Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-09

l tl3n II cOuld ctleW wednesday AFTER
| noon when it attempted to give ade-
| quate hearing on four extremely i'm
| portant measures in single afternoon.
| The first was the new bill providing
| tor the weekly payment of wages. Sew
| cral spoke in favor of ii and no one
| directly opposed il. but the railroads
| asked for exemption as did also the
| lumbtt1ncn and log driving companies.
Roscc" y. Eddy, legislative agent OF
| the Main" state Branch OF the Amer
| lean Federation of Labor. opened the
| case for the proponents by saying that
| the bin was Il progressive measure.
| that his organization believed it best
tor workingmch to pay AS they &C,
| that all men arc better doing business
on q cash basis. He also called atten-
| ton 10 the fact that the bill submitted
had been adjudged constitutional in
the state OF Massachusetts and that
| thrc" eminent lawyers OF Maine had
voiced thu opinion that it would be
constitutional IN Maine.
Charles q. Ecitle of Auburn. pr, si1cnt
oil tho Maine state Branch III the
American Federation OF Labor said
he not only represented that organ
IKdIlbD, but iISb ltIt IiluIt Nl'litiANIs "
Lewiston and Auburn. He said that
now money is held back on each run of
work IN the shoe shops and that the
sum amounted to $50. eon in AUBURN. He
tAeasat tie men ought Il have the
benefit of this money, inasmueh as 1t
belongs to them.
Frank II. Eutnham of Saco. a ma
5'tinist, said that he represented be-
tween 400 and 500 of his craft and that
they all wanted the bill IL pass. in or
del that they might bc able to take adj
vantage of cash prices.
Arthur J. cartier. Il Riddsford attor-
ney. made a strong plea for the bill, in
behalf OF nen-union rs Will as union
men. SAYING that advantage was TAX
en- of the man VITO was obliged to seek
credit and that they We're often Lut to
great inculrcnicnce. and sometimes
hardship.
William Harding of Augusta. chair
man a. tl.e l. gisla:ive committee Of the
Genital Labor Union OF Augusta. Hal
lowell N Gardiner. said that he believ-
ed the majority Of the working people
of Maine desired tie law ard that he
had found il an advantage i'll Massa-
chusetts.
James =. Nichols OF Augusta. a men,
ber OF the same committee and also
repre- senting the State Council of the
Bricklarcrs. MasonS & Plasterers. said
that thf ne.i of the law WAS so evident
that argument was unnecessary, aud
that many al the labor organizations
had endorsed the bill.
p. j. German of Lewiston Of the
Bricklaycrs. Masons and PiaSterers,
said that the necessity Of the law was
evident and that it WAS also necessary
"a come to the Legislature to get
workinemen' rights.
Abner Nichols OF Augusta. mason.
said that the passage Of the bill would
promote the moral and intellectual
welfare of tine Workingmen. TIL" moral
welfare because il would give him
money SO he could be honest and pay
his bills AMI the intellectual welfare
because workingmen with their bills
paid have more ambition to study and
look upward. 1T takes pretty hon
est man TO pay his bills when he
hasn't any money" remarked M.
Nichols.
EdnnnG 'furmenna Of Lewiston,
Workers. said that wages paid week
~ don't look so large as wages paid
once III two weeks and that perhaps
In that way some of the wage earnerS
would be induced to seek more pay.
j. T.. Phinney OF Blddeford. repre-
srntinG several labor organizations.
said that his people wanted to further
.he bill because the purchasing power
is entirely in the hands OF the man
with the money to pay cash.
Forrest Goodwin of Skowhegan urS-
ed that the lumber and log driving
companies be exempted because 1t
N tb., woods and ON the drlve each
1901 hao,us,o ,to.,,, rail.
800 .,,S..1'' ,,;d ,,nt .s,, ,,, i, Judqa