Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-30

| Resolve, in favor of the clerk, the
stenographer, and the messenger to.
the judiciary committee.
Resolve to aid in the extension OF
the Kineo road from the Smith farm
to the North East Carry.
| Resolve, in favor of Susan Baker.
| Resolve, in favor of jefferson c.
Smith of WatervilIe, Me, State secre-
| tary of the Young Mems Christian AS
| ISOLATION
Resolve. in favor of Parker Pinco.
| Orders of the Day.
| On motion Of Mr.. Tibbetts of Or
I rington An Act to amend Section 80 of
| Chapter IS of the Revised Statutes re-
lating to trustee process, was taken
| from the table.
| Mr. Tibbetts moved that the bill be
indefinitely postponed.
| Mr. SMITH of Berwick: Mr.. Speak
| er, | am surprised at the action of the
| gentleman from Orrngton. This mat
| ter was up for consideration Friday
| afternoon, its merits and dement's
| were discussed and IT was passed to
be engrossed without a dissenting
| voice TO take the matter up now
| would seem to cast reflection on the
action of the House. / oppose, and
| trust that every friend Of labor in the
House will oppose, the motion to in
definitely postpone.
| Mr. TIBBETTS: Mr.. Speaker, this
bill has merits and it has dement's.
This bill which would exempt $40 from
trustee process practically prevents
| any man who is a trader from collect
| ing one dollar from the laborinG man.
| The average laboring man gets per-
haps $1050 or ST. a week from his
| labor. and under this bill if he is
| ishrewd enough to collect his pay every
| Saturday night and if he is so disposed
he can avoid paying his just bills. l
| don't know how it is in Berwick but
| I know that in our section we have
| men who are honest when they are
| compelled to be hones.- a large part
| of the population are honest because
| thew wish to be honest but certain
| proportion of them are honest when
| they are compelled to be. Let this
| bill pass and they will beat the grocer
and the tailor and the shoemaker ana
| the physician and every other man
| that they can because that Is their
disposition. I never have resorted TO
| the trustee process myself but once
| but it has been the means of collect
| ing great many dollars from people
| who would avoid paying their DIS.
| If this bill goes into effect one-halr
| of the small traders in country towns
| will have to shut up shop or go on
cash basis, and that would be hard-
| ship to a poor man who was SICK,
| while under the present law his trader
will trust him for SO or $50 until he
| gets Well If this law goes into effect
| the trader, il he has any suspicion that
a man will not pay, will say to nm,
II will give you the goods if you VIII
give me an order from the selectmen
| of your town" This bill will help the
| man who is disposed to be dishonest,
| it will help him to be dishonest; the
| man who is honest and unfortunate 1t
| will help such a one to become town
| pauper. I do not believe it is just
| bill and I believe it should be indefi-
nitely postponed.
| Mr.. DUNCAN of Rockland: Mr.
| Speaker, I have had some experience
with this trustee business as | have
| hired lots of men and have seen the
| results Of the trustee measure in d
| great variety of cases. l consider that
| honest man, and 1 am opposed to this
| bill as it is now.
Mr. SMITH of Berwick: Mr.. Speak
| er, | don't think it is necessary to take
up very much of the time of this
House in regard to this matter. 1t is
perhaps unfortunate that great many
| of the people of the State of Maine are
| laboring people, and they have no bust
ness official on the floor of this House
! to represent them. / do not represent
any labor organization. I did not
| draw this bill at the suggestion of any
| labor organization; / did it because I
| have seen in my practice in the west
ern part of this State a great abuse
| of the trustee process. The gentle
| man from Orrington stated that he had
been in business quite a number Of
years and had not trusteed anybody
That is because he has had the per-
| sonal confidence of the laboring men,
We all know that it is the policy of
| this Legislature to legisate for the
best interests of the greatest number
| Now, isn't it for the best interests of
the greatest number that the laboring
men should be allowed the privilege
| of drawing their wages These men
dollars worth of property which is alb
solutely exempted from attachment
| and trustee process. They may have
| $500 worth of real estate and they may
have span of horses cattle, cows,
sheep, pigs, and hens, they may also
own pew in the church; and these
men say that the laborerS shall not
have $40 exempted from trustee pro-
| cess, $40 that he knew was his own
and knew that he could have it. Is
that proper treatment of the laboring
class? | come from laboring class
and / think most of the members of
this House do also. Shall they not be
allowed to have a single dollar upon
which they can place their hands and
say This is mine" They have some
rights which even this Legislature is
bound to respect. They are entitled
to something. This House has shown
that it respected their rights in the
vote of last Friday, and / trust they
l