Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1908-04-18


debate. just as it came from the COM
mittee. the vote being 300 to 1. Little
field Of Maine cast the dissenting vote.
Both sides of the house applauded
when the measure was read on motion
of Sterling of Illinois, chairman of the
judiciary committee, for whom it will
be called. The bill holds interstate
common carriers liable for injuries to
employees received in service, abolish
ing the common law rule barring COM
pensation where the negligence of a
fellow servant can be proved and re-
laxing the rule of law which makes
contributory negligence a defense to
claims for damages. But one provision
makes the amount of the recovery pro-
portioned to the degree that the claim
ants negligence contributed to the &C
cfdent. Each party must bear the bur
den Of his own negligence.
Liability Bill Now Law.
With unlocked for promptness the
senate took up the house employers
liability bill April and after lively
debate passed it by unanimous vote
the same day without alteration or
amendment. That the president would
sign it gladly and without delay was
assured, as this was the first tangible
response of congress to his repeated
suggestions on this line. Just before
the vote Senator Gore injected the IA
nous letter Of the president to e. H.
Hartman in which he said you and
are practical men,"
A Hole In the Rate Law.
Under the same procedure On the
same day the house proceeded to knock
the first hole in the Hepburn railroad
rate law by passing the bill to increase
the list of persons to whom free trans
portation may be granted by the rail-
roads. Among; the excepted classes
are charity workers, clergymen, secre-
taries Of the railroad Y. M. G. A, in
mates Of soldiers homes, mail clerks
and newsboys, besides employees and
their families. t.E f.''r
Pearl Harber Naval Base.
With only one opposing vote, that Of
= 0ASA WVVu VI oAiO \OSAAoSA"HS LAG OAAA
authorizing a naval base at Pearl har-
Dor, Honolulu, passed the house.
Minority Bound and Gagged.
Despite the new gag rules under
which the house had done business, the
minority was able to offer some OBJ
structive tactics, and another still
more drastic rule was damned through
by the majority. This fixed definite
programme for the house lasting sew
eral days, during which the naval bill
being to take recess at the end OF
each day instead Of formal adjourn
ment, thus avoiding dilatory roll calls.
Republicans Break Quorum.
Another incident of the house tilibus-
ter occurred in the committee on cleo
ton of president and vice president
when the five Democratic members
found themselves in majority. as only
three of the Republicans were present.
The Democrats proposed to report ia
vorably at once the bill on campaign
publicity. which had been urged by the
president, ana would nave Hdu tAeli
way had not two of the Republicans
hastily left the room, whereupon the
chairman declared that no quorum was
present. This at least is the version OF
the affair which Leader Williams gave
out The men who withdrew were
Burke of Pennsylvania and Diekema Of
Michigan.
Army Bill Disturbs Senate.
The army appropriation bill, which
had already passed the house with a
total Of $84.2O7 ,566, was rushed through
the senate so amended as to increase
the total to sos, 800, 400. Senator Hale
called attention to newspaper report
crediting the war department with the
intention of raising the army to a
strength of $4,000 men and referred to
this policy as being connected with the
prolonged, frequent and necessary abb
sences OF the secretary" sarcastically
referring to the campaign tours of
Taft. The talk Of danger of invasion