Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1894 — EXEMPTION LAWS. [ARTICLE]

EXEMPTION LAWS.

Daniel Webster, Hie statesman, and General Starke, the revolutionary war hero, have been chosen by the people of New Hampshire as their two greatest sons, and therefore their statues will be placed in Statuary hall, in the capital, at Washington. The statues will be unvailed with appropriate ceremonies, Dec. 20. A few weeks later than that date, we may expect to see a petition presented to the Indiana State Legislature, asking that name of Starke county be changed to Garden county. It has been found that cabbages and cucumbers Sourish greatly in the soil of Starke county, and the people up there, never having “hear’n tell o’ Ginral Starke afore” they want the name of their county changed. What's the matter with “TrucUpatch County,” if the name must be changed?

Judge D. H. Chase, at Logans port, in a communication to the Indianapolis Journal, says: H Now that the people have placed us in power iu Indiana, let us begin at once to agitate for reforms in our law. We need an overhauling of our exemption laws. Six hundred dollars is not enough to allow a debtor who has a family. Indiana is behind the age in this respect. Illinois on the west aliows SI,OOO in a homestead, S3OO personal property, etc. Kentucky on the south allows S7OO in specific kinds of personalty, the tools of mechanics, libraries of professional men to the value of SSOOO, and in addition a homestead of the value SI,OOO. Michigan, on the north, allows a homestead of $1,500 and specific personality of $350. Ohio on the east, allows a homestead of the value of SI,OOO and specific personality of the Value of SSOO. We must overhaul our musty and ancient law, requiring the unanimity of juries in making their verdicts.

If increasing the amount of exemption would have a tendency to abolish the credit system we would favor the increase, but experience teaches that a large number of persons are disposed to buy on credit simply because the law protects the property they possess. There are men who will take advantage of all the credit they can command, and we have known of farmers in Fulton county a nd dealers in Rochester who have become bankrupts simply because they had the privilege of buying without a probability, or possibility of paying. The credit system is injurious to debtor and creditor, and it would be a blessing to the people if buying without a disposition or an ability to pay could be avoided, it would be advantageous to every community.—Rochester Republics.