Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-11

and that is their position here todRy.
1t is not the interest OF the people OF
this State that the senators represent
who made this unanimous report II
was not the people of the State of
Maine who appeared before that COM
nittee at its hearing. Not q single
interest vital to the people of the State
of Maine was represented, but from
Massachusetts and New York came
down these representatives. of great
corporations and they demanded that
we keep this arbitration clause in our
statute books. The lawyers who APP
peared upon the other side did not APP
> pear as lawyers. Every other lawyer
| who appeared there had some individ-
| ual case or grievance and appeared as
attorney for himself or for his clients.
the people of the State of Maine. l
am just as much of a crank, if you so
| choose to call it, as the senator from
Knox on this question, and if you want
the question to be submitted fairly
| and squarely and to vote TO deprive the
people of the right of jury trial, you
| have got it here now once and for all
1 hope when the vote is taken on this
| question, it may be taken by yeas and
nays, and | move that it be SO taken
|
of Maine may know where their SEN
ators stand upon this question.
| Mr.. BURNS of Cumberland: Mr..
President, the senator from Somerset
wishes to know why the committee re-
ported unanimously on this bill, ought
not to pass. For one l can tell him.
Who petitioned for repeal of this law?
| Was there single individual outside
of the lawyers in the State OF Maine?
| II so, | did not know il. There has
not to my knowledge been a single per-
son who has petitioned for the change
of this law. During the past eight
years. | have Travelled in every county
| in the State of Maine; and as this sub
Ject had been previously agitated. I
| have taken considerable pains to make
| inquiry as to whether the law was
working satisfactorily or not. With
| the exception of perhaps half dozen
| lawyers and one newspaper corresnon-
dent, [ have never found any person
| to raise an objection to this law They
are satisfied with it.
The gentleman has referred to me as
general agent of the New York Life.
That is true. This bill, however. does
not affect me at all, because the New
York Life Insurance Company issues
policies that are incontestable from
the date of issue, so that it does not
affect my business in one way or the
other. | have no interest in fire insur-
ance except to buy policy; so that if
the gentleman from Somerset wants
to buy policy with no arbitration or
litigation, he should buy it from the
New York Life.
Mr.. GOODWIN of Somerset: I shall
do ST. because there is no arbitration.
Mr.. BURNS of Cumberland: Except
from the Senator from Knox l have
never heard the honesty or the in
teSrity of cur insurance commissioner
called in question. If he is such man
as is described by the Senator from
Knox, he should be removed at once,
and II there is not an honest man in
the Republican party 1 will advise
them to go to Knox county and secure
the Senator from Knox 10 fill the place.
Mr.. CLARK of Hancock: Mr. Presi-
dent. am surprised that the Senator
from Penobscot takes the position he
does. He says that the people of this
State ask for this matter to be re-
tanned upon the statute books. The
committee seized the bill by force from
the Committee on Judiciary to which it
was sent for the purpose of testing its
constitutionality the Senator from
Penobscot himself, personally made a
canvas upon this floor and asked that
1t be taken to the Committee on In
surance. l do not always take stock In
what L hear in private. But the gem
tleman from Penobscot, Mr. Stetson,
told me in private that he thought this
statute should be abolished: and he
should probably so report l am sur
prised at the position of the Senator
from Androscoggin, Mr.. Wing. who
says, 1T is a speedy and satisfactory
method of adjusting a loss" Why.
gentlemen, that is what they say in the
South when they hang negro. That
is their excuse. They ask to be let
alone. That is all Jeff Davis asked
for 1 am not speaking in the interest
of the legal profession, or in the inter-
est of getting more business but am
speaking in the interests of poor men.
because the test of strength of n
chain is its weakest link. The fest NJ
any legislation is it's effect upon the
poorest citizen who invokes protection.
Mr.. GARDNER of Penobscot: Mr.
President, do not propose to take the
time OF the Senate in discussion of this
matter. one feature of it appeals to
me. So long as it is the policy of this
state to appoint on joint standing com
mlttees men of intimate knowledge of
the subjects to be treated in such
committees l hope the assumntion
will not gain ground that the mem
bers of such committees will not no
able to rise above their self interest suf
hciently to give an unbiased Judgment
on any matter before them; and | hope
any senator who has minated such
an idea will qualify his remarks SO
mat that IDEA will not gain ground
through mistake.
The question being put upon the mo-
ton of Mr.. Clark, to substitute the bill
Tor the report of the committee, the
yeas and nays We're ordered.
Those voting yea were Messrs. Al
Gen. Buck, Burleigh, Clark, Dudley,
Goodwin, Guernsey, Maddocks. Pierce.
Pike, Rankin. Staples of Knox UD.
Those voting nay were Massrs.
Burns, Currier.- Gardner, Philbrook.