Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-03

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...,oned at the second hearing and
: ~ n stubborn fight lasting all winter
ss,a after the corporations had become
convinced that we would win we sue
ceaded in getting a report from the
so1nmittee. The House and Senate
.s.da short work of enacting the mea-
s,,,e and it will go into effect Jan. l,
1910.
hotween employers and employees that
sbould be of benefit to the labor people,
no,x that we have an employers liabil-
, ,,y law. was introduced by Senator
wheeler of Brunswick who devoted
,oref,,l attention to the measure which
Is as follows:
Chapter 33-An act relating to
.necial contracts between employers
{ and employees. Be it enacted by the
people OF the o'a.e Oh Maine as foi-
lows:
No person shall by special contract
! With his employers exempt himself or
+ srother person from liability which he
nav be under to them for injuries
! entered by them in his employment
and resulting from the negligence Of
tho employer or such other person, or
of person in his employ. Approved
& March 8.
For many years at every session of
the Legislature Labor has petitioned
for an Employers Liability Law but
always in vain heretofore. At the be-
ginning of the last session of the
legislature it was believed by your
committee to be an opportune time to
make decided stand for such a
measure A canvass of the House and
Senate was made and it was fOunl
that many members were in favor OF
such law Plans were at once for
mulated and early in the session two
bills were introduced, one by Repre-
sentative Pattangall and one by Repre-
sentative Jersey. At this point / will
+ state that your committee had tho
earnest and able support of both of
these gentlemen. They did not show,
as sometimes happens, a selfish de-
sire to have their own bill become Il
law or none, but worked for an
Employers Liability Law. When the
] day came for the hearing before the
committee on judiciary. lawyers and
4 to oppose the measure We did not
attempt to defend the bill at this hear
/ ing Representative Pattangall made
monkeys out of the opposition for as
long as he could spare the time but
later the attorneys for the corporations
proceeded to give the committee some
advice. They had no argument but we
assume that they were satisfied that
they had again blocked the measure.
The matter was laid on the table by
the committee to be considered later in
executive session as is the custom.
Shortly after this hearing another
Employers Liability act was intro
!. duced by Representative John A.
Peters of Ellsworth. Your committee
was indeed fortunate to interest Mr..
Peters in this matter as he is large
employer Of labor as well as a lawyer
Of great ability and unquestioned sin
certify and there is no doubt that by
his earnest work he contributed largely
TO the success OF the measure. The
hearing on the Peters bill was one Of
the best we ever attended and Labor
was never better represented. The
most prominent lawyers in the State
were there among them President t.
b. Deasy Of the Senate, Hon. ID. J.
McGinicuddy, Representative Pattan-
gall. Alfred r. Peaks Esq, of Dover,
all OF whom made able and eloquent
pleas In favor of the bill A number
OF prominent clergymen also spoke and
testimony was given by leading union
men from different sections OF the
State. The opposition was buried so
deeply that we never heard much from
1t afterward. The committee reported
IN favor of bin somewhat similar to
the Massachusetts, law. The report
was accepted in both branches and the
law passed to go into effect July 3.
!. 1909
An act creating state board of
admiration and consultation was in
roduced by Representative Beals of
\ Auburn by request of the Labor COM
missioner Hon Thomas j. Lyons. The
Dill empowers the governor to appoint
board of three competent men whose
uutles shall be to endeavOr to settle
disputes. strikes and lockouts between
employers and employees. The bill
was referred to the Labor committee
ana as certain gentlemen on the COM
m'tee thought this a Labor measure
'"ere were two reports from the com
'h''tee. a small minority and Il large
MAJORITY. Your president ably de-
! tended the minority report on the floor
" the House and had no trouble in
'ohVihclng large majority and the
minority report was accepted and the
measure will go into effect at the regu-
lar time.
AN act to prefer Maine labor and
Ma'he contractors upon all work per-
'V'hed Tor the State upon municipal.
"artaDle, educational institutions.
"u'iuihgs or public works or any build
ing or institution supported or aided
~ .he State or municipality was in
"ouueed by Representative Kavan
"ush OF Portland. This bill was OPP
FUSED IN part at the hearing by
representative Rounds of Portland
"no argued that it would be wise 10
.'se Maine contractors and no others
"" he objected decidedly to any such
s,.ie1ence being given Maine laborers
"r quite long and tiresome con-
s. 'ne measure was passed and APP
proved April ..
a" act to amend Chapter 40 of the
n' Statutes and Chapter 46 of the
e Laws of 1907 relating to the