Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-08-19
LOOKING AT THE DEBIT SIDE.
How Different States Of the Union
Protect the Debtor.

A century ago person might spend
the best years 81 his lifc In the
debtors prison for lack Of a little
ready cash. Today tho debtor Is
given a chance 10 pull himself out Of
the financial mire.
There is no uniform law which
provides for his protection. a. each
state differs IN this respect. and the
farther vest be goes the more chance
The debtor has " regalnlng bis bush
ness credit. There are few people
nowadays who believe that II Is a
debtors duty 20 cripple himself lor
ever BY giving up his last cent % hls
creditors.
Alaska. although not generally
noted for rs piety, exempts a seat or
pew In church from seizure. perhaps
because Of their scarcity IN the terri.
tory. In that territory, also. your
creditors must leave you either a yoke
81 oxen, span 81 horses. two rein.
deer. or SIX dogs. n you are a farmer
IN Alaska, your homestead, 10 the
extent OF sixty acres, valued a. not
moro than $500. Is exempt. Nothing
Is said about tho farm products Of
Alaska.
Arizona II more careful Of the safe.
~ Of her gifizcng, and among the first
Of the articles exempt from seizure
are a, shotgun and a rife. A man
without hls "shoOilDglrons" III Ari-
zona Is poor indeed. Even the law
recognizes them as among the bare
neccssarlcs Of life But Arizona g.
not only solicltoug Of the safety Of
her citizens, but also looks out for
their interests In the finer things Of
life. The sheriff cannot take your
piano IN Arizona. II rs exempt from
execution.
Iowa allows even larger arma-
ment than Arizona. There the insol-
vent debtor Is allowed 20 keep a mus.
ket, rife, and shotgun, while bis
spiritual welfare Is also protected by
the exemption OF his church pow.
Montana laconIcaIly exempts ono
gun, and allows the debtor 70 select
HIS fayorite weapon, while in Oregon
nc can have "onc revolving pistol,
also rife, and q shotgun" provided
he is a male citizen over sixteen
years Of age. The law apparently
recognizes that a man Is OF age IN
Oregon as soon as he can shoot.
Tennessee allows one gun 10 every
male citizen over eighteen years Of
age, and every female Of whatever
age who f. the head Of family.
Texas allows "one gun" irrespective
Of age or sex Of the wcarer or the
kind Of weapon. The Law recognizes
that a gun Of some kind is Dcceg-
sary article Of wearing apparel FOR
everybody IN Texas.
Eastern culture is cxeInpllfed IN
the Connecticut law, which exempts a
library TO the value Of $500. The
Connecticut law contains long list
Of exemptions, and Is a reflection of
conditions In Colonial times. There
the sheriff must leave the debtor two
swine and two hundred pounds of
pork, one COW and ten sheep, twenty
five bushels Of charcoal, two tons Of
coal, two hundred pounds Of wheat
-four, two tons Of hay. two cords Of
wood, and two hundred pounds Of
fish. Some Of the other states also
make similar exemptions.
The character Of the state rs usu-
ally indicated by the nature Of the
articles exempted. Thus IN the sea
board states a fsherman's boats and
nets are usually free from execution,
while in the mining states the sheriff
cannot touch a miners tools or his
cabin, and in the purely agricultural
states the list Of exemptions in
Guides a certain quantity Of land and
all the implements and stock neces-
sary TO work 10 10 the best advantage.
In most Of the Southern and West.
ern states, where, as rule, the
debtor class is IN control Of the law
making machinery, the exemption IL
comparatively high. while in the East
ern states, where the money-ieneerr
control more or less the 1awmaking
4ho oxarnuffou * much forvor