The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-11-27
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY.

n 10 said that as long as there arc
raIroads there Will be railroad acci
dents. and that n win be practically
impossible 10 prevent them. The
same thing may as truthfully be- said
OF an industry wherein large numbers
sre employed. II is true that many
az these accidents, wherein human lie
is either sacrificed or injured. are nm
avoidable or almost impossible 10 pre-
vent. while on the other hand many
Of them could have been prevented
had the proper precautions been
taken. n n also true that some OF
those accidents arc partially the re-
suit OF carclessncss or negligence on
the part OF the operative; bur this ls
an element OF chance which should bc
taken into consideration by those en-
Cagiug in business az we'll aS many
othcr things of Ike nature. Condi-
tons surrounding business today are
vastly different from what they were
twenty years ago, where only few
wore employed together. or where
thay had any employment affiliations.
~ that case. tho fellow servant
proposition was not 80 far wrong. but
not 90 today. where men engaged in
the same occupation may be- scpar-
atcd by even hundreds OF miles, and
still be dependent upon each other.
The machinery OF today hes changed
all that. and the injury 10 or dcstrUc-
tion of that machine Is certainly an
element OF chance which Is always
taken into account. and which Is al
WAYS repaired OF replaced al the cX-
E~tIV
man n ass much part or the business
as Is the machine. and should receive
as much or moro consideration. be
cause he not only brings TO The bust
ness his creative powers. bur intelli-
genco as we'll Therefore the busi-
ness should repair the broken arm or
leg and pay for the loss OF life. just
the same as n is compelled 10 repair
the broken shaft and TO pay for the
loss Of the entire machine.
David Ross. Secretary OF the III
nois bureau Of labor statistics. In
speaking Of the employers liability
laws. among other things said. 'Ac-
Cidcnts represent so much loss suf-
fcrcd as an incident of the prosecution
OF Industry. and should be provided
Tor In the same manner as other nee
rssary expenses. The labor of men
Is as essential TO the success Of an
industrial enterprise as that OF the
machinery and this plan OF manage
ment, recognized by every civilized
government. would In this respect put
The man on an equality with the ma
chine and require that tne cost OF
broken bone or other injury like a
broken machine should be classified
In the category OF Legitimate operat-
ing expenses and properly listed as a
charge against the industry, to be re-
couped as other losses from the profits
OF the business, Aside from the prin-
ciplc. there Is a certainty about this
method which should command the
Endorsement OF every employer OF la
bor In the more dangerous trades
the occurrence OF accidents are so reg
uiar whether figured on the basis OF
men employed or work performed as
to mako them definite insurance
risk, 90 that men investing their CAPT
tai would know in advance what
losses under this plan It would be
necessary 10 anticipate and provide
for, the difference being that. instead
Of distributing vast and varied sums
In payment OF court costs and attor.
ney fees under the prevailing system.
specific amounts. probably less In the
aggregate would bo paid directly to
those who are most entitled TO Il. a
consideration OF the subject from this
viewpoint must necessarily reject the
proposition that any part OF The mon
ey needed 10 llquidate such claims
should be deducted from wages. While
the suggestion that fund be created
10 which employers and employees con
tribute is a decided advance over the
unbusincsslike method now obtaining.
simple Justice requires that the bur
den be borne entirely by the trade or
industry: that the cost OF such protec-
tion be charged against tho business,
and that no portion Of II should be ex-
tracted from the wages Of the work.
ingmcn."
This. II seems 20 mo. IS sound logic
and good common sense Under tho
present system, the man who has
given all tho best years OF his lie 10.
or In tho service of. another who has
becn the beneficiary OF the grenter
portion OF his earnings, In case OF ac.
cident, must prosecute his claim be-
foro the courts and II successful In
securing Judgment for the full amount
Tor which he brings suit, because OF
tho almost innumerablc and intermln-
able delays. it has cost him one-hnlf
or more before he receives II. and he
Is benefited but little. While. on The
other hand, II therc was a law com
polling The payment OF stipulated
sums for CLASSIFIED injuries. II Is safe
10 say that IL would cost the on
ployor less money. and at the same
time be OF much greater benefit 10 the
employe OF his bonciiciarles. as we'll
rs to the general public.