The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-03-04
House Passes Bill Abolshing Cap
ital Punishment Railroad
Men Want to Vote.
BILL TO BE PRESENTED
FOR STATE INSURANCE.
Southern Minnesota Senators
Don't Like Way St. Louis Go.
Districts Are Apportioned.
specb correspondence.
/(By W. E. McEWen.)

<lDH ". NlCGLSScu.j
ST. PAUL. Mar 2.-The legislature
is more than half through with its
time for work, but it is far from be-
ing half through with the business
before it. The house is evidently
we'll broken in. and has got down to
business will, real earnestness. Until
last Tuesday it would convene at
10 o'clock in the morning and ad-
iourn at one in the afternoon. being
in session but three hours. Now 1t
has made new rule. 1t convenes
at one o'clock in the afternoon, and
remains until the daily calender is
cleaned.
Death Penalty Abolished.
A most interesting session was held
Tuesday afternoon when there was
being considered the bill to abolish
the death penalty for murder in Ma1-
nesota. Representative Mckenzie Of
Sibley county, the father of the bill,
made an impassioned plea for it's
passage. He was ably seconded by
Representative Ore of Ramsey coun-
ty. The only argument against the
bill was made by Representative
knutson of Swift county, in which he
quoted the language Of Judge Cant Of
Duluth when sentencing the young
hoys who killed a policeman recently.
Mr.. Knutson was exceedingly vehe-
ment in championing the old Mos
and a tooth for TOOTH" Messrs.
Mckenzie and Ore waxed warm with
eloauence in decrying the death PEN
atty as relic of barbarism. and not
in keeping with the ideals of a
twentieth century civilization. The
house seemed to agree with them for
the bill was passed by vote Of "a to
10.
Franchise Question.
The railroad labor organizations
have a bill before the senate, which,
if passed Will permit railroad en-
ployees and travelling salesmen to
vote away from home on election.
days The bill was considered Mon
day afternoon, and was recomme nded
to pass, but was afterwards recon-
sidered. Several members Of the sem
ate raised the point that the bill was
unconstitutional. as the organic law
Of this state permits citizens to vote
1t Is believed that the bill can be
amended to overcome constitutional
objections.
Industrial Insurance.
Representative W. P. Nolan of Min
neapolfs a tried and true progressive
CT the pronounced type, and always
en- the firing line. will introduce a
III fn,. ct i%,,{i
he submitted to the voters at the
next general election, authorizing the
state to 60 into the industrial in
surance business.
An effort will be made to com bine
the hail insurance bill of Senator
Sundberg with the industial insurance
bill proposed by Mr.. Nolan. The
farmers want the former, and the
laborers the latter. This com bina-
ton ought to insure the success Of
the idea Of state insurance. Besides
If the people would form paternal-
Ism the legislature would find it in.
cumbent upon it at its next session
to provide for the organization Of
the industrial Insurance department
Tor the compensation of all victims Of
Norkinsmen's Compensation.
The Workingmen's compensation
code is having nightly hard Shedding
just now. Neither employers nor en-
plo!ees seem satisfied with the ma
jor1ty report o. the commission. This
is something We expected from the
very outset Of our work. The en-
ployer naturally opposes the scheme
for the single reason that it NAV
add to the present cost of liability
insurance. The employee is not sat-
isfied because he feels that the COM
pensation is not sufficiently high. Here
we have two extreme forces. The
situation should be considered a happv
one by the legislature. All legis-
lation Of economic import is COM
promise, and it would seem that the
best interests of all would be con-
served by the passage Of the Mercer
McEwen code.
A public hearing on the code will
he held tonight. Representative
Campbell of Minneapolis has a SER
les Of amendments to propose. which
If adopted, will bring to the code the
support of labor. The amendments
will raise the death limit from $4,000
to $1,000. Compensation for perma-
nent disability will be paid for a
period Of eight years. rather than five,
as is now provided. Employees en-,
gagged in interstate commerce. and
now covered by the provisions Of the
Federal employers liability law, will
be exempt from the provision of the
state code, and the same percentage
Of payment will be made to the de-
pendents. of deceased single men as
for married men.
If these amendments are adopted
labor will give the bill its unqualified