Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-10
WITHOUT AMENDMENT
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY BILL
GOES THROUGH THE SENATE.
References Made to Railway Com
panies' Political Contributions.
Hartman Letter Recalled.

The employers liability bill recently
| passed by the House of Representatives
was yesterday afternoon passed by the
! Senate without amendment so that it is
ready to go to the President for his APP
prevail. The scope of the bill is limited
to common carriers by railroads.
AS passed the bill is expected to meet
| the objection of the United States SUI
preme Court to the common carrier la
bility law of 1895. decided to be uncon-
stitutional by the court. The bill ahol-
ishes the strict common law liability
which bars recovery for personal in
jury or death of an employee occasioned
by the negligence of a fellow servant 1t
also relaXes the common law rule which
makes contributCry negligence "A defense
10 claims for such INJURIES and
permits an employee to recover for an in
jury caused by the negligence of a CO.
efnploFe. The bill does not bar recovery
even though the injured one contributed
by his own negligence to the injury The
amount OF the recovery is diminished in
me same degree that the negligence OF
the injured one contributd to the injury.
Campaign Contributions.
During the discussion of the measure
there was extended reference to cam
paisn contributions by railroad men. and
especially to the Herman contribution
TO the republican campaign fund of 1904
senator Bacon of Georgia, declared that
great railway corporations exercise an
important influence upon the political for
tunes OF the country In New York he
said $500,00 had been raised on one occa-
sion on the suggestion of high official
ana used to influence the election
His reference was readily recognized bv
senators as being aimed at the President
ana his letter to Mr. Hartman. He said
ne would not call any names in connec-
ton with that statement
Senator Foraker asked whether the
Georgia senator would not call the
name of the high official he referred
to. but Mr. Bacon said he did not wish
to do that.
Il think it is only fair to the high off,
cial. said Mr.. Foraker. ''to state that
he contradicted that story and applied
an ugly word to the man who set that
story af1oat."
Mr.. Bacon. evidently referring to what
has been called the "Ananias Club" said
the man who raised the campaign fund
was member of that club adding 1.-The
membership Of which is making it the
most respectable club in the United
States"
The Hartman Letter.
Senator Gore of Oklahoma, taking a
itttti Iioill HIS ppthel, Sdl0 ne "lS1eU 10
read it as throwing light upon the sub
Ject under consideration. The paper
proved to be a copy of letter dated
October IA. 1904, which began My Dear
Hartman and was signed Theodore
Roosevelt"
Mr.. Gallinger. addressing his question to
Mr.. Bacon. asked If he thought il was
right to introduce the name of the Presi-
dent in this debate
Il am not responsible" said Mr. Bacon
for bringing in the name of the Presi-
dent
Senator Gore quickly responded that he
did not think the President should write
letter he was unwilling to have read.
Later Mr.. Gore said in regard to the
Roosevelt Hartman letter that he was re-
sponsible for the reading of the letter to
the Senate. Il would rather be respon-
sfble for the reading of that letter" he
said, than responsible for writing it. If
that We're proper letter for the Presi-
dent of the United States to write to an
undesirable citizen there should be no
improperly in my offering it to this SEN
ate. If that is an improper letter | am
sorry the President wrote it. That is my
apology"