The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-06-11
GEORGIA DAY
AT JAMESTOWN
EXPOSITION
CONTINUED From Page one.)

ever, that this action shall be taken
with knowledge and in spirit of ro-
bust common sense. Decade by de-
cade, 1t becomes more and more nee
essary that, without sacrificing their
individual independence, the people
of this country, shall recognize in
more effective form their mutual in
dependence, and the duty of safe
guarding the interests of each in the
ultimate interest of all. We have in
herited and developed superbly
self-reliant individualism in this
country. l most earnestly hope that
it will never be lost, that it will never
be exchanged for a deadening social
ism.
I'VE need laws for the care of our
children which were not needed when
this country was in its infancy. We
need laws for the control of vast cor
porations such as were not needed
when the individual fortunes were
far smaller than at present, and
when these fortunes were not COM
bined for business use. In the same
way wee need to change our attitude
toward labor problems.
For example, the great increase
in mechanical and manufacturing OPP
erations means corresponding in
crease in the number of accidents to
the wage-workers employed therein.
To the ordinary wage-worker's fam
lily such calamity means grim hard
ship. Legislation should be had,
alike from the nation and from the
states, not only to guard against the
needless multiplication of these acct
dents, but to relieve the financial
suffering due to them. Last winter
congress passed a saftey appliance
law which marked long stride in
then right direction. But there
should be additional legislation to Sc
cure pecuniary compensation to
workmen suffering from accidents,
and when they are killed, to their
families. The law in too many cases
leaves the financial burden of indus
trial accident to be borne by the in
jured wOrkmen and their families.
The present practice is based on the
view announced nearly seventy years
ago that principles of justice and
good sense demand that workman
shall take upon himself all the ordi-
nary risks of his occupation In my
view, principles of justice and good
sense demand the very reverse of this
view, which experience has proved to
be unsOund and productive of wide
spread suffering. 1t is neither just,
expedient nor humane, it is revolving
to judgment and sentiment alike
that the financial burden of accidents
occurring because of the necessary
exigencies of their daily occupation
oh
ers who are least able to bear it.
LAS a matter of fact, there is no
sound economic reason for distinction
between accidents caused by negh
gence and those which are unayoid-
able, and the law should be such that
the payment of those accidents will
become automatic instead of being
a matter for a lawsuit. Workmen
should receive certain definite and
limited compensation for all acct
dents in industry, irrespective of neg
ligence. When the employer, the
agent of the public, on his own re-
sponsibility and for his own profit,
in the business of serving the public,
starts in motion agencies which Gre
ate risks for others, he should take
all the ordinary and extraordinary
risks involved; and though the bur-
den will at the moment be his, it will
ultimately be assumed, as it ought
to be, by the general public. The
workman and the workman's family
would be relieved from a crushing
load.
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
SHOULD BE A MODEL EMPLOYER
1t should demand the highest quality
of service from it's employees and
should care for them properly in re-
turn. Congress should adopt legis-
lation providing limited but definite
compensation for accidents to all
workmen within the scope of the
Federal power, including employees
In navy yards and arsenals. Similar
legislation should follow throughout
the states. The old and inadequate
remedy of suit for negligence would
then gradually disappear.
THE temporary burden involved
VIII not hamper our industries.
LAS a corollary to the above, let
me point out the extreme unwisdom
of the railway companies in fighting
the constitutionality of the national
employers liability law. No law is
more emphatically needed, and it
must be kept on the statute books
in drastic and thoroughgoing form
The railroads are prompt to demand
the interference and to claim the
protection - the Federal courts in
times of riot and disorder. IF IT is
PROPER FOR THE FEDERAL
COURTS TO ISSUE INJUNCTIONS
IN BEHALF OF RAILROADS, IT is
PROPER THAT RAILRO ADS
SHOULD BE HELD TO A STRICT
LIABILITY FOR ACCIDENTS OC-
CURING TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.
There should be the plainest and
most unequivocal additional state
ment, by enactment of congress, to
the effect the railroad employees are
entitled to receive damages for any
accident that comes to them as an in
cident of the performance of du-
ties, and the laws should be such that
1t will be impossible for the railroads
successfully to fight them without
thereby forfeitng all right to the pro-
lection of the Federal government
under any circumstances. In the
same way there should be rigid Fed
eral legislation to minimize all rail-
way accidents.
In closing, friends and fellow citi-
zens of Georgia, let me say one word
suggested by the recent ceremonies,
in connection with your gift to the
noble battleship named after your
state. Our battleships and great ar
mored cruisers are named after the
states of our Union, and this symbol
ICES the fact that the navy is a com
Af
It's honor and its triumphs are as dear
To the heart nf O frno A nao,;oox II