Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-07-11
ASK FOR REPEAL OF MENTAL
ANGUISH MEASURE.
OPERATORS ARE VICTIMS
Act Is Wrong in Principle and Bad
in Precept-Has Been Before
Legislature Every Session for
Twenty Years-No Demand for 1t
and Never Has Been.
Madison, July 9.

the SO-cdIled mental anguish Dill
which passed the legislature early in
the session. A bill to repeal this act
was introduced in the assembly a few
weeks ago and passed that body, but
the senate has not yet concurred in
the repeating measure. The remOns
trance is signed by number Of tele-
graph operators and is said to voice
the sentiment of the telegraphers' as.
sOciatiOn. The remODstrance, after
enumeTating the bad features Of the
mental anguish" act, goes on to state
that the burden Of the penalty will
fall upon the telegraph operators in
stead of upon the telegraph cOmpan-
les.
IF the dreams of the lawyers come
true and the companies are assaiIed
by many suits and mulcted in large
sums Of money" says the remons-
trance, they will in the natU-o Of
the case seek to protect the sock
holders by the discharge of the offend
ing operators or by the exaction of an
indemnity bona in the sum Of $500
from each operator receiving, copying,
transmitting and delivering dispatches
and messages against the provisions
Of this act, which is so pregnant with
danger and liugatiOn."
At the session of the senate last
night a communication signed by T.
A. PendletOn representing the teIe-
graph operators of Wisconsin, sub
mitted an argument in the form of a
brief in opposition to the mental an
guish bill which has already been
passed by the legislature. The DUR
pose of the argument is to influence
the legislature to repeal the law be-
fore adjournment. WThe brief is as
follows:
Telegraph companies of whatever
name, are but creatures of paper. The
soul and life of these companies, the
flesh and blood which stand for them
and between them and the public
whose common carriers they are, are
the operators. the men at the KEYS
the living, speaking, human forces
who actually perform the service and
transact the telegraph business
They number thousands, and in every
corner of the state come in close
touch with Individual and commercial
HE. They compare favOrably in in.
tel!igence, education and moral fibre
with their associates in all business
In sympathy with them Individually
and collectively they are held respons-
Ible to the public for the actual con.
duct of the telegraph business. for IFS
success and it's failures. and everv
law aimed at the business, which thew
are conducting should be based and
grounded in fairness and Justice, and
passed to meet universal public de.
mand and accomplish the public good
as contradistinguished from the indi.
Vldual benefit or rewards.
Why should the state array thus
by reward the public against the tele
graph operators as this act seeks to
do? Why offer a premium to strife
to foment tigation-stimulate Der
Jury and make the operator the vic.
tim of the ambitious attorney? If
must be plain to all that in each case
brought to recover the five hundred
dollars penalty in addition to all
other damages, the proof must estab-
ilsh which particular operator was to
blame, whether in fact he was or
was not. 1t is true persons so dis.
posed, stimulated by the reward Of
Tered in this act and spurred ON bv
the attorney who hopes to enjoy the
reward with him, may mulct the cor.
poratiOn out of the five hundred. It'll
is true that the law business NAV. get
fine boost, but it must be plain to
you as senators, that each case must
furnish its victim: in each prosecution
telegraph operator will be on trial
and his welfare at stake, for the fail |
ure of negligence charged. If he can
be found guilty by the jury, which !
mas but little love for the telegraph
company, the lawyers win. and the
corporation pays the price. Having |
tnuS IN each case established the |
guilt of the offending operator through |
the efforts of the reward stimulated |
attorney, what happens to the man at |
the key? Why should he be made the |
putt and scape-gOat of all this turmoil |
which has been set in motion bv this |,
new law? What becomes of him?
What have you done for him? What !
viii be the attitude of the telegraph |
operators and their friends while |
this bombardment is going on over the
state. as the lawyers pick them out
one by one. at their various stations, |
for conviction of negligence and fail. |
ure to perform their duties? What !
have these men and women done
against the state, in whose name you
are proceeding five hundred !
dollars premium should be placed !
2gainst their conduct of their daily |
duties? Why have they been selected
from among all of tie other avoca- |
tons to which such a law might be
applicable, especially to be punished?
Why not the express messengers |
And the telephone operators? Why
nave they been exempted from the
provisions of this law? Is it charged
that the telegraph operators alone
have so f1agrantly violated the duties
imposed on them, that they should
thus be specially legislated against?
Or is there a kind of understanding
that this law shall be tried on The