The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
MONEY SHARK BILL
 GETS ATTENTION
 OF WHOLE STATE House Has Already Passed the Percy Bill Dealing With
 the Subject CHAMBERLAIN BILL
 IS MUCH DISCUSSED Percy Garnishment Bill Hn. Likewise Aroused n Lot of Comment Both Favorable and UnfavornbIe Toward the Measure
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS

| montgomery, January &-(Special J. The effort to legislate the alleged money shark out of business has attracted the attention of the entire state. | In the first place, the house has al ready passed the Percy bill, which pro- vides that the 'Ioan shark" shall not charge interest greater than per cent per month, which is 24 per cent per year. | There is yet pending the Chamberlain bill. preventing the assignment of wages, earned and unearned, after June 1, 1911, without the consent of the employer, and the Percy bill. preventing the issuance of garnishments from any court save a court of record
 | All of this legislation, according to Representative Chamberlain, is intended solely to put the money shark" out of commission. The opponents of the bills declare that they do not care a particle concerning the money shark" or the financial pirate" but that they oppose the bills because the country merchant the wage earner, the crop sharer, and the little banks will be materially effect that the corporation commissary system
 
 The ''2 Per Cent Bill" But one of these bills has been passed by the house-the Percy bill, preventing money lenders from charging interest at higher rate than per cent per month Under the existing statutes, proved case of usurious interest-that is, interest above per cent, results in the loss of is ted Into law, proved case of interest charged above ? per cent per month will result in the loss of both the interest and the principle. As
 Very little opposition to this bill oc- cured. There is no man in Montgomery today who admits that he is interesting himself in lobbying against legislation in tended to batter up the money lender.
 But against the Chamberlain bill sharp opposition has occurred from many sec tions of the state, and it is considered very improbable that the Percy bill, con corning garnishments, will be able to squeeze through both houses of the leg islature.
 The Chamberlain Bill The Chamberlain bill, as originally drawn, prevents the assignment of wages, earned and unearned, after June 1, 1911, without the signed agreement of the employer It introduced, and at first the judiciary committee determined to report 1t favorably. But the case was reopened, the favorable report with drawn, and the bill still hangs fire.
 As a substitute for this bill, several members Of the judiciary committee, who desire to smash the sharks but who do not desire to do an injustice to legiti- mate business, at the instance and re- quest of those fighting the bill on the ground that in their opinions 1t will pre- vent the man without credit from securing the necessities of life, drew up another bill The substitute was nothing more than the Chamberlain bill with two amendments. The substitute would have prevented the assignment of wages, earned and unearned, without the written approval of the employer after June l, 1911, provided the assignment is made for the purpose of borrowing money, and provided the provisions of the bill are not construed as preventing the raising of crops on shares.
 This substitute, when presented to MT. Chamberlain, was considered in a favor able light by him. However" stated he, you could not expect me to agree to Q substitute without the consent of my col league in this fight. It would be marked discourtesy on my part if failed to con- fer with MT. Percy, whose judgment highly respect"
 After the conference with MT. Percy, MT. Chamberlain rejected the substitute but did draw up an amendment providing that the bill shall not be construed as preventing the raising of crops on shares The Garnishment Bill In reference to the Percy bill concern ing garnishments, M. M. ITllman. a Bir- mingham attorney, who states that he is indifferent as to the fate of the money lender, says: Tn my opinion, the adop- tion of this bill, following the adoption of the Chamberlain bill, will put the cOun- try merchant out of business, and will restore with all its, iniquitous features the corporation commissary"
 Mayor Scott of Ensley, who heads a protesting battalion from that suburb of Birmingham, says: "As our popula- | tion is ever changing, it requires all the | time that a merchant has to learn his pur- | chasers and to find out just who is de- serving of credit. Without the garnish- ment, these merchants would be put out | of a legitimate business. There are about 1500 little merchants in Birming- | ham,"
 Solicitor Dave Almon of Decatur states that he is opposing the bill at the in- stance of his clients of Decatur, who sell to the employees of the Louisville and | Nashville railroad. Under the present system, says he. "the merchants sell to the employees on assignment of wages at the same figures that they would sell for cash. We think the little merchants would be done a great injury"
 The advocates of the bill on the other hand, state that it is intended as the | final blow to the loan sharks" and that its purpose is not the injury of the little | merchants or to drive the wagearners Into the commissaries of corporations.