The news & observer., 1897-02-21
FELLOW SERVANT LAW
NORTH CAROLINA, TEXAS AND
MISSOURI MOVE FORWARD.
Labor Commissioner Lacy, Who Has
Been Active In Its Support,
interviewed.

The passage Of the bill repeating the
FellowServant law, introduced by Mr..
Hartness, of Iredell, in the Senate yes
terday, will be hailed with satisfaction
throughout the State. 1t had already
passed the House, and now needs only
the signature of the Lieutenant Govern
or and Speaker of the House to make
ii law. The bill as it passed is as
follows:
The General Assembly of North Caro-
lima do enact:
Section L. That any servant or employe
Of any railroad company operating in
this State who shall suffer injury to his
person or the PERSONAL representative of
any such servant or employe who shall
have suffered death, in the course of his
services or employment with said COM
pany by the negligence. carelessness or
incompetency of any other servant en-
ploye or agent of the company or by
any defect in the machinery, ways or
appliances of the company shall be enti-
tied to maintain an action against such
company.
Sec 2. That any contract or agreement
expressed or implied made by any en-
benefit uf t6c aforesaid section shall be
null and void.
Sec 3. That this act shall be in force
from and after its ratification.
Mr. Il. r. Lacy, Commissioner Of
Labor. who has been the leading cham
pion Of the bin before the committees,
was congratulated yesterday, and he
said:
I'm the name Of not OAly ten thou
sand voters ON the railroads in our dear
old State, but also every woman and
child who is dependent on them, or who
travels over our roads, / want to return
heartfelt thanks to this Legislature, re-
gardless Of party, for the enactment of
the "fellow-seryant law Every just
person who considers the relationship
that exists between the employees and
the travelling public will commend your
action.
This law is not only just and right,
but it is advisable to let these people
know that human rights are at least
equal to property rights; that the law
has stopped discriminating against our
Jwn people in favor of every stranger
who buys n ticket through our State.
1t gives our own people no special privi-
lege, but simply gives them the same
right to institute action that a passenger
enjoys. 1t is hardly possible to make the
engineers stick to their posts any bet
ter, but if it were possible it would
have that effect.
1T is a good sign when Democrats,
Republicans and Populists all vote for
so just a measure. 1t is a healthy sign
that when it was considered before the
Senatorial committee only one railroad
saw fit to antagonize it.
Il received a letter from the Commits
sioner of Labor of Missouri saying.
The 'fellow-servant law passed the Mis-
souri, House 127 for and only one against
it, When our House passed the law
without a dissenting vote / wired him
and received the following letter:
Jefferson City, Mo-, Feb. II, 1897.
Hon. b. r. Lacy, Labor Commissioner,
Raleigh, n. c.;
My Dear Mr.. Lacy:-I have this mo-
ment received your telegram, and Mis-
souri, congratulates North Carolina on
granting this measure of justice to the
people.
'OHr House of Representatives passed
fellow-servant bin with only one dis
senting vote. In the Senate there were
only seven opposing votes, and day before
yesterday the act became law, by the
signature of Governor Lon. V. Stephens.
So you see, although North Carolina is
falling in line, Missouri is a little bit
ahead Of her.
with best regards, / am sincerely
your friend,
LEE MERIWETHER,
Labor Commissioner"
To-day when the Senate unanimously
passed the law, | wired him:
Hon Lee Meriwetner, Jefferson City,
Missouri:
North Carolina is conservative. She
carefully considers before moving, but
what she does is done right Fellow
Servant law passed both houses unani-
mously. Nobody is ahead of her.
b. r. LACY.
What mistakes this body may make
will be atoned for in a great degree by