The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-01-24

stitutional by the supreme court OF
the United States.
The Knox bill makes all railroads
engaged in interstate commerce liable
to their employees for injury incurred
In service, and to their heirs in the
event of a fatal accident. The fellow
servant doctrine Is overturned by the
Knox bill and the rule of contributory
negligence Is greatly modified. I'm
der its terms the mere fact that an
employe Is injured or killed through
the negligence of fellow employe
does not relieve the employer from re.
sponsibility. Nor does contributory
negligence bar an injured employe
from claiming damages. 1t merely
lessons the amount of damage In pro
portion to the percentage Of negligence
contributed.
Under the terms Of this bill no con-
tract of employment, insurance, relief
benefit, etc, can constitute bar or
defense to any action brought to re.
cover damages for personal injuries
or death. Mr.. Knox is looked upon as
one of the great lawyers of the coun-
try and 1t is believed that in his bill
he has met all of the objections raised
to the former law by the supreme court.
He believes that the railroad men de-
serve this greater consideration from
their employers and he has stated that
he proposes to urge this bill to vote
at the earliest feasible time In dis
cussing his bill Senator Knox said:
| II have drawn this bill with a view
to meeting the objections OF the SD
preme court to the former law. Con-
gress will be obliged to take UP this
question, for the men employed upon
the railroads are entitled to a more
humane law than that now in effect.
The bill l have drawn, will, believe
Iprove effective, but am not irrevoc-
ably committed to its phraseology. Per-
sonally, will welcome all suggestions
bearing upon the subject and feel
sure that from this and other bills
that will be referred to the judiciary
Committee, the Committee will be
able to report bill entirely satisfact-
airy and that will stand the test Of the
courts"
Edward A. Hoseley, secretary OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission, is
very much in favor of the Knox bill
In discussing it he said:
by lawyers who heard the decision
of the supreme court this bill of Sena
tor Knox is said to completely cure
the fault found in the law that was de-
clared unconstitutional. The Knox
bill is in the line with the senator's
action heretofore. He has always been
heartily in sympathy with efforts to
ammeliorate conditions surrounding
labor. While Attorney General he in
troduced an innovation by which the
United States was allowed to inter
vene in a private suit to sustain the
validity of a statute. That case was
what is known as the johnson case
and the action of the Department OF
Justice, of which Senator Knox was
then the head, resulted in having the
statute declared valid and practically
revived. His action then resulted in
the enforcement of the safety appli
ance act and recent statistics show
that thereby deaths and injury to EN-
ployes engaged in train service and IL
coupling and uncoupling cars have moi
increased, while other accidents have
} largely increased"
1t is not difficult to see that Knox is
making an appeal for the employees
support. 1t matters little whether OF
not his bill ever gets to first base-the
fact that he has drawn it up is enough
to build the kilograms" on. And thus
the press agent tries and tries to gel
free advertising for his champion
advertising upon which to build pres
idential nomination.
Governor Hughes takes the attitude
IRENE and is so free in explaining his
position that he causes a loss of con
fidence at the very outset.