The Harrison times., 1912-06-22
Real Service He Rendered to
New Jersey Workers
FOUGHT BY INSURANCE MER
They Threatened to Raise All Thsir
Rates ;f Employers Liability Law
Wore Passed, but Became Quiet at
Hint Of State Offering Indemnity.
sacramento (CalJ Union. J

sacramento NCaL) OnIOn.J
When Woodrow Wilson became gov
errlor 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,
ed for life and that there was abso-
lutely no provision for the protection
of the families Of those workingmen
engaged In hazardous occupations. He
found that the bosses had been carry
Ing ont the wishes Of the interests,
from which they had obtained cam
paign contributions.
That was the situation In corrupt
New Jersey, whore the conditions Of
labor had been notorIously oppressive
and seemingly hopeless for a genera
tion. But Governor Wilson determin-
cd to change Il and with his custom
ary vigor tackled the problem.
Employers Liability Law.
One Of the reforms he effected was
the enactment Of a strong employers
Liability law But for this he had to
fight with the same grim and TN
swcrving purpose that had obtained
the Gean primary election law. After
the bill had been introduced In the leg
lslMure and became known as one Of
the governors measures the insurance
companies sent representatives 10 the
capitol and through them threatened
reprlsal "Tf you enact such n law
we'll raise the rates on all insuEpnce
throughout the state Well pile them
up on everybody" they said But the
blur didn't work
"Very well, gentlemen. as you
please" replied Governor Wilson, "but
remember that II you try anything Of
that kind It may bo necessary for us
to establish a system Of state insur
ance," After that the Insurance con.
panlcs decided that silence was tho
better part Of wisdom,
The employers liability law was
passed, and m apparently fair statute
Il is essentially fair TO the employer
0s well as to the employee for Wood
row wilson Is not domngoguc who
plays FOR labor's support He merely
believes IN justice 20 the whole people
within the authority Of his office
Prevents Long Litigation.
The law prescribcs the liability Of an
employer to make compensation for in
juries sustained by an employee In the
course Of employment |; establishes
m elective schedule Of payment and
strictly regulates the procedure for de
terminlng the liability and cumpensa'
ton II relieves IN employee who IL
injured OF the necessity Of instltutlng
suit TO obtain damages by providing
definite schedule covering the differ
ont classes Of injuries and liking the
employers liability for each
Employers now regard the INV az
fair because under Il they can calcu'
late with reasonable certainty what
their maximum liability for any one
year will be instead OF leaving this to
be determined by Jurors Employees
are greatly benefited by II because IN
caso Of accident Il secures to them
without delay Gxed income at time
when money IA most needed ana be
cause It avoids long drawn out hupa
tiUn, with its attendant oNpcuso and
suffering
Rnal PnrALLn. Ln L nhnr