New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-17
TORY DEMOCRACY.
MR.. CHAMBERLAIN'S REDEMPTION OF
ONE OF HIS PLEDGES-INSURANC
AGAINST ACCIDENTS AS A
TRADE CHARGE

radical one Mr. Chamberlain, who is the
apostle of Tory Democracy in succession to
Lord Randolph Churchill proposed 1t. and 1t
was supported by Mr.. Arthur Balfour. 1t in
Guided a comprehensive scheme Of employers
liabilities for accidents. legislation for enabling
workmen and agricultural laborers to purchase
their homes, and pensions for old age. Until
last night nothing has been done to redeem any
OF these pledges. Mr. Chamberlain has been
forced TO support various measures for the re-
lief of UNCONVENTIONAL schools and landlords.
and 10 stare out Of countenance the grim ghost
of his former Radical SELF A reward for this
harassing and dispiriting exercise came last
night when the Employers Liability bill was in
troduced. The reproachful glance OF that per-
turbed and restless ghost was not to be dreaded
and Mr.. Chamberlain was at and trium-
plant.
The bill was introduced by the Home Secre-
tary. Sir Matthew White Ridley, one of the
mildest-mannered and least aggressive members
Of the Government. With placid. amiabe
face and with agreeable. conversational
style. he discharged his functions the nominal
author Of the measure. He opened with crti-
cal review of the Liberal proposals of 1894, and
a well-digested exposition of the complex Ger
man system Of workmen's insurance. and finally
explained the principles and applications Of the
Government measure. II was neither a great
nor even a clear speech. 1t left the House in
the dark respecting the scope and practical
operation Of the measure. He was exposed at
once TO O hot fire of questions from Mr.. Asquith.
Sir Charles Dixie and other critics. and the
House was confused by explanations which
lacked the essential element of lucidity. 1t was
not until Mr.. Chamberlain. the responsible
leader Of the Tory Democracy. took the floor
and answered inquiries and objections that I'M
certainty dispelled, and the real motives
and precise bearings of the measure were as
closed. In reality 1t is his bill. and 1t is SIN
cere and honest attempt to redeem, at least ten
tativey one Of the most important pledges of
the Unionst party
A LIMITED APPLICATION ONLY.
The bill involves a limited application OF
general principle in dealing with Torkmen's ac-
cidents. The principle is compensation for in
dustrial accidents. without reference TO cause or
contributory negligence. The limitations
late first TO the scale Of compensation, which is
low one. especially for death from accident,
and secondly. TO the trades and occupations
which are dealt with. household servants. agri-
cultural laborers. sailors. longshoremen, car
penters, masons. bricklayers and other large
classes Of workmen being excluded from the
benefits Of the system. Within the included
trades compensation will be provided for on the
following scale: /. For death, three years wages,
not less than 500 and not more than 81 800.
.. For disability. permanent otherwise be-
You'd two weeks 80 per cent Of wages not ex-
ceeding So This compensation is TO be obtained
without legal expense. 1t will either be settled
by agreement between employer and workman
or by arbitration. or by the County Court Judge
IN the last resort the costs of adjudication being
met by the State.
The Liberal Governments Employers Liabili-
ty bill was taken in hand by a grand committee
recruited from all sections of the Commons and
was passed after every clause and line had been
debated in the report stage. The Lords amended
1t by Incorporating in it the principle Of con-
tracing OUT or enabling employers and en-
ployed TO agree upon their own terms. This
amendment the Gladstone Government was un-
willing to accept, and the measure aban-
doned after it had been wrecked in the upper
house. That bill aimed to secure the unre
stricted application of limited principle Of liza
bility to all trades and occupations. 1t held en-
ployers responsible for accidents due to their own
negligence, but excluded those occurring after
adequate safeguards had been provided. All
classes of workmen were included, and the tend
ency Of the measure would have been to multi
ply precautions for safety; but the principle Of
compensation was a limited one which could not
have been applied TO a large proportion of acct
dents. 1t was measure which would have pro-
NOTED litigation over the vital question Of negl
gence and was contemptuOusly described last
night by Mr.. Chamberlain as a Lawyers En-
ployment bill.
THE UNIONIST PRINCIPLE
The Unionist Government has adopted the
principle of universal compensation. Whether
the workman is injured or killed through his own
fault or through the negligence Of his employer.
there is a financial payment to be made to him
or TO his heirs, and this is not to be attended
with legal expenses. Compensation is -arranged
on q simple and definite PLAN and litigation is
avoided. The fact Of the injury establishes the
claim for compensation without reference TO the
circumstances in which the accident occurred. or
to the employers responsibility for it. Con-
tracing out is allowed in cases where the terms
offered to the workmen are better than those pro-
vided by law. Otherwise an effective and mex
pensiVe method of securing compensation for all
accidents in certain trades is secured by law
The principle is universal, but the application Of
IL is restricted 20 a definite number of Industrial
trades and occupations. Within these trades only
II per cent of accidents are now covered by the
common law. This bill will have. according to
Mr.. Chamberlain, unrestricted application TO the
remaining IS per cent. The trades and occupa-
tons not included in its operation will remain
as at present under the common law.
While restrictions upon the application Of the
bill narrow its scope materially, new principle.
which has never before been recognized in British
legislation has been introduced. This is the idea
that compensation for accidents is burden
which employers ought TO carry as a trade
charge. Under the universal insurance system
in Germany, employers are required 10 insure
their workmen, clerks and servants against ac-
cident Under the provisions Of this bill those
employed in the service of railways, factories
mines. quarries and engineering works Will be
insured by their employers against accident. The
German system goes much further, compelling
employers 10 contribute weekly to insurance
funds against sickness, chronic invalidism and
inCdDaCltV in Old portions OF the wages of
those employed by them being reserved for the
same purpose The Employers Liability bill is
a small measure in comparison with that vast
and complex insurance system, essentially social
istic In idea, which has been introduced in Ger
many; but 1t Is the first step in the same direc-
ton, and long one
No fr,ia t.