Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-16
EDGE MEASURE
PASSES SENATE,
CRITICS AIDING
Only One Negative Vote, Which
Was Cast by Senator
Gebhardt.
From a staff corre.pondsht. ]

CAA q
TRENTON, March Ex-senator
Edge's employers Inability III passed
the Senate yesterday by a vote OF
10 to /. The orlglnai vote was IA I, |,
but some time after 1t nad been an
nounced Senators Gaunc n Leavitt
experienced a change of heart with re-
gard to the measure and requested the
privilege of being recorded in the af-
firmative. Neither had responded to
his name when the roll was called.
After a little discussion as to the par
liamentary regularity Of the pr oceed-
ing 1t was decided to permit the adj
ton Of the two names TO the list o.
supporters of the bill.
Senator Gebhardt, who fought the bill
single-handed from the very date Of its
inception In the Senate, cast the only
vote in the negative. He was tenacious
in his opposition to the bill, declaring
that 1t was a ~gold-brick and a make
shift. MI. Hand also characterized II
as a friend of the employer and an
enemy of the employee" but he voted
for 1t just the same. He explained his
apparent Inconsistency by the state
ment that he considered the measur
better than nothing. Mr.. Prince like
wise took occasion to pick flaws in the
bill, but he believed 1t to be q start in
the right direction and, therefore. sup
ported it.
Mr.. Leavitt, who didn't like certain
provisions In the bill. made an In
effective effort to have it laid
over until next week. Mr.. Edge,
however, resisted the attempt, declar-
ing that he had already agreed to three
or four delays. He wanted to get the
measure over to the House as soon as
/ possible and would insist upon its Inn
mediate consideration. Consequently
Leavitt's efforts failed.
Edge Shows Nece tity.
Mr.. Edge. in explaining the bill,
pointed out the necessity for compen
sation in the case of killed and injured
employees. He said that statistics
proved that annually in the Cnited
about 500, 900 people were either killed
or injured in Industrial pursuits. He
argued that the compensation feature
of this bill would eradicate the feel
ing of antsgonism between capital and
labor and would do away absolutely
with trials by jury. which always rep
resented a great source of expense &c
DOtn employee ana employer. Inc
compulsory compensation clause in his
bill, the Atlantic Senator went on
guaranteed adequate compensation &c
every man injured and the family o1
every nan killed.
Mr.. Gebhardt. however, didn't agree
with Mr.. Edge at all. Fol instance
he declared that the bill was not q
liability act but. instead. merely a com
p~ensation measure. THE bill seeks t.
take away from the workingman." he
exclaimed, This constitutional right tC
obtain a trial by jury"
Senator Fielder then took a and II
the discussion. He o exception tt
Mr.. Gebhardt's statement that the bill
would not redeem the platform pledges
Of the Democratic party. He consid
cred it a good bill and added that every
labor representative with whom he hat
discussed It had expressed approYa
of it's provisions. And. on the othe'
hand, continued Mr.. Fielder, he ha
heard the bill criticised by employer
because Of it's supposedly drastis pro
visions in favor of the workingman.