The labor world., 1910-06-25

viii be q member Of . party political
.sds saignsst shSnd
reform legislation we have had IN every
state In 4 this nation was not granted
81 the parties. But IN spite Of them.
Labor has ever SO many claims upon
the legislature for relief. Wrongs by
the hundreds exist, and no betterment
enactment. we may discuss this ques-
tion until doom's day, but every legis-
lattve session will adjourn without
passing q real beneficial law to labor
terests Just as do the employing, clas.
ses. It Is not the purpose OF this ar
gument to tncitel class prejudice: 1T
is not that. The one way by which q
class can. be obtained is by destroying
the political machinery. which, Is kept
IN motion by campaign contributions
from the classes which : seek o1 fayor by
regard Tor the Other. It IS my earnest
hope no. that every trade union ,I!9'3 IN North
the question Of political action during
the next few months and see to 1t that
every member Is thoroughly informed
Of the attitude OF all candidates for
legislative office. ....
WorkinEmen,s Compensation.
In my last report discussed at some
length the: progress made in Mime
sofa In attempting to secure the en-
pensate workingmen for injuries sus-
tained In industry. Since then much
progress has been made. I have at
tended several conferences held In
other states, and with commissions ap-
states. in the hope that laws Of uni
form character might be agreed upon.
Because, OF our peculiar form of gov
whenever labor demanded better work
ing conditions, shorter hours Of labor,
and other benefits, unless other states
did the same thing, the passage Of laws
result disastrously to the. industries
within the state. So in order to over
come this we have been interested In
attempting to induce other states to
join with US In passing similar work.
II the burden upon industry is to be
increased the Industries in no one
state shall be Obliged to bear more
The commission Of which I am a
member voted to take trip to Eu-
rope to investigate the workingmen's
eompensation acts Of foreign countries;
Belgium, Prussia, Bavaria, Austria,
take too much Of your time for me to
dWell In detail upon the laws or these
working classes. However, have this
to say, that while there are many evils
existing under the present systems in
foreign countries they are not to be
compared with the evils which exist
I asked the workingmen with whom I
came in contact in every foreign coun-
try, after they had related to me some
OF the abuses they suffer under their
present Aaws whether or not they
would return to. the old system Of en-
plOyers' liability based upon hegli-
gence, and they Invariably answered
no.
I am satisfied that any of the for
American workingman than our law.
I am satisfied too that there can be
States a fairly just and equitable COM
pensation act,> in which can be avoid
ed many Of, the evils which prevail IN
foreign countries. 1t required twenty
five years of persistent effort on the
pean countries to obtain the charac-
ter Of legislation they have today.
The law making bodies of each Of the
countries countries passed in the beginning very
ally been developed from year to year
until, today at least one. Of the for
eign countries, Germany, is probably
+ as close to the ideal as is at present
I obtainable in any country
1t had my way and could induce all
men to think as I do I believe I know
what kind of a. 1icompensationA act to
pass for Minnesota; but l am sure that
my measure would be SO drastic and
SO revolutionary in its operation that
I would not be ao olee to get a corporafs
guard to support me In the legisla-
ture. We should all be interested in
having the principle of compensation
once recognized. This compensation
!: should be paid irrespective of whether
negligence had any thing to do with
causing the accident, or whether or not
assumption Of risk could be claimed
After the principle Of compensation is
once recognized 1 am satisfied that ii
can. be gradually developed into a
most perfect system In due time: My
advice then to the Minnesota working.
men is not to expect too much of one
session of the legislature, but let us
blend our wants in the matter and
endeavor to unite on a bill which will
give every injured workingman some
fair compensation.
What is industry's debt to the men