Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-04-26
GOVERNOR ATTACKS
CO-EMPLOYE LAW
SUBMITS LONG SPECIAL MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE.
WANTS FEWER ACCIDENTS
Urges New Laws to Compel More
Safety Appliances on Railroads and
ages in Cases Of Personal Injury
Takes Advanced Ground"
Madison, April u.

Madison, April q.
Strongly urging the legislature to
take action to lessen the number OF IA
talities and injuries in railroad acct
dents, and to provide for larger penal
ties against the roads in personal in
jury suits, Governor La Toilette SUBJ
mitted lengthy special message to
both houses of the Legislature yester-
day. The communication takes ground
that has been suggested strongly here
tofore in expressions from the eXecu-
tive, but sets forth position that will
be accepted by many as advanced
ground" and, while 1t will be applauded
by no small number, this latest ex-
preston will be known as more radical
than anything similar Governor La Fol
lette has yet announced. 1t strongly
attacks the we'll established principe
of law that an injured party cannot re-
cover damages when negligence on the
part of the injured person or a co-em-
ploye contributed to the injury, even
though the defendant be to a degree
guilty of negligence.
The Message in Full.
The message. which was read before
both houses of the Legislature. is as
follows:
in addition to facts heretofore pre-
scented to the legislature, submit at
this time some further data with
recommendations bearing upon rail-
road accidents. The numbers Eilled
and injured by railroad companies,
the daily occurrence of railway acci-
ents so called, should prompt the
legislature to vigorous and we'll con-
sidered action before the close of this
session 1t is a sufficient comment
on the power Of corporate influence
in legislation that we have upon our
statute today no law for the protection
Of those who travel upon railroad
trains or those who operate them, ex-
cept a confessedly weak and made
quate co-employe act. and a statute
providing an AK and saw for the bene-
fit of such as are so fortunate as to be
able to use them after a railroad
wreck has occurred. We have no law
for the prevention of railway accidents,
nor reasonable protection for railway
employees. no law providing for a pub
lie investigation where injury or
death has occurred upon the raj. way.
if we except the investigation by
coroner's jury which will have been
looked after with despatch by the
claim agent of the company before the
friends of the deceased are informed of
his death.
Should Require Repclts.
81 believe that the state should re-
quire an immediate report of all ac-
cidents resultiI g in personal injury or
death, and that it should have author
ity promptly and thoroughly to inves-
Iigate in every case deemed of suffi-
cient impor :ance, and I recommend the
enactment o. such statute.
81 believe il to be the duty of the
state to require the adoption and use
of approved safety appliances by the
railroads of this state for the better
protection of railway employees and the
public, and recommend the passage of
a law which Will secure that result"
DClltNC thai luS uudSl-puDliC
duties performed by railway employees,
the specially hazardous character of
the service. and the interest which the
public has in its execution demands
the enactment of a thorough and eff
ficient statute for their protection, and
l recommend that such law be
enacted at this session.
Many Killed and Injured.
at appears from the statistics
gathered by the railroad commission
er that there were killed and injured
by the railway companies in conduct
ing their business in Wisconsin, 2,157
persons during the two years ending
June 20. 1904. In addition there were
reported "other killed and injured"
to the number of 457 making an ag
gregate of 2,624 killed and injured by
the railway companies in this state, for
the two year period The reports of
the interstate commerce commission
are authority for the statement that
the railroads of the country killed and
injured for the year ending June 80,
lJuo, fJ.D0I pSiSOuS, anu 1Uf tuS year
ending June 80, 1904, 54.S30; or a
total Of 104.361 killed and injured for
the two year period. That the fore
going figures given 5y the interstate
commerce commission fall below the
actual facts. is apparent from the fol-
lowing comment by the commission,
in its report for 1909:
Many cases have been found Of
failure to report deaths and injuries.
On one road alone in period of three
months there were over 300 casualties,
which the manager failed to report un-
til the commission, having obtained
the information from other sources, in
quired about them. although in each Of
the three months the reports of the
railroad referred to were sworn to, as
full and complete, by an officer in
authority"
THE suppression of facts pertaining
to injuries and deaths would seem to
be quite a uniform practice on the part
of railroad companies as evidenced by
the following extract from the advance
pages of the latest report Of the com /
mission:
Many inaccuracies and incomplete
reports are received. deaths and in
iuries being entirely omitted from the
sworn statements The extent Of
these omissions may be inferred from !
the fact that 81 railroads admitted hav-