The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-31
MEASUREISDRASTIC
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY BILL Is
ADOPTED BY FRENCH CHAM
BIlR OF DEPUTIES.
MOVE TO FREE DREYFUsS.
LATEST AGITATION IN BEHALF OF
THE ARTILLERY OFFICER
WELL SUPPORTED.
ANTr-GRA1N GAMBLING CRUSADE
Thorough investigation PROMISED
by the Committee Named to IN
cuire Into the Matter.

PARIS, Oct 9O.-The employers la
bilitv bill. which was adopted on
Thursday by the French chamber OF
deputies, is of a drastic character. 1t
imposes upon the employer the pay
ment of an indemnity to workmen who
are accidentally disabled, if they are
made idle for over four days. IL
workman is disabled for life, the en-
ployer must pay him pension OF two
thirds of his wages lost, and IN the
case of a partial disablement the en-
ployer must also pay him two-thirds
of the wages thereby lost In the case
of temporary disablement the employ
er must pay half the wages the work.
man thereby loses, and in the case OF
death by accident the employer must
pay a pension to the workman's widow
amounting to 20 per cent Of the wages
he earned, in addition to 10 per cent
for single child, rising to 40 per cent
for four children, until they reach the
age Of eighteen. In the case of orphans
the pension to be paid by the employ
er is 20 per cent of the wages formerly
earned by the workman for each child,
up to a total of 60 per cent. In the
case of bachelors supporting their par
ents the indemnity goes to the par
ents In order to secure these pay
ments, even in the event of the en-
ployers insolvency, the bill compels
employers to insure their workmen
against accident.
There seems to be some substance
behind the latest agitation in behalf
of Capt. Alfred Dreyfuss. the French
viction by court martial on the charge
of selling important military plans to
agents of a foreign government, was
sentenced to imprisonment for life in
a fortress, and who is now confined on
a small island of the French group off
the coast of French Guiana. The prime
mover in the present steps taken IL be-
half of the prisoner is NJ. Schurer
Kestner one Of the vice presidents Of
the French senate and president of
the Paris societe chimique, who, like
Dreyfuss, is an Alsatian Hebrew, and
who Is related to FlOquet and Ferry,
the former ministers, and to other
families of influence. M. Schurer Kest-
ner claims to have proofs of the inno-
cerce of Dreyfuss, and he asserts that
he knows the real culprit. The interest
taken in the case by the vice president
of the senate is said to have aroused
the interest of President Faure, and it
is understood M. SchUrer Kestner is
determined to raise the question in
parliament. He has already conferred
with the ministers of war and justice
on the subject
The antigrain gambling crusade is
taking shape in France. The chamber
of deputies has appointed a committee
to investigate and report upon the
proposed prohibition of speculation in
grain and articles of food generally.
Almost all the members Of the COM
mittee are favorable to the idea of
stopping gambling, but they recognize
the difficulty of doing so without in
terfering with legitimate speculation.
The committee, however, is determined
to thoroughly investigate and examine
the representatives of commerce and
Industry, and will try to determine
where legitimate speculation ends and
gambling commences.