The San Francisco call., 1906-10-12
VITAL LEGISLATION
IN PROSPECT,
Gillett Will Give Battle
to the Miners for an En-
ployers' Liability Law
PLEHN ON TAXATION
By Thomas B. Sullivan.

BY Thomas B. Sullivan.
Interest in affairs political still CEN
ters in the prospective legislation that
will engage the attention of the next
session Of the Legislature. Measures
Of more vital Importance, perhaps, than
any that have received official recog-
milton since the adoption of the new
constitution will be considered. All of
the serious problems that arose out of
the disaster in this city must be solved.
While the Legislature at its extra ses-
sion sought to adjust these difficulties.
the relief then afforded was simply
temporary and next January must
come the permanent settlement of ey-
cry complication that came from the
fire.
LAWS ON TAXATION.
This legislation in itself will consti-
tute volume and to IL will be added
the proposed reformation of State tax
alton Professor Plehn Of the Uni
versfty of California has been at work
upon what is expected to be practi-
cally a completely new system of taxa
tion- When he began his labors condi-
tons were very different from what
they are now. The suggested new
- SNrA@ must ldhe INTO consideration a
vital change in conditions produced by
the confagration in this city. Millions
of dollars of taxable property have
been destroyed. Avenues Of ordinary
revenue have been obliterated and at
the same time State institutions are
more than ever in need of assistance
How to reconcile these antagonistic
conditions and to establish a reason
able and profitable taxation will be the
problem that he = iii
demand the deepest thought from the
most astute men in the State.
Every State institution that was
housed in San Francisco must be re-
built. Many of the structures that
We're the homes of public incompe-
tents and dependents must be repaired
Enormous sums of money will be re-
obtain them, with ordinary channels
closed, is a question that will give the
high-class members of the Legislature
the deepest concern.
GILLETT AND THE MINERS.
While this problem is in process of
solution another of general import
ance will be introduced for the CON
sideratien of legislators Congressman
Gillett is saying very little of 1t in
his campaign. as he is not the char
acter of man who pleads for votes on
promises of what he may do If elected
Governor of California His friends
have Insisted that perhaps he is un-
wise in maintaining this sort of can
vass. but he has had his way.
He is sincerely and deeply interested
in the adoption of State employers
liability law and If he is elected Gov
ernor he will exercise every influence
at his command 10 insure Ii a place on
the statute books. Such a measure has
been before the Legislature time after
time, but the powerful lobby estab-
lished by the mine owners of the State
has always accomplished its defeat
That such a law is just no one ques-
tions. In outline il provides that en-
ployers shall be held responsible for
any injury that one employe may in
f1ict upon another. At the last ses-
sion of Congress such a measure be-
came a law, but only after a stubborn
and hardfought struggle to defeat it.
When it was introduced in the ma
tional legislature President Roosevelt
discovered that some clever lawyer
had injected into it a clause that COM
pieteiy destroyed its purpose.
RoosEvELT's REQUEST.
The Joker" provision admitted the
liability of employers, but reserved to
the creditors of every employer a
priority in the payment of claims. This
simply meant that while the obliga-
tion of all employers TO pay damages
for an injury or death of any employe
was acknowledged, the debt would
never be paid. When President Roose-
welt discovered the Joker he sent for
Congressman Gillett and asked him to
appear before the judiciary commit
tee of the lower house and demand the
rejection Of the obnoxious clause. Gil
lett did so and succeeded. The en-
ployers' liability law was adopted and
is now in effect.
1t only governs interstate commerce,
however, and Gillett will seek to make
similar measure the law of the State
In this seeking, however, he will be
opposed by a powerful lobby. For
years Senators Belshaw and Ralston
have upheld the position of the employ
ing miners. but Ralston retires this
year and Belshaw Will hardly care to
maintain the struggle single handed.