New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-28
COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES

The old indictment Of the factory system, hail
,rue half false must be- dismissed. Ii charged
that system with being worse than slavery De-
cause while a slave-owner to serve his own III
terests would take good care Of his slaves, the
manufacturer would find il to his interest TO
let his employees get disabled and worn ont rs
quickly as possible. and then to fill their places
with new ones. For many years, in both Amerl-
"a and Europe there has been marked trehu
of legislation toward higher standards of living
for workmen in factories and other industria'
establishments. A revolution in their condition
has been effected. comparable with thai wh'ch
the faciory system itself produced in the indus
trial world. And now still further reVoi''ioh
is in progress in the direction of fuller com
pensation of employees for injuries received
while at work noteworthy step In this revo-
luton Is seen at the present moment III "rea'
Britain. where Conservative Governments haS
framed bill-whicl will certainly become "
law-granting such compensation even IN cases
in which neither the negligence OF the employer
is proved nor the negligence Of the injured EN-
pOye disproycd
4 lucid account of this measure and the clrc'lhi'
stances Of its introduction was given the DINER
day by The Tribune's London correspondent.
Briefly described. the bill applies only to man
nfacuring and other Industries in which steam
mower is used 1t does not apply to agricultural
Ioborers domestic servants. seamen, the build
ing trades-eXcept where steam power Is used
ar factories in which steam power is not used.
1t provides thai when n man is injured no mat
ter through whose faulT-unleSs tn" man pnr-
poscl; Injuries himself-the employer shall make
COMPENSATION. in cas-" of death he shall pay
The heirs al least $40 or three years wages II
the latter be the larger sum. but moi more 'hah
$1,000. In ease OF disablomcnt nothing is to DO
paid for the first two weeks but after ina Dal'
pay. not exceeding 81 a week. until the man l.
again able TO work. If after period OF as
ability the man dies. the amount already pald
* TO be deducted from the death indemnify.
"Contracting out"-that is, agreeing NOT TO clam
any compensation may be done only when the
workman belongs to voluntary society whose
benefits are MOI less than those prescribed in the
bill, Such are the chief features of this impor-
tant measure
1t will be Of interest 10 notice. for sake OF
comparison. some acts already in operation in
other European countries. In Germany only
fishermen. artisans and domestic servants are
excluded from the benefits of the law. All others
are entitled to compensation for all injuries. mt
n rate fixed by law in proportion 10 their wages
There is also joined with this system of com
puSory insurance. under which all employers
of labor in a given trade in a given district con
tribute to fund. out Of which indemnities are
paid In case Of death or total permanent dsa
bty a life annuity is paid These German laws
date from 1SSi-'S1. ihc Austrian law dates from
1881 and closely resembles the German. differing
thcrefrom chief; in requiring all worknen who
ge, more than form day each 10 contribute
one-tenth Of the insurance fund. IT, France all
workmen getting more than 500 year are
under The old common law, which makes an
employer liable for compensation for all niu-
rieS save those causei by act of God, Inevitable
accident or negligence of the victim. and which
prohibits all contracting out" Those earning
500 year or less und,r a new law. enacted
in 1893. which is much like that of Germany III
general principle. though somewhat more de-
tailed in application.
These are The only Continental countries which
have made new laws on this subject. embody
ing these two new principles of universal liza
bllity and compulsory insurance. Such is their
answer TO the growing demand for social and
industrial reform. II is MOI so much "a sop TO
the Socialistic Cerberus'' some have called
II. as a count orr scheme 10 defeat Socialism. The
other Continental countries have merely amenl-
ed and extended the old common law. without
the adoption Of any new principles Which Of
The two schemes will work the better time alone
will show. But II is significant thar Great Brit
ain has adopted the former and since it is thus
chosen by the four nations which are and doubt
less will remain the Industrial leaders of the
Old World, il is not improbable that 1t will I'm
the end prevail We shall see VIVA, effect it
will have upon the mIch-vcxed questions per-
tanning to the relationship between capital and
labor