The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-21
PASS EMPLOYERS
II LIABILITY } L BILL I: |
----..-----------.
Congress About to E nact,Lawfor
Rclief#of Railway
Employees.
.vlRGlNlANs ARE INTERESTED
---------------- IS
Restoration Of Commander Oliver
to Active List Of the
s.s3. Navy.
.vlRGlNlANs ARE INTERESTED

(Trom Our Regular CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON D. G.. May 2o,-As sup.
Elementary TO the rate bill for the relief
at the shippers OF the United States
Congress Is about to enact n law for the
relief Of railway employees. The bill
which it is proposed TO enact Is tho e,n-
ployers liability bill, witch was re-
ported favorably by tho Committee on
Interstate Commerce Of the Senate yes
8terday. after the Republicans of tho
Senate had refused to incorporate the
principle of the bill In the rate bill
This bill was first proposed By Senator
Martin 1t tho last session. Senator Dam
,iel introduced 1t at the present session.
One OF two other bills on the subject
were introduced by Republican senator's
Mr. LnFollete is ono OF the most ardent
supporters Of the bill. but as he Is not In
good standing with his Republican co..
leagues, It Is sa fe to say his name VIII
not be connected with the bill. POSI-
& bly, Senator Daniels name may be given
ITO the bill, bit such Is not ut all prob
able. The majority party does not allow
Il the name OF Democrat to be attached
to q measure OF any Importance which IS
to become Il law.
But It Ia safe to say that tho name of
either one OF the Virginia senators Is
as likely to be attached to the law as
lis tho name of the Junior senator from
Wisconsin,, who is more cordially dis
& liked by the Republicans Of the Senate
$ than Is almost any Democrat.
The bill which is proposed to enact is
practically the bill enacted by the Nir-.
gia' Legislature some years ago, after
practically the same measure had been
defeated IN successive legislatures for
+ ten or twelve years. The principle en-
bodied In the BILL that employees of rail.
way corporations. shall nQt, be prohibited
from the recoyerNs Of damages for per-
sonal Injuries sustalngp through the neg
ligence Of fellow servants, Is embodied
In tho new constitution Of Virginia,
Case of Oliver.
Il The House Is about to pass bill
+ to restore to the active list Of the navy
Commander James r. Oliver. Of Geor-
gia, whose wife was Miss Marian Garter.
a Virginia girl, living at Shirley. Com
mander oliver was retired at his own re-
quest In 1905.
Immediately prior, to- his, retlrement he
was in command OF the u 81 81 Colsoa.
While OFF Barnegat, off the Jersey coast,
the Colgoa on a dark, misty night coll
lided with the schooner which was show
ing false lights, sinking the schooner and
resulting in the loss OF life. board
of investigation and court of inquiry was
ordered resulting in the acduittal or
said Oliver of all blame and the recon-
mendation Of the board that no further
proceedings be had. Nevertheless, the
Department ordered said OllVerabefore q
court-martial. before which lie 'wasItried
for culpable incft1ciency. The court-nlar-
tial found Commander Oliver blameless,
and most fully and honorably ac-
quilted him OF the charges.
ro,,,p,o p1ar OLIVER then Lieutenant
commander, had been in the naval service
over thirty-two years. having all the
time a clean record and having the re-
gard of the officers with whom he served.
The Bureau Of Navigation, In recon-
mendinG the court-martial expressed the
value OF Leutenant- Commander DIVERS
service In the following iiaEguage:,
9"Lieutenant-C cn,p,under Oliver is an Of
fcer OF irreproacllable habits and has an
excellent record in the service. He is
an officer OF long experience, and the
bureau is unable to assign reason for
Ills error In Judgment on the occasion
OF the collision between the vessel under
his command and the schooner wilson
and Hunting"
THAT tha.e was no Gulpable error in
Judgment was clearly shown Blythe re-
suit of the .gurt- martial, which most
fully ana honorably" acquitted him ~
all blame.
It was, while smarting under the action
OF the department, II, ordering court
martial when he felt, and the findings
prove that he was blameiess, that ne
asked for his retirement from active ser
vice.
The bin for the reinstatement OF Com
mander oliver has passed the Senate, and
Representative Lamb Is making Eight
for 1t in the House. There Is no doubt
OF tho passage OF the bill .5