The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-02-04

don't know, but / think that pos
sibly no machine in use anywhere Is
responsible for SO many and so serious
accidents as the deadly cornshredder.
Supposing farmer to have one of
these maneaters and a. careless hired
man, as doubtless many of them have,
and starts in shredding corn. He
charges his hired man, being himself
ill, let us say, with the duty of feed
ing the cornshredder. The hired man
knows it is adangerous machine. The.
farmer warns him that it is dangerous
and explains wherein the danger lies.
He takes every precaution that in
genuity can devise to prevent acci-
dent. He himself stands guard over
the machine to see that his warnings
are needed. Notwithstanding this
the farm hand, through sheer care
lessness or recklessnesS, has his fingers
drawn into the machine and his arm
so crushed that later it has to be am
putated. With all these facts In
mind, how would Mr.. Farmer like to
run up against a law which declares
that no matter how hard he tried to
prevent the accident, no matter how
much warning he gave his employe,
no matter how reckless the employe
was, "the fact of the injury being sus-
tanned by the employe while in the
line of duty shall be absolute proof of
the right of the employe to recover
adequate compensation for such in
jury" That's the kind of law Mr..
Wright proposes to enact.
While under the act the employer
employing one or two or dozen men
is entirely subject to the drastic pro-
visions of this law, which, as l said,
is of universal application in the case
of the big firm or corporation, the
wind is tempered to the unshorn lamb.
Big concerns may form a society for
mutual protection. "Any person,
firm or corporation employing not less
than 1000 employees" have this spe-
cial privilege if five such firms will
cooperate. 1t will be seen that no
little fellow can have a look in, for
there are no little fellows who en-
ploy 1000 men. These big concerns
then may..form an employers liabil-
ity association" with authority to
assess its members pro rata, accord
ing to the number of persons in its
employ, for sl0,0Oos This fund is to
be used to pay the damages of en-
ployes sustaining injuries, and the as
ISOLATION is given the authority of
law to make the State treasurer it's
treasurer. When this fund becomes
depleted it is renewed by assessment.
Other persons, firms or corporations
may later join the association on such
terms as the association may pre-
scribe, and this fund, while it may
not be less than $4,000, shall at all
times be equal to $6 for each and
every man in their employ. 1t seems
to be anticipated by the law that the
$40, 900 shall be the limit paid for in
juries to any individual.
1t must not be supposed that this
employers liability business is under
the proposed law to cost the State
nothing. There is the inevitable APP
preparation. Provision is made for
'the employers liability commission
of Minnesota" 1t is to be composed
of lawyer and two doctors. These
are to be paid $1,000 year each and
travelling expenses. Employers and
employees may agree to submit ques-
tions of damages to them, and having
agreed to the amount of compensa-
tion their decision is final and bar
to all litigation.
Members of the Employers Liabil-
ity association may enter into con-
tract with their employees or any of
them to submit all questions affecting
injuries to the above commission, in
which the decision of the commission
is final and, binding on all parties con-
cerned and bar to any action at law
in case either party is dissatisfied with
the decision of the commission.
/
/ have tried to make as plain as
can the provisions of the proposed
law. 1t impresses me as involving
consequences affecting
men of every occupation, as imposing
hitherto unknown. obligations on a
large proportion M our citizens, as
granting special privileges to large
of labor and to corpora
tions, as rendering recognized princi-
Piles of, law imperative, as imposing
burdens on the State for the benefit
of privileged class, as depriyiag citi-
zens on insufficient grounds of their
day in court, as limiting the damages
which may be collected for total dis
ability and as being in all respects