The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-02-17

! Hldn WOULD NululIN luJuTe nlnlSell, JHeH
we had reached a common ground where
we could branch out irrespective of the
obstacles that had confronted other leg
islatures. We decided to prepare u
measure that would take care of the
accidents in the future. In the craft
which | represent, the Mine Workers,
we have during the past year lost thir-
ty-two men through fatal accidents.
During the past year, according to a re
port which | have here in my hand, and
which will be submitted to you for your
consideration by the state officer, your
mine inspector, we have had thirty-twO
fatal accidents reported. 149 serious
accidents reported; we have nineteen
widows and 149 fatherless children
and no provision made, only the courts
for them to appeal to. When you con
slider that on one side, also please con
slider the action of this commission in
submitting law that will make ample
provision. If the provision is not am
pie it is up to you, and | hope you will
improve the law in that respect (Ap-
| plause.)
When we have laid the groundwork
of a statute that will be certain to take
care OF the helpless and defenseless in
the future, and in one bill have wiped
out entirely the hard feelings existing
between the people of the state and
those whom they are supposed to look
to for Justice, then you will believe we
have tried to accomplish a work in
which you will do your share to carry
to completion. Now we have had, as
before stated, thirty two men killed in
the last year. During the last four
months twenty-three men were killed.
A large portion of those men left fami-
lies with no provision for their safety
for their upbringing or for their rails
/ 3, no provision made because-I don't
like to express myself as | feel on the
reason why, but | would just like to
take the liberty to tell the members of
this legislature that ! do not believe
the system is exactly right-the work
meu are always poor-but that is the
state of affairs today; that is the con-
dition those families have been left IN,
without bread, and we are appealing
to you in the true sense of appeal, and
we are appealing to You men as repre-
sentatves of the state of Washington
to get up and say you will take care
of the victims OF accidents that occur
in the industries of the state you repre-
sent. lApplause.)
The compulsory features of the law
have been to some extent discussed by
some OF our laboring men and also by a
large portion of the employers, many
taking the stand that any kind of a
compensation law that could be drafted
should be drawn along the lines of the
old laws that prevailed in England,
Germany. Canada or in New Zealand
They thought the individual ought to
refuse to come under the law or to
agree to come under the law if he so de
sired. That point has been unsettled in
the minds of the great masses of the
American people SO far as the employ
ers themselves are concerned. The
great masses of the American people
have declared the people who are in
jured in industry, the soldiers of Labor,
must have some protection and better
protection than the soldiers of war
.Applause
Another feature comes up for discus
sion from the workmen's viewpoint,
that of being compelled to accept the
schedule as provided under this law.
Let me appeal to the workmen for their
attention on one or two grounds on
which | hope to be able to reach them.
one or two that should appeal. In the
first place. ! appeal to the workmen to
support this law on the ground that at
no time in the history of American iur-
isprudence have they ever got a SQUARE
deal in the courts. (Applause) At no
time IN the history of this great and
grand country has Labor been able to
secure that consideration, often termed
justice, that every man is entitled to
as a satisfaction Of being a citizen Of
this country. Therefore. on that ground,
there should be no objection coming
from Labor should a laboring man get
mp and say he wants the right to take
compensation under that law, or else
wants the right to enter the courts A
compulsory law like this prevents Labor
meeting suicide, because our experience
in the courts has been that it is sui
eide for any workman TO even attempt
to enter them. (Applause.l
! want to appeal on another ground
to the workmen in support of this
measure. Tomorrow in my own craft
twenty men must die; tomorrow in
these United States twenty coal miners
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