The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-17
TAFT OPENS IT.
National Civic Federation Be-
gins Conference.
Seth Low Presides at the Initial
Meeting.
GAVERNARC ON HANn
GOVERNORS ON HAND
For Conference Which Will
Begin Tomorrow.
Judge Alton b. Parker One of
Principal Speakers. 81

Washington. Jan. 17.-With the open
ing address by President Taft, compli-
menting the organization on the work
it had done and referring to some of
the important questions of national
moment to which it could yet lend it's
aid, the National Civic federation to-
Gay began a three days conference
here.
At the opening session this morning
which was presided over by Seth Low.
president of the body. were a num-
Der of state governors here to attend
conference of their own, which will
begin tomorrow and delegates iron, all
parts of the United States represent
ing the American Federation of Labor
and the National Grange, the Farmers
National congress. the National Asso-
citation of life insurance presidents, the
National Association of state boards
of arbitration and other bodies
Speakers at the opening session in
Guided Judge Alton B. Parker, former
president of the American Bar associ-
alton, and Governor Wilson of Ken
lucky.
Judge Parker's Address.
1t was unwise to think of absolute
uniformity of legislation throughout the
United States, in the opinion of Judge
Parker as expressed in his address.
I'VE do not aim at absolute uniform
ity of law, but wise and conservative
uniformity said Judge Parker. There
is danger in pressing uniformity to ex-
treme lengths There are diversities of
climate, of production. of tradition. of
heredity, of population, of pursuits
among the people of our several COM
monwealths which should be generally
respected.
uniformity should be promoted
along the lines marked out by the COM
missioners on uniform laws. and as
much further as the diversities to
which 1 have referred will reasonably
permit.
"A movement has recently been in
augurated to make each industry bear
the burden of accident to employees,
without regard to the question Of negli-
gence, upon the ground that such bur
den is properly part of the cost of the
product 1t has been accepted as
| founded on sound business principles,
and put in operation by some employers
already who recognize that otherwise
great unfairneSs often results in cast
ing upon the employe and his family
the entire burden of accident. Legisla-
tion in England and Germany thus pro-
vides for the compensation to be paid to
| injured employees. The English statute
provides for compensation during dis
ability, equal to so per cent OF the wage
rate, and in case Of death or total dis
ability, sum equal to four years
wages.
We Should Not Lag.
Surely this country ought not to lag
behind those enlightened nations in
righting what is now the most mon
strous Injustice of the age. Neverthe-
| less that is likely to happen unless
there be uniform legislation in many, il
| not all, the states on the subject. For
| in the absence of a general movement
| for uniform legislation. New Jersey, for
| instance, would hesitate to place her
contractors at a disadvantage in COM
peting with New York contractors.
From this convention now assem-
| bled representing, not one or many, but
| all the civic interests of each and all of
| the states, there should go out an au-
| thoritative expression in favor Of uni
| form legislation in SO far as it is con-
| ducive to the common veal Let us
strive to promote unity in diversity
unity in all that touches in like manner
| the internal affairs of the communities
separated by state nnes-divers1ty in
| those particulars which are peculiar to
! each commonwealth"