Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-04

railroad is to have the railroad men
understand that in order to promote
the public good and their good it is
right to do Justice to railroads. And it
does not help a community at all to
compel railroads to do business at a
loss. And it does not help the EN-
ployes of that railroad either
Il hope l have judicial mind enough
to occupy position equal between the
railroads and the public, equal be-
tween the railroads and the men who
serve them, but l am in favor of Civ
ing everybody a hearing and then
if the argument in favor of the rail-
roads appeals to my sense of justice.
yield to it. Why one of the reasons
for fighting my bill--if my call 1t so,
With difference to those who object
is that the railroads ore not there
fighting the bill. If the railroads do
not fight q bill, then you can be sure
il must be corrupt and rotten. Now.
gentlemen, that may have been so in
times past but the railroad authorities
have learned lot within the last 10
years and they know that it doesn't
help their interests TO fight a bill that
is just and give reasons that can be
sustained for it's failure and it's OBJ
struction.
zone of the great things that your
organizations have done is to bring
to the public the necessity for legis-
laticn with respect to safety appliances
and with respect to the employers la
bility act.
Just apropos of this l have a tele.
gram, which / am asked to read:
MI an
the employers liability law yesterday.
The House concurred with them, now
ready for the Presidents signature"
The newspaper men object that I do
not announce decisions in advance, as
much as ! ought to so as to enable
them to make Scoop but will let
you into my confidence will sign
that hill.
This employers liability act for in
ter-state commerce employees has not
been amended in such a way as to
leave to the jury the question as to
how far the mans fault entered into
the accident. and leave to 1t the
amount that ought to be deducted by
reason of the negligence. 1t is hard
on railroads. 1t is harder on railroads
than the old rule of law was, but it
means that that is to go into the ex-
pense of the railroad and ultimately IL
the rates are properly fixed, 1t has to
come from the public, in other words,
that those whose lives are exposed in
perilous employment like this for the
benefit Of the public, that the people
may well divide that loss among them.
II agree that my friends, the rail-
s'oads. the railroad presidents--if I
dare call them friends. and I dare
feel that it may be a long time before
they figure out of their rates the frac-
ticn Of increase necessary to meet this
additional liability: but it will come
ultimately and it is better that 1t
should come.
Il am hopeful. indeed, that before
many years have passed we shall be able
to adopt system of arbitration within
the interstate commerce railways by
which there shall be settled promptly
on rules specified with the same degree
of certainty that they are specified in an
insurance policy how much a man shall
receive for an injury proportionate SO
that it shall be uniform, SO that one man
shall not receive $4,000 for railroad
spine which passed away under the
kindly influence of large verdict, and
the fellow whose both legs are cut or
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