The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-09-06

HIS opens d V1td11y 1ApOIIdhL ue4u of legislation to the national govern ment and to the state alike. It is huniliating to think how far we of this country are behind most of the other countries in such matters. Prac- tically all civilized countries have for more than a decade prohibited by the strictest regulations the poisonous match industry, yet we had not done anything at all until very recently to protect the laborers against this hor- rible danger. The national govern ment made an investigation year ago 'nto this industry, which showed a condition of things unspeakably shock ing and revolt1ng.
 Legislation to prevent these abuses was introduced in congress which was not passed. Since then the companies in fault have ostenta tiously announced that they have done away with the objectionable conditions. I hope so l; but, whether they have or not, law should be passed in stringent form to prevent any possible backsliding.
 "EmpIoyers' Liability"
 So it is in the matter of injuries to employees. In what is called employ CTS liability legislation other indus
  ciple that the industry must bear the monetary burden of it's human sacri- fees and that the employee who is in tured shall have a fixed and definite sum.
 The United States still proceeds on an outworn and curiously improper principle, in accordance with which it has too often been held by the courts that the frightful burden of the acci- dent shall be borne in it's entirety by the very person least able to bear it.
 Fortunately, in a number of states in Wisconsin and in New York, for instance-these defects in our indus trial life are either being remedied or else are being made a subject of in tel1igent study with a view to their remedy. In New York a bill embody ing moderate compensation for acci- dents has already been passed. Other states will undoubtedly follow in the same path.
 The federal gov vernment has, so far as its own employees are concerned, been the first to recognize and put into shape this principle. However, this pioneer law was not made con- prehensive enough; it does not cover all the employees of the federal gov ernment that ought to come within it's provisions, and the amount paid for permanent disability or death is en- tirely inadequate.
 Nevertheless it was a great step in advance to have this principle of work ingmen's compensation accepted and embodied in the federal statutes, and the recent action of congress in pro- vfding for a commission to study and report upon the subje gives promise that the same principle will soon be applied to private firms that come within the jurisdiction of the federal government.
 Protect Women and Children.
 Women and children should beyond all question be protected. and in their cases there can be no question that the states should act They should be par ticular objects Of our soiicitude, and they should be guardedain an effective fashion against the demands of a too greedy comuaercialism.
 On my recent trip in the neighbor- hood of Scranton and Wilkesbarre every one I spoke to agreed as to the immense improvement that had been wrought by the effective enforcement Of the laws prohibiting children under the age of fourteen years from work ing and prohibiting women from work ing more than ten hours day. Per sonally, think ten hours too long; but be this as it may, ten hours day was a great advance.
 Among the blanks in the platform of the American Federation of Labor there are some to which I very strong ly subscribe. They are:
 Ftrst-Tree schools, free textbooks and education Second--A work day of not more than eight hours. Third.-ReIease from employment one lay in seven. Fourth.-The abolition of the sweatshop system. Fifth.-Sanitary inspection of factory. workshop. rnine and home. Sixth.-Liabilsty of employers for injury to body or loss of life. inadequate. What we need is an auto fixed compensation for all in Uries received by the employee in the 1 course of his duty. this being infinitely better for the employee and more just to he employer The only sufferers will be awyers of that undesira ble class which | exists chiefly by carrying on lawsuits of his nature) Seventh.-The passage and enforcement 1 If rigid anti-child labor laws which will | cover every portion of this country. Eighth. = Suitable and plentiful play | grounds for children in all the cities. FOLEY KIDNEY PILLS
 HAVE CURED ME-
 The above is a quotation from a | etter written by H. M. Winkler, l