The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-08

wage-earner's family in the event OF
his death by accident in the course of
his employment. And in the event of
death occurring, say, ten or eleven
months after the accident, the fam
lily would only receive as compensa-
ton the equivalent of one or two
months earnings. In this respect the
generosity of the United States to-
wards its employees compares most
unfavorably with that of every coun-
try in Europe-even the poorest.
The terms of the act are also a
hardship in prohibiting payment in
cases where the accident is in any
way due to the negligence of the en-
ployee. 1t is inevitable that daily
familiarity with danger will lead men
to take chances that can be construed
into negligence. SO well is this recog-
nized that in practically all countries
in the civilized world, except the
United States, only a great degree of
negligence acts as bar to securing
compensation Probably in no other
respect is our legislation, both State
and National. so far behind practical
" the entire civilized world as in the
matter of liability and compensation
for accidents in industry. 1t is humi-
Hating that at European international
congresses on accidents the United
States should be signaled out as the
most belated among the nations in res
pect to employers liability legislation.
This Government is itself a large em-
ployer of labor, and in its dealings
with its employees it should set a
standard in this country which would
place it on a par with the most pro-
gressive countries in Europe. the
laws of the United States in this res
pect and the laws of European coun-
tries have been summarized in a re-
cent Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor,
and no American who reads this sum-
mary can fail to be struck by the
great contrast between our practices
and theirs-a contrast not in any
sense to our credit.
The Congress should without furth-
err delay pass model employers la
bility law for the District of Column
bia. The employers liability act re-
Gently declared unconstitutional, on
account of apparently including in its
provisions employees engaged in in
trastate commerce as well as those
engaged in interstate commerce, has
been held by the local courts to be
still in effect so far as its provisions
apply to the District of Columbia.
There should be no ambiguity on this
point. If there is any doubt on the
subject, the law should be reenacted
with special reference to the District
of Columbia. This act, however, ap-
plies only to employees of common
In all other occupations the
liability law of the District is the
old common law. The severity and
Injustice of the common law in this
matter has been in some degree or an
other modified in the majority of our
States, and the only jurisdiction UNI
der the exclusive control of the Con-
gress should be ahead and not be-
hind the States of the Union in TINS
respect A comprehensive employers
liability law should be passed for the
District of Columbia.
| renew by recommendation made
in a previous message that half-holl-
lays be granted during summer to all
wage workers in Government employ.
| also renew my recommendation
hat the principle of the eight-hour
day should as rapidly and as far as
be extended to the entire
work being carried on by the Govern
nent; the present law should be
to embrace contracts on
hose public works which the present
wording of the act seems to exclude.
THE COURTS.
most earnestly urge upon the Con-
,ress the duty of increasing die to-
ally inadequate salaries now given to
,ur Judges. On the whole there is no
,ody of public servants who do as
work, nor whose moneyed
o their work. Beginning with the
supreme Court the Judges should have
heir salaries doubled. 1t is not befit-
ing the dignity of the Nation that its
most honored public servants should
e paid sums so small compared to
What they would earn in private life
hat the performance of public service
" them implies an exceedingly heavy
ecuniary sacrifice.
1t is earnestly to be desired that
ONE method should be devised for do
ng away with the long delays which
ow obtain in the administration OF
Justice, and which operate with pc
uliar severity against persons Of
mall means, and favor only the very
riminals whom it is most desirable
o punish. These long delays in the
nal decisions of cases make in the
ggregation a crying evil; and a rem
dy should be devised. Much of this
ntolerable delay is due to improper