Bisbee daily review., 1911-02-24
Workman's Bill Tn Michigan


 The compulsory compensation for men employed in extra-hazardous occupations who are injured while engaged in theis work is the object of a bill introduced in the state leg 1 islature of Michigan and known as the Moriarity-James biiL This h4il has the approval-in fact was In troduced at the suggestion cf he mining companies of upper Michi- gan. The measure covers and pro itects all employees on railways and in. railway yards and buildings; in factories and furnaces: in electric iigh. and water power plants; in manufacturing establishments: in mines and auarries and apDHrtenant buildings; in building. electric and engineering work. and also other lplasses of hazardous work.
 | The compensation is made com '''isory on both employers and em- ployes. and must be given in all eases. regardless of negligence. un-
 Hsa injury results from fntoxi- cation or a manifestly deliberate in sten:fon to get hurt for the purpose of obtaining the benefits. The com pensation is to include medical and hospital services. not exceeding S100. and in case of death funeral ex- Denses not to exceed that amount b there are no dependen. relatives lhis is all that Is paid.
 In case there are relatives: de- pendent on the injured man for sup port the scale of compensation is as follows: In case of death. 66 2-s per cent of tue weekly or monthly wages to continue for 6 years. bu. not to exceed 5000 in the sg1re- gate. If the surviving relatives 1 ere only partially dependent they are to receive proportionafa Isnonnt oc such compensation. When temporary or nermanent total lja- bility results from the iniury the compensation is at the same rate as when there is fatal issue, continuing during such disability for not more han years. and not to exceed a total Of 5000. If the disability is partial the injured man is to be paid sum euivalent to 50 per cent of his decreased earnings, pay ment not to continue longer than years and not to exceed in .otat amount S3.O00. Probate courts are given authority. in special cases where the ciretimst9nces may render adVisable, to commute these monthly payments into a lump sum naid down to he widow. guardian or relatives.
 An important feature Of this pro posed law .s that no contribution IS required to be made by employees and should they desire to continue to provide for such contributions as In The case of club benefit funds a. the mines, the amount so eontri. buted must be added to the sched- ale of compensation. Should any employer desire to adopt an inde- pendent scheme of compensation he may do so, provided the benefits covered are at least equivalent to those established by law.
 1 Although this scheme of eonns,I- sory compensation Of injured em- ployes is liberal and will in ooera- tson place considerable of bur aen on the operators of mines. the mining companies have graduaIIv arrived at the conviction that some systematic plan Of providing foi nose dependent on the wages of the men empeyed by them sbouId Joe adopted fn fact. the pIan nro. posed by this bill is very similar 70 that voluntarily adopted by the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. and the Oliver Iron Go. a year and a haIs ago and which these compaules nave since been testing.
 The mining companies mentioned nave been the pioneers in Michigan in the adoption of a voluntary sys- 'em Of compensation for infured Workmen such as this bill wonld make compulsory At the second iast meeting of the Lake saner,or hining Institu.e M. Nj. Duncan agent of the firstnamed eompaav read paper on the subject which attracted widespread attention and mad marked influence in bringing before the public as a matter for legisiation the idea of having en- pioyers take on themselves fte bur- den of making suitable provision TOT he support of families of work men injured in their employ to such ' an extens as to take away or seriously impair their earning cap acity.
 The bill, since it is framed to ac eompiish a benevolent purpose. is expected to- encounter no opposition Tn -he legislature. and it's speedy enactment is antieipated-m Mining World.