The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-17
COMPENSATION
CHAMPIONED BY
MAYOR FISHER
MiddIetown Prof. Makes Bril-
liant Address Before Commit
tee. on Judiciary and Labor
President M'Levy of Bridgeport
Central Labor Union Speaking
When Hearing Adjourns
Especial to The Farmer,

Hartford, Feb. 17.--So great is the
! interest, and so large is the number
of speakers still remaining to be heard
before the joint committee on Judi
ciary and Labor that at to-day's hear
! ing an adjournment was taken to Fri
day, Feb. "a. for continuation Of the
hearings on the workmen's Compensa,
ton and Employers Liability bills be
fore the legislature.
Mayor willard c. Fisher occupied
most of the committees time to-day
giving a brilliant explanation of his
Workmens Compensation and EN-
ployers' Liability measures.
At the time the hearing drew to-
ward it's close, Jasper McLevy, presi-
dent of the Bridgeport Central Labor
Union was on the floor speaking In
behalf of the Compensation measure
put out by the Bridgeport Working
mems Conference.
will you tell the committee whom
you representa- asked Senator Judson.
Certainly" responded Mr.. McLevy.
and he read off the endorsements OF
state with the exception of Hartford.
and a number of other labor unions
besides, bringing the total to eighty,
by far the largest set OF endorsements
ever given to a labor measure before
the legislature
AS Mr.. McLevy waded through this
list of endorsements the committee was
visibly impressed, and Mr.. Judson In
terjected.
apparently, you haven't left a sin
gle thing for Mr.. Donahue to repre-
sent"
Chairman Judson caused the endorse
ments to be placed upon the official
vi H1Av] od
journed the meeting, stating that Mr..
McLevy and the others who had not
yet had a chance to speak in favor
of their measures, will be given their
innings at the hearing week from
to-day.
At yesterday afternoons hearing the
ball was started rolling by Sol Som
theimer, president of the Central La
Dor Union Of Hartford, who made a
speech in favor Of Workmen's Com
pensation.
He demanded the abrogation Of the
common-law doctrines Of fellow SER
want and assumption of risks and the
modification of the doctrine of con-
tributory negligence into a doctrine
of comparative negligence
1--WE would not be satisfied simply
with the abrogation Of the fellow SER
want doctrine. said Mr.. Sontheimer,
referring to the speech to that effect
maze the DAY DeIOre, Dy SudTlcS -
Donahue, president OF the state Fed
Grafton Of Labor.
"And we are not simply petitioning,
we are demanding these things" said
Mr. Sontheimer; 1.-The time has come
when the workingmen should receive
the recognition which they deserve"
Mr.. Sontheimer then introduced May
or Willard c. Fisher of Middletown
who spoke very interestingly in be-
half of his own Workmen's Compen-
sation and Employers Liability meas
ures.
In opening, Mr.. Fisher remarked
that while he represented the Hart
ford Central Labor union in a sense
his bill having met with the approval
of that body, he would be present at
the hearing just the same if there
were no Hartford Central Labor union
in existence, for he primarily repre-
scented himself.
ST am here" said Mayor Fisher.
because my 20 years of study on
this subject have thoroughly con-