The L'Anse sentinel., 1912-12-21
LIABILITY ACT
sAV|NG- TO STATE
NEW LAW GREATLY REDUCES
COST OF OPERATING
COURTS.
ACCORDING TO COMMISSIONER
Employer and EmpIoye Both Benefited
Former Protected From Exor-
bitant verdicts and Latter
From Long Delays.

FROM Long delays.
Lansing.-The Detroit United rail-
way is about the only railroad of any
Importance in the state that has not
come under the employers liability
act as yet.
Most of the other roads are under
the law and are carrying their own
risks as provided by the law, instead
of securing indemnity of insurance
companies.
According to Commissioners Reaves,
all employers are foolish to remain
without the law. The law, he says,
has taken away most of the old de-
fenses of the employer so that all the
injured man is forced to prove is that
the company was negligent and that
he was injured. The maximum sum
which an employe can secure under
the law Tor any injury is $4,000. Juries
have allowed men as high as $4,000
within the last few months for in
| juries.
"The saving to the state caused by
the operation OF the law cannot be es-
timated," says Commissioner Reaves
| ut costs the state about 500 day to
| conduct the average circuit court
When corporation or large employ
| er is sued, several days or weeks are
usually consumed in trying the case
after all of the legal technicalities are
complied with in getting the case prop
erly before the court.
THUS, it usually costs the state
more to hear the first trial than 1t
would to pay the claim. A majority
of the personal injury cases, especial
] ly If the employer is beaten, which is
usually the case, are taken to the su-
preme court. The salaries Of our SUI
| preme court justices alone is about
$160 per day, so the case proves pret-
ty expensive to the state even If it is
not reversed and sent back for asnew
trial. About half of the cases are re-
versed so the expense Is again
doubled
"In addition to the amount spent by
the state, each side Is put to great ex-
pense 1t is safe to say they spend
nearly as much as the state before the
case is finally settled.
although the commission has set
tied thousands Of cases under the new
la~, It has been necessary to arbitrate
but one. That cost the state about
$50, and the parties involved less
than that Besides, the injured man
got his money almost Immediately in
stead of being forced to wait several
years and divide with lawyer.
1.-The employers are seeing the ad-
vantages of the law quickly, too. AL
though the commission has been work
ing for three months, elections to
come under the law continue to pour
in.
1--WE have few cases of the employ
ers trying to settle with the employees
for less than the law allows. AS all
agreements must be ratified by the
commission. there is no chance Of the
employe or his family being de-
frauded"
The industrial commission are prob
ably the hardest worked state officials,
as the work of getting under way Is
tremendous. 1t Is necessary to make
rulings on all new cases that arise.
The commissioners and the secretary
can be found at work any day and
most any night. The commissioners
are satisfied with the law as it is. and
think the legislature should give It a
fair trial before tinkering with It
Wheat In Good Condition.
The upper peninsula promises to
maintain it's reputation of the last few
years as being the best wheat section
OF the state next year. Wheat through
the state Is in much better condition
than It was a year ago. The country
north OF the straits also leads in rye
and fall pasture. The condition OF
wheat, as compared with the average
per cent, is 80 In the state and south
ern counties. SS in the central coun-
ties. 81 in the northern counties and
81 in the upper peninsula. One year
ago the per cent. was Sc in the state,
SO in the southern counties, SS In the
central counties, 92 in the northern
counties and "a in the upper penin-
sula.
The total number Of bushels of
wheat marketed In November was
1888 bushels. OF this amount ST.
S27 bushels we're marketed in the
southern four tiers Of counties, ST.
658 in the central counties and 1878
in the northern countiest and upper
peninsula The estimated total num-
ber of bushels of wheat marketed in
the four months, August to November,
is 2.250,000.