments
all due on holidays, and TO other partic-
liars. The man In Augusta whe places
draft In local bank does NOS under.
tand the laws OF other states lie AK
,ects to return when he would get 1t un-
Ter this Maine law. Perhaps his security
$ just as good bat his business arrange
nents are dfstuPhad nv kha oraratton of
avs with which be Is not familiar. The
III fills want long felt by the banker,
whose yexatious and At times. losses due
o tine lack OF uniformity Of the laws have
ead him to feel the need of such IegisIa.
ION.
Hon. Herbert NJ. Heath also spc Ike In
Import OF the measure, abiding to it as