The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-09
GET BUSY SAYS He
Governor Urges Legislature to
Redeem Party Pledges.
Says That Not One Has Yet Been
Enacted.
MATSON BILL PASSES.
Provides for Rigid Regulation of
Stock Companies.
Fee and Salary Question Claim-
ing Attention.
MATSON BILL PASSES

The house this morning passed the
Matson bill providing for the rigid
| regulation of stock and investment
companies by the state bank commits
sioner. The vote on the bill was 6S
to 50. The Democrats saved the meas
ure from defeat.
Matson of Sedgwick and Speaker
buchanan of Cowley led the debate for
the measure and Stone of Shawnee the
fight against it.
Many of the Democrats in explain
ing their votes declared that while the
measure did not entirely suit them,
yet they voted for it in the hope that
it would restrict the activities of the
sellers of blue sky and worthless stock.
The house then went into commit
tee of the whole to further consider
endar under special orders for this
morning.
In a message to the legislature
Wednesday evening the governor
points to the fact that thirty days of
gle platform promise has been re-
deemed. Nearly twenty days of the
session remain for the transaction Of
business.
The governor urges that the legisla-
ture give these party pledges prece-
may be enacted into law and not
pushed out of the way in the rush of
business during the closing days of the
session.
The governor sent the following
message to the legislature Wednesday
evening:
To the Legislature:
The following telegram from the
resident and secretary of the United
Mine Workers of America No. IA, ex-
plains itself:
'Pittsburg, Kan, Feb. Z, 1911
Governor w. r. Stubbs, Topeka:
''On behalf of the $4,000 coal miners
and their families in this state we most
earnestly solicit the undivided support
of the members of both branches of the
legislature for the immediate passage
of the employers liability law and the
compensation act now pending in the
house and senate.
ALEXANDER HOWETT,
President.
ROBERT GILMORE, Secretary,
United Mines Workers of America"
The enactment of an employers LA
bility law and Workmen's compensa-
ton act by this legislature would re-
move a heavy burden from the shoul-
uers of men who are engaged in haz-
ardous employments, and place this
burden where it would be charged to
the cost of the service, which in the
end is paid for by the public 1t is
unjust and inconsistent with the prin-
ciples and ideals of a civilized and
Christian nation to compel employ ees
to assume all the risk, and in case Of
loss of life or limb to compel their
families to go into court and paw out
one-half, or possibly more, of the en-
tire amount of damages collected in
securing redress from the benefits
from the responsible employer. The
public receives a large measure of the
benef1tS from this hazardous labor and
enjoys the comforts and conveniences
arising from the work of men engaged
in digging coal, in railroad transporta-
ton of property and persons, and other
lines of productive toll. In comman
justice, the public should see to it that
men who are injured or killed bv ac-
cident In railroad wrecks or mine ex-
plos1onS, or other similar accidents
receive stated reasonable COMPENSATION
from their employers, without going
into court, and that the cost of such
accidents be paid by the corporations
and charged to the general operating
expense of the property, the same as
railroad charges to general expense
the loss of an engine or car in a rail-
road wreck.
There are no questions asked about
the railroad company paying for the
loss of engines, cars or other property
destroyed through wrecks, flood, or by
accident, out of its earnings, and
charging this expense to the cost of
operation OF the property, and there
should be no questions asked about the
railroad or the mine owner paving
promptly for the loss of human life, or
the injury of persons or property en-
| ployed in his service, and charging this
expense up as a part of the legitimate
operating expenses of the property. The
whole tendency of law has been to pro-
] -, l.,
country, and the laws relating to the
protection of the rights of labor have
not kept pace with the spirit of the
times.
Practically every member of the
lower branch of this legislature was
elected, and the members of the senate
were pledged by their respective par
ties. to vote for the enactment of GER
| tain laws at this session of the legisla-
! ture. About three-fifths of the time
allotted by law to the legislature has
now passed, and, while the members
have done a large amount of prepara-
| tory and committee work, the party
platform pledges of the various parties
have not as yet been redeemed. The
public utilities bill, the initiative and
referendum and recall amendments to
| the constitution, the adoption of the
/ Oregon plan for the election of United
/ States senators, an amendment to the
primary election law providing that
| nomination of president and vice
| president, the enactment of an en-
/ pIoyers' liability law and working
| mems compensation measure, the en-
actment of law to compel corpora
/ tions to try cases in the supreme court
| of Kansas before taking refuge in the
! federal courts, a law providing peni-
! tentiary sentence for the second Of
| fense against the prohibitory law, a
/ law providing for publicity as to the
source and disbursement of campaign
contributions, together with the con-
solidation of all appointive offices,