The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-04-18
Gov. WILSON AND
LAWS FOR LABOR
Real Service He Ren5efad 10
k3H JIset Workers.
FOUGHT BY INSURANCE Men
They Threatened to Raise All Their
Rates f Employers Liability Law
Were Passed. but Became Quiet at
Hint of State Offering Indemnity.
sacramento (Cal.I Cnion.I

lSacramento (CaLD UnionI
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 payrolIs
He found that In the factories of the
state scores had been killed or maim
ed for life and that there was abso-
lutely no provision for the protection
of the families of those workingnen
engaged In hazardous occupations. He
found that the bosses had been carry
ing 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
labor had been notoriously oppressive
and seemingly hopeless for a genera
ton. But Governor Wilson determin-
ed to change it and with his custom
ary vigor tackled the problem.
Employers Liability Law.
One of the reforms he effected was
the enactment of strong employers
liability law. But for this he had to
fight with the same grim and un-
swerving purpose that had obtained
the Geran primary election law. After
the bill had been introduced I'm the leg
islot ure and became known as one of
the governors measures the insurance
companies sent representatives to the
capitol and through them Threatened
reprisaI "If you enact such law
We'll raise the rates on all insurance
throughout the state Well pile them
up on everybody" they said Rut the
bluff didn't work
Very well. gentlemen. as yon
please" replied Governor Wilson. but
remember that If yon try anything of
that kind 1t may be necessary for us
to establish a system of state inSur-
ance." After that the Insurance. com
panies decided that silence WIS the
better part Of wisdom
The employers liability law was
passed. and an apparently fair statute
it is. essentially fair to the employer
AS we'll as to the employee, for Wood
VOW Wilson Is not demagogue who
Mays for labor's support He merely
believes In justice to the whole people
within the authority of his office.
Prevents Long Litigation.
The law prescribes the liability or an
employer to make cOmpensat ton 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 and compensa-
ton. 1t relieves an employee who is
injured Of the necessity of instituting
suit to obtain damages by providing
a definite schedule covering the differ
ent classes Of injuries and fixing the
employers liability for each.
Employers now regard the law as
fair because under it they can caIcu-
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 it because In
case of accident it secures to them
without delay fixed income at time
when money is most needed and be
cause it avoids long drawn out litiga
ton with it's attendant expense and
suffering