The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1912-05-10
GOV. WILSON AND
LAWS FOR LABOR
Real Service He Rendered to
Now Jersey Workers
FOUGHT BY INSURANCE Men
They Threatened to Raise All Their
Rates Il Employers Liability Law
Were Passed, but Became Quiet at
Hint of State Offering Indemnity.
[sacramento (cal.l Union.l

When Woodrow Wilson became gov.
ernor of New Jersey he found that
wealthy employers had been given the
laws they desired regardless Of the
welfare Of the thousands of men, wo-
men and children on their payrolls.
He found that in the factories of the
state scores had been killed or MAIN.
lutely no provision for the protection
of the families of those workingmen
engaged in hazardous occupations. He
found that the bosses had been carry
ang out the wishes of the interests,
from which they had obtained cam
paign contributions.
That was the situation In corrupt
New Jersey. where the conditions of
lnbor had been VIGOROUSLY oppressive
and seemingly hopeless for genera
ton. But Governor Wilson deterInin-
ed to change it and with his custom
airy vigor tackled the problem.
EmpIoyers' Liability Law.
One of the reforms he effected was
the enactment Of strong employers
liability law. But for this be had to
fight with the same grim and un-
swerving purpose that had obtained
the Geran primary election law. After
the bill bad been introduced in the leg
islature and became known az one of
the governors measures the insurance
companies sent representatives to the
%0f IA
reprisal IF you enact such law
wen raise the rates on all insurance
throughout the state Wen pile them
up on everybody" they said But the
blur didn't work
Very well. gentlemen. as yon
please" replied Governor Wilson. ''but
remember that If YOU try anything OF
that kind Il may be necessary for us
to establish a system of state insur
anee." After that the insurance com
panies decided that silence was the
better part Of wisdom
The employers liability law was
passed. and IN apparently fair statute
it is, essentially fair to the employer
as well as to the employee. for Wood
row Wilson IS not n demacogup who
plays for labors support Be merely
believes in Justice to the whole people
within the authority of his oflire
Prevents Long Litigation.
The law prescrihes the liability OF an
employer to make compensation for In
juries sustained by an employee In the
course OF employment 1t establishes
an elective schedule Of payment and
strictly regulates the procedure for de
termining the liability ana compensa-
ton. Il relieves an employee who is
injured Of the necessity of instituting
suit to obtain damages by providing
a definite schedule covering the differ
ent clas,es OF Injuries ami fixing the
employers liability for each
Employers now regard the law as
fair because under Il they can calru
late with reasonable certainty what
their rsximum liability for any one
year will be instead of leaving this to
be determined by Jurors Employees
are greatly benefited by 1t because IN
case OF accident IT secures to them
without delay Fixed income at time
when rlnney II most needed and be
cause {; avoids long drawn out !riga
ton. With iu attendant expense and
suffering.
Real Service to Labor
Governor Wilson meant it for both
He supplemented 1t shortly with Il law
compelling the erection of fire escapes
on all factories and buildings housing
q number OF employees not one or two |
spider l1dders bai equipment suffi- |
cient 70 prevent recurrence in New |
Jersey OF the horrors that had shocked |
the people Of the New England mann
cities
Such laws are worth something to 1
labor. They reflect the opinion of J
MN who believes in the honesty of Ia
boris purpose to the extent that he
holds labor above seeking selfish or
undue advantage AS they were en-. 1
leted they represented steps in VIII
Ion's restoration Of New Jerseys gov
Irnment to the people. They wrote
Ionuins reforms into the statute books