The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-02-22
Professor Gray Favors Injury
Compensation Measure.
PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS
Held to Be Quite as Important as
Compensation and He Favors Safety
Devlces-Rook Trust Agent Denies
Charges Made Against Him by the
School Officers Of Winona-To
EquaIize Lumber Prices.

- g. z'->.l, U-L. 90. J.I1.-ore5, pro
lessor of economics at the state uni
versity, appeared before the house
committee on labor and argued for
the proposed commission to devise a
plan OF compensation for injured
workingmen. He spoke at length for
such legislation. saying that a wage
Garner with an annual wage of $500
to 500 was not able to bear the risk
Of injury and that If he were injured
his family was almost certain to be-
come a public burden.
He contendsd that nobody knows
what the expense of compromising Ia
Dor would be or what are the average
wages. He pointed out that prevent
ing accidents is quite as important as
compensation and said that machinery
which would prevent accidents would
make men more productive because
the fear Of accidents alone Injuries
them.
Thomas Van Lear, representing the
railway Hnaehinists, said it was inhu-
man for the employers to say that
hey would not stand for any addition
Al expense. He thought 1t proper to
appoint commission, but could not
sse why the legislature could not pass
i bill that would afford partial relief
10 the injured. 1--WE are far behind
Darkest Russia in this respect" he
said.
How About the Employers?
George M. Gillett, president of the
Minnesota Employers association,
asked Mr.. Van lear If it was not fair
that the employers be considered, and
Mr.. Van Lear replied by insisting that
something; should be done for the en-
ployes even If it did bring additio nal
expense to- the employers.
w. F. Ellis, agent of the American
Book company in Southeastern Min
nesota, was on the stand before the
house committee which is Investigate
ing the school book question, and de-
MED everything that had been charged
against him by the school officers
from Win'ona, that he had meddled in
the selection of a superintendent
there. Asked about each separate
charge, he denied each one of them
point blank.
r. E. Maxson, superintendent at
Harmony, and some of the school Off
GERS from that town, were at the
hearing, and Maxson testified that
Ellis tried to sell him an order for
arithmetics and to close the deal he
promised him a rebate Of $40 on some
dictionaries, but instead Of selling the
dictionaries at $40 less than the regu-
lar price he had the bill made out at
the full amount and gave Maxson $40
to pay the company on the bill.
When Ellis was on the stand he ad.
United giving Maxson the $40, but
claimed that the sale of the arithme-
tics had been closed before the sub
feet of the dictionaries was men
toned. H.. ,.~..
Money for Books. i. .-.-.-
"A bill doing away with the present
system by which the state gives aid
to school districts for libraries when
they purchase books from one certain
firm with which the state has con-
tract and giving each district SO q
year to spend for books wherever it
sees fit was introduced In the house
by R. J. Wells of Breckenridge and
several other members. The bill was
recommended for passage by the COM
nitfne m nra1 1opic1ation saaa