Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-03-14
The Garnishment Bill.

Chas. Diehl, Secretary of the Gamer
on county business mems association
attended the meeting at Harrisburg
last Thursday, comprising large num-
her of business men from all sections
of the state. The delegates appeared
before the House of Representatives
Judiciary General Committee, urging
the passage Of the Garnishment Bill,
presented by the retail dealers of the
state. Mr.. Ii. d. Burlingame of
Altoona formerly a resident and ma
tive of Cameron county, made the
leading address on behalf of the asso-
citation. We are permitted to publish
Mr.. BIS address, viz:
represent the Merchants and Business Mems
Association of the City Of Altoona. Our citizens
are represented in your honorable body by w ii.
Irwin. Our city has about $4,000 population
consisting largely of mechanics and iaborers in
the employ of the Penna. II. Il. They receive
their pay once month. AS the average laborer
spends his money soon after receiving 1t these
pay-days being so far apart there is a big de-
mand for credit.
These coLdItlons have forced us to the much
deserved, but most unenviable reputation, of
being q great credit town. Where there is much
credit given in business there is correspondingy
much loss. The losses of the retail merchants of
our city by dishonest customers aioneis estimat-
ed at $50, 900 per year.
The loss is not only direct loss to the mer-
chant but loss to the honest laborer who pays
his bills. The merchant who sells for cash un-
derses the merchant who gives credit, hence
the laborer who has to have credit is obliged to
pay more for his goodsto In part repay the losses
You might work out theory that the credit
merchant gets enough more than the cash nler-
chant for his goods TO pay for the losses sustain
ed by the credit system.
1t is a condition not theory that confronts us
but if this theory be true then the honest wage
Garner has to pay the entire amount lost by
merchants in their dealings with his dishonest
co-worker. Human nature issaid to be the same
the world over.
The laws OF cause an effect, supply and de-
mand. of nature, and of health, are the same,
and bring he same results in Maine as in Cali
fornia, in Ohio as in Pennsylvania.
Garnishee laws that have produced good re-
suits in other states will bring good results in
Penna. The secretary of the Ohio State Board
of Commerce, in speech before the Penna.
State Board of Trade in this city, few months
ago, said 1t was estimated that "a million dollars
had been saved to merchants in his state since
the passage of the garnishee bill. This bill zoe
are asking u0u to consider and make q ldLC II IS
intended to protect the merchant, help make
men honest, and not cripple the wage Garner in
supporting himself and family. The moral effect
as has been proven in Ohio will De greater than
the amount of collections to be computed in dol
lars and cents.
With such law upon our statue books employ
honest debts rather than be annoyed by attach
ment proceeding. Wage earners will, at least,
arrange to pay the small amount of 10 per cent.
on their Obligations rather than to bear the extra
expense Of legal proceeding and the personal enl-
barrassment caused by the same.
correspondent TO the Grocery World has this
to say ufa similar law which was recently enact
ed in New York State:
"Grocers and market men have invoked the
garnishee law against so many employees i'll the
various city departments of New York and
Brooklyn that Comptroller Metz is losing pat
ience with the dead BEATS" as he describes the
delinquent debtors. He has accordingly sent a
circular letter to departments calling cir atten-
ton to the subject. He says that the extra work
OF making deductions from the salaries of the
employees in order to satisfy the claims OF the
tradesmen is adding unduly to the burdens of the
finance department and he ask seach department
| head to warn employees to pay up run the risk
| oflosing their JOBS.
Comptroller NJ etZ is a man of determined
| character and is noted for the vigor with which
| he has attacked a number of abuses in municipa.
| business. The way that the garnlshee law oper
| ates in this case bears out the prediction OF
prominent grocers, made when the act was pass
| ed. Since the law has gone into effect it has
| been said that its greatest benefits are in its
deterrent effects because employees are not like
| ly to try to beat the grocer II they know that
their employer does not like to be forced into the
| position of a collection agency"
All merchants are reasonable and considerate
| Competition in business alone g sufficient
! guarantee to the unfortunate tbr hey will moi
| be oppressed by such a law. merchants
| success depends upon fair tr' = to his Gus
| toners. The Penna. Stat e<fTrade The
| State Retail MerchantF -ation, every com
| mercial organization state, every merch
ant, every honest iarner demands this Law
| and are represente-. before you to-day. is there
| single reason why you should not make
| favorable report upon this bill and give 1t you
| active support until it is made law?