The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-25

Hartford, Jan. 25.--The Judiciary committee gave the first hearing yes- terday on bills raising or, removing the limit of $5.o00 for damages re- coverable for injuries resulting in death.
 Representative Joshua Meltzer of Bridgeport made a clear and con- vincing argument for, increasing the death limit to $20.000.
 MT. Meltzer spoke as follows:
 Having introduced bill limiting tho liability in case of death due to negligence of another to the amount of S20,000 I would ask your permis- sion to explain the reasons, which actuated me to put limit to the liability and this particular limit of
 Let me say. at the outset, that I am fully in accord with those, who say that there ought to be no limit placed upon the life of a human be- ing because human life is invaluable. and can have no stated market or who are opposed to any limit is based upon the erroneous notion that the damages paid in case of death is for the value of the life, whereas 1t is compensation paid to the survivors
 
 who suffered pecuniary loss by the destruction of that life, and because of that fact a limit is necessary be- cause there is liable to be confusion in the minds of a jury between the value of a life and the 'pecuniary loss to survivors who were dependent, or had an interest in the life.' You can not leave it, as it was well said by tho gentleman of Rocky Hill a few minutes ago to the caprice of a jury, nor can you gentlemen, with all due respect I entertain for the erection of courts and judges. Judges are only human and their opinions and dtscretions are some times varied and even opposed to each other. Let me illustrate my point known to you. A New Jersey judge several years ago said in a decision setting aside a verdict for the plain tiff for the loss of the life of child through the negligence of another because, forsooth, poor parents do killed; children are only burdens to them,' while an eminent jurist in our own state set aside 8 verdict of $500 for the loss of life of young chffd because 1t was inadequate. Can you, under these circumstances, leave the measure of damages to judges of the New Jersey type? and are you sure that our own judges will all be of the same sound discretion as the eminent judge of our own state just mentioned?
 And while we are discussing the interests of those who are dependent upon the life, which has been lost through the negligence of another, let us in common fairness, not for get the precarious condition of those, who through slight fault may be- come liable for the death of another
 "A jury without 'adeqJate discre- tion. combined with a judge with a wrong discretion may accomplish the ruin of any man or corporation under the circumstances ani Without any rem sdy for it. And would it oe fair and just to leave our entire .n- dustry and manufacturing interests to such precarious and uncertain existence? If the amount of the ia bility Is certain every employer of ance or otherwise, but no one can protect himself against unknown lia- bifity. The measure of damages for the loss of the life to those, who are dependent upon sold life could be easily ascertained though the Actuar-. ies Mortuary Table of the expectation of life and the amount of the earn ings of the deceased, and it is my opinion that the income from $20,00O would meet the just requirement in Lnc SIG HidyOTlIy or cases. In some exceptional cases it mey be in- adequate, but. laws are made for the majority. of cases, not for tha excep- tions. A limited amount would also be benefit to the employees from that standpoint, that whenever he enters into dangerous employment he will know that there is some definite amount of insurance on his life, but without limit his. insurance would amount to very little in such a case. With a limit a compromise and set clement could be had with the limit in view, but without a limit there can be no basis of compromise"
 Representative Chandler of Rocky Hill said 1t had always seemed ar bitrary and illogical to limit the value of a human life, but at the same time he did not wish the question of dam age left to the caprice of a jury and he asked the committee if 1t could find some way of fixing the damage on a scientific basis such as the ex- pectation of life. the earning capacity of the deceased and the size of the family left dependent on him.
 Representative Joshua MeItzer of spoke for his bill which raises the limit to $20,0OO, though saying that he had good deal of sympathy with those who wished the