The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-11
NEW FEDERAL LAW
 PASSES CONGRESS
Employers Liability is Made
 More Stringent
RECOVERY NOT BARRED
contributory Negligence Does Not Pre- vent Claimant From Getting Dam age, Though His Negligence
 Is Considered By Jury.

"The last Congress passed a new law on employers liability that entirely re- volutionizes old laws and statues and one with which the public should be familiar, said Capt. Frank S. White yesterday.
 'rhe new law provides that every com- mon carrier engaged in interstate com merce shall be held liable to any of it's employees for any accident or for his death by accident while engaged in the service of the company.
 "The main feature of the new law is the fact that contributory negligence on the part of the employe injured does not bar a recovery"
 Following is the full text of the new law which was approved June Il, 1906:
 The New Law.
 Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every common carrier engaged in trade or commerce In the District of Columbia or in any territory of the United States, or between the several states. or between one territory and another or between any territory or territories and any state or states, or the District of Columbia, or with foreign nations, or between the Dis trist of Columbia and any state or states or foreign nations, shall be liable to any of It's employees, or, in case of his death, to his personal representative for the ben eft of his widow and children, if any, If none, then for his parents, if none, then for his next of kin dependent upon him. for all damages which may result from the negligence of any of it's officers, agents or employees, or by reason of any fo gence in its cars, engines, appliances, ma chinery, track, roadbed, ways or works
 Sec. 2. That in all actions hereafter brought against any common carriers to recover damages for personal injuries to an employe, or where such injuries have resulted in death, the fact that the em- ploye may have been guilty of contribu- tory negligence shall not bar a recovery where his contrlbutory negligence was slight and that of the empoye was gross in comparison, but the damages shall be diminished by the jury in proportion to the amount of negligence attributable to such employe. All questions of negligence shall be for the jury
 Sec. 3. That no contract of employment, insurance, relief benefit, or indemnity for injury or death entered into by or in be- half of any employe, nor the acceptance of any such insurance, relief benefit or HiueHlilley py the person emitted thereto, shall constitute any bar or defence by any action brought to recover damages for personal injuries to or oeath of such em- ploye; Provided, however, that upon the trial of such action against any common carrier the defendant may set off therein any sum it has contributed toward any such insurance relief benefit, or indemnity that may have been paid to the injured employe, or, in case of his death. to his personal representative.
 Sec 1. That no action shall be main tained under this act, unless commenced within one year from the time the cause of the action occurred
 Sec. 5. That nothing in this act shall be held to limit the duty of common car riers by railroads or impair the rights of their employees under the safety ap- pliance act of March 2, 1893, as amended April 1, 1896, and March 2, 1903
 Approved June Il, 1906.