St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-01
PENSIONS ARE BETTER
Judge Shiras Would Abolish
Damages for Personal
Injuries,
And Substitute a Pension Sys-
TEN That Would Better
Everybody.
Alarm Over the Prevalence OF
Disease About Madison
School.
An Impressive Service in
Masonic Temple This
Morning.

Il am becoming more and more con-
firmed in the belief that law should
be passed abolishing actions for per-
sonal injuries by employees of railroad
companies and substituting pensions"
Thus spoke Hon. Oliver P. Shiras to
GLOBE reporter in the lobby OF the
Windsor last evening. Judge Shiras
has been a judge OH the federal bench
of the district of Iowa for number or
years, and is now III the city assisting
in the holding of the United States
circuit court of appeals. He is recog-
nized as one of the clearest-headed
iurists in the country, and his opinions
from the bench of the circuit court OF
appeals, as we'll as his decisions from
the lower court bench, have al
ways been regarded as wise and
Just. Enlarging on his, views, Judge
Shiras said that he thought the pension
system better for all concerned than
the personal injury system has proven
to be. He would have the law provide
that all employees of railroads who are
Injured while on duty should be pen
stoned according to the grade of the in
jury done or disability resulting. Inc
distinction as to co-employe he would
do away with, and would make no dis
tinction in cases where the Injury shall
be the fault of co-employe. The law
could be applied to railroads to demon
strate the practical operations. and
might be applied to other industries ana
corporations after being experimental.
4 fc hn cnjd yanld
be less expensive to railroads to pension
the injured, and gave an example of
common case where it was shown that
the interest on $4,000, the average
cost to the railroad of a per-
sonal injury case. at four per cent,
would provide pension of S25 per
month to an injured man for life and
still reserve the principal intact to the
corporation. In speaking of the bene-
fits to the injured man the instance was
taken OF his receiving Oh an average OF
So, 900 out of a verdict of $1,000 after
paying attorney fees, costs, etc. The
men WHO usually get this money do not
save it, but run through it in two or
three years. and then, after having ac-
quired more expensive habits, are IN a
worse condition than they were before
getting the money. On the other hand,
Il pcHSlOll VI p~o pei 'nOHviA W tiAS
would not teach him expensive habits,
ond would keep mau for life who is
anIy partially disabled, and he could
follow some pursuit that would result
in a comfortable living. This system
would be better for the employe. cheaper
for the railroads and would relieve the
courts of a large amount of litigation
and be great saving in the court ex-
penses. Speaking especially OF the
federal courts, Judge Shiras said that
fully fourth of the cases are personal
injury cases. to say nothing OF the large
number of that class of cases i'll the
state courts. Speaking of adjusting
the pension rate, Judge Shiras said that
there ought to be graduated system of
pensions. In case the railroad adJuster
could not agree with the injured man as
to the rate of pension, the several state
railroad commissions could be made the
arbitrators. The law might be passed
by the state legislature, in the opinion
of Judge Shiras, and would be salutary
in IFS effects