The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-12-12
ing, but it, has not appreciated its
obligation to them.
Rkfor,ns In proanao%

ing, but it has not appreciated it's
obligation to them.
Reforms in Prospect.
However, the subject is attracting
much attention of late in the United
States, as is evidenced by references
to, it in President ROosevelt's mes
sages to congress, in federal legisla-
tion, in political platforms, and in
numerous ma gazine articles.
|. Minnesota, no less than in, : other
states in which there is much indus
trial development, accidents to work.
men" are becoming so numerous that
it is desira BILE not only to seek the
best method of prevention, but also to
provide a method of !: settling the
claims arising out Of such accidents
that will be equita BILE, expeditions
and economical, 80
Injuries to Workers.
European countries have given more
attention to this question than we
have in the United States. Their re-
cent laws afford a better guarantee
to injured. workingmen than do the
laws Of our country We shall prob
ably be obliged to copy after them.
Some of our states are beginning to
do so, and from Investigations being
made by their commissioners of labor
it is expected that they will not only
Gull the best from the laws of other
countries. but they will offer some
thing better in addition thereto. We
could not be American If we did not
do that much.
No one will deny that when a man
is injured he needs money. Where
shall he get it Must he rely on the
charity Of the public? He cannot de-
pend upon compensation from his en-
ployer because in most cases the EN-
ployed cannot be proven. negligent. =
Compensation for Injuries. ~
Compensation to workingmen for
injury done to health or body by .in-
dustry is not purely an industrial
| question; it is society's problem, and
in Minnesota the opportunity is at
forded to the best minds in this state
to work out a plan that will offer
more security to the injured, and place
the least burden on industry. 49, y: l.
| Earnest men in the legal profession
are giving the problem the most seri-
Gus consideration. 1t is even a live
topic for study. In the university, and
employers in their associations Sell
dom fail to give it weighty thought:
The wCrkingmen also in the trade
| unions, while probab bly, handicapped
! in. ability to think out an accepta Bile
plan, are not far behind the others.
! II am quite familiar with their phil
osophy, and while. you may not agree
| with me, we :beliece that the time has
come. when the burden of safeguard
| ing the life and limb and health of
employees. and paying an adequate
compensation for injuries should be
1 borne by the state. An accident fund
! ought to be created; this fund to be
raisedby taxation levied on all indus
tries which menace the life or limb
or health Of employees, and each fine
Of industry ought to: be assessed at
a rate: which WIFI fully cover the loss
resulting annually therein; each line
4 of industry being taxed according to
| ITS liability for causing accidents, and
4 the liability OF each separate line Of
| industry to be determined by securing
] necessary statistics on the accidents
occurring therein. 81 <55SS. n zszs.
I Concluding Remarks.
i This burden would eVentually fall
tupon society in general because, as
one of the fixed charges of produce:
T, tion 1t would naturally be added to
the cost thereof. The difference in.
cost, however, would not be great be-
,tcause employers are obliged to pay
out large sums OF money each year to
! liability compa MES. Under the trade
! union plan, this cost would naturally
be eliminated. S5S sss
! But have possibly exceeded my
time Limitation, without even salts
/ tying myself, much less satisfying
1 that although the probems. connected
with : true adjustment OF the Il ghts
and Liabilities of employer and employe
are not vet as clearly defined BY our
laws AZ could he wished. but the good