Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-02
STATE HOUSE.
Report Of Committee or Uni
formity Of Legislation.
Recommends Important Charge in
Maine Standard Insurance Policy.
Pension Agent E. l. MiiIiken Makes
Report for Year.

hon. CndrleS Il. [ LlDDy, Portland
| Hon. F. M. Higgins, Limerick, and
Hon. II. e. Hamlin, Ellsworth, acting
as committee for the promation of
uniformity of legislation in the United
States, have made their fourth biennial
report to the Governor.
| The report urges the passage of the
| Negotiable instruments Acts which
was presented to the last Maine Legis-
| lature and referred to the coming Leg
| islature. They state that since their
| last report the act has been adopted by
| Pennsylvania, Arizona, Ohio, New Jer-
| sey and Iowa. 1t had been previously
adopted by is states and territories
| The commissioners callsattention to
| the bill to establish uniform law in
! relati to insurance policies. They
say that the act of 1895 took away from
| the Insured in Maine many of their
| rights and they recommend the pass
age of the following law which they
saywill restore those rights:
Section l. No policy of insurance
shall be rendered invalid by reason of
any statement, representation or war
ranty, made by the insured, unless the
same shall be material to the risk, or
made with intent to defraud.
Section 2. NO policy of insurance
shall contain any condition, provision
or agreement, which shall directly or
indirectly deprive the insured or the
beneficiary of the right to trial by jury
on any question of fact arising under
/ said policy, and all such conditions,
provisions or agreements shall be void.
Section 3. This act shall apply to
certificates of fraternal and mutual
benefit associations as well as to all
other forms of insurance.
Section 4. All acts and parts of acts
inconsistent herewith are hereby re-
pealed."
The commissioners say that the act
of 1895 deprived the insured of the right
of trial by jury but left the insurance
companies free to have recourse to the
courts when they deemed such protec-
ton for their own interests. They say:
In view of these facts the commission
ers on uniformity of laws deem some
remedial legislation necessary to meet
the unusual exemptions which insur-
ance companies have secured for them
selves in Maine and other states
The report says that fire insurance
companies are the only corporations
which have received the exceptional ia
vor at the hands of the Legislature of
being exempted from constitutional
provisions as to jury trials in civil
suits so far as questions of damages
are concerned, although other corpora.
lions would gladly participate in the
exemption.
Col. E. G. Milliken, State pension
agent, has submitted his annual report
to the Governor and Council. From
this report it is learned that there are
now persons in the pension roll from
35S cities, towns and plantations. Ger
tifiCates have been issued at the rate
of 81 per month to 1888; IS per month
to 191; 81 per month to 642: S. per
month to u; Sc per month to 1913, and IS
per month to SO.
The appropriation for the year 1902
was $4,000. The distribution by coun-
ties was as follows:
Androscoggin. $685.; Aroostook, s345O;
Cumberland, s1O,92S;3 Franklin, $2274;
Hancock, $4236; KenEebec, $S514; KNOX,
$391S; Lincoln. $685.; oxford, S5196;
Penobscot, $a126; Plscataquis, $500;
Sagadahoc, $3216 Somerset, $43O2;
W. luo, &ooOp, WdSHlllStOT S4ZIo, 1OfK
So954: total, $19,6S6.
The invalids are as follows: 35 be :
| tween so and IS years of age; 30S be-
tween IS and 60 years of age; 1893 be-
tween GO and IS years of age; 261 be-
tween 6E and 10 years of age; 172 be-
tween 70 and IS years of age; 92 be-
tween rs and so years of age; 46 be-
| tween so and IS years of age; 16 bet
! tween SIS and 80 years of age; invalids
war with Spain.
The following widows received State
| aid: 3 between % and 80 years of age;
| 5 between so and 35 years of age; IA be-
tween 35 and 40 years of age; 81 be-
| tween 40 and 45 years of age; GA be-
| tween As and 30 years age; 116 between
| 30 and 30 years of age; 1863 between So
and 60 years of age; 157 between 60 and
65 years of age: 140 between So and 20
years of age; 1913 between 20 and rs
years of age; 81 between IS and SO
years of age: 20 between so and So
years of age; between IS and 80 years
of age.
| The mothers are as follows: 2 be-
| tween 10 and rs years of age: between
| 70 and so years of age; II between so
and So years of age; 10 between So and
80 years of age; between 80 and 95
years of age: 2 between IS and 100 years
of age.
There was one mother on the roll
who died in October last, aged 102
years. The oldest mother now living
on the rolls is now nearly 9S years OF
age.
| There is one father between IS and 50
years of age, between IS and 80, and
one who is nearly 80 years of age.
| The summary is as follows: 1867 inva-
| lids, 1926 widows. As mothers, 10 fathers,
| Is sisters, II sons, q daughters. Total
229S
| Col. E. C. Stevens has employed four
extra men for the winter, as follows.
John P. Forrest, electrician. Mr.. Forrest
| has been in the employ of the Kennebec
| Light & Heat Co for some time. La
borers Josiah Weymouth, Litchfeld
Dearborn Longfellow and Louis Butler
| Augusta.
The following companies have filed ar
| ticles of incorporation at the office of tn,
secretary of State:
A. E. Stearns & Co., organized at Rum
f4Nr~ Nj lie. for ~ s