Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-01-17

Before passing on to a consideration of
the purely pntlic matters that l am about
| 10 present to you, permit me to greet you
warmly and in the name of all our people
4 70 welcome you to the capitol =
i have freq~ently commended the work
( OF the last legislature and congratulated
/ the people of Wisconsin upon the amount,
high quality and enduring character of
! tne Legislation then enacted. | have felt
ana StliI feel that too much cannot be said
I in its praise.
LABOR LEGISLATION.
:, No topic occupied more of the time and
! thought of the last legislature than the
rights Of labor. On this subject it took
advanced ground. 1t generously fulfilled
! the platform pledge that in all matters af-
recting workers Wisconsin should be plac-
ed IA the lead. 1t enacted the first valid
WoPkmen's compensation law ever put into
enect In America. 1t regulated the hours
OF employment of women. 1t amended and
i improved the statutes relative to child
| labor ana street trades. Most important
| or all, 1t lifted the whole subject of the
| relation OF employer and employee to a
new and higher plane by establishing the
| Industrial Commission modelled after the
| wisconsin Railroad Commission that has
| deseryedly won such widespread common
through its prototype the public interests
| are now adequately protected and the poor
| are enabled to get justice without having
/ practically to buy 1t in court In an nm
| equal struggle with wealthy and powerful
| adversaries
The legislature Of 1911 was rightly eau
/
mission very much discretionary power in
dealing with exceptional labor conditions
instead, rigid rules were laid down re-
| Bpecting child labor, women's hours of en-
ployment, and other similar subjects But
| In the administration OF these laws the
commission has found variety of con-
dltlons in different industries that seem
TO call for greater elasticity. In the en-
toreement of the women's labor law, for
instance, 1t has been found that there Is a
| wide difference between the light work on
a rural telephone with frequent periods
| Df rest and the nervous strain at q city
switchboard Inharmonious provisions in
4 the law nave also come to light. such as
an hour for dinner in the women's law
and only half an houi In the childrens law
In respect of these and similar matters
would seem to be advantageous to make
| the law more flexible by authorizing ex-
ceptions from the strict letter of the stat
ute as at present laid down in every case
Where the Commission shall find on pub
lie hearing the requested notifications to
be within the spirit of the law and not
preJudicial to the health Of the employees
to be affected by 1t. The law may be
permitted to stand as it is but the legis-
lature should now, in view of the known
methods of administration employed by the
Commission and the marked success that
has attended them, consider the wisdom
of authorizing greater opportunity for the
exercise Of discretion in clearly exceptional
cases. This principle of greater adapta-
bihty shouldtapply to the laws concern
ing child labor. street trades. womens
hours of employment, and possibly other
similar matters now committed to the In
dustrial Commission for enforcement.
workmen's Compensation.
The workmen's compensation act has
been fully vindicated by experience On
December 15, 1912, SGT employers and
about 10000 employees had come within
its operation. During the month of No
vembec, 1912, a. per cent of the accidents
reported to the Industrial Commission
were subject to compensation under this
plan. Thus nearly half of all industrial
hazards are already covered by the act
hnn sod he 1aFav -.
sumption of risk and the negligence of a
! fellow servant were taken away from EN-
ployers who did not accept its provisions
Other states like Massachusetts. Kansas
Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Rhode Island
| and Illinois in legislating on this subject
abolished not only these two defences but
also that of contributory negligence. In
surance rates in these states are now found
| to be about the same for those within as
laws. and marked tendency is manifest
to come under them. With this Object
in view. 1t seems TO me the defence OF
| contributory negligence should be wiped
out here also. That no hardship will re-
suit from this course is shown by tn,
fact that among all who accepted this
humane enactment only one employer ha,
thus far taken advantage of the oppor
tunity it affords to withdraw from tn,
, operation of its provisions
A number of states. including Michi
gan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, ant
Rhode Island, have made provision fo
compensating employees for specific in
/ lNrleS Sucn as the loss OF an eve or name
by requiring payment for definite tim,
on the basis of certain percentage Of tn
wage received when the injury occurred
, Our La fixes the amount to be paid OF
the basis of actual loss of wages only
! This is not always just and / recommend
an amendment which viii provide for tn
adoptioE IN such cases of the rule nov
followed IN other states
AS tks law now is no employer can be
come subject to its provisions without frs
fling with the, Commission notice Of hi
: nf hn h0G grixs ciyal
8 notice we4,kmen in his employment ar
presumed 20 accept the law unless the
g specifically notify the Commission to tn
contrary. Fhc rule applicable 10 employ
ers should Cow be revised so as to har
monte with ths requirements imposed mp
/ law all employers in Wisconsin shout
e be deemed to be within the scope an
9 operation of the workmens COMPENSATE
: have notified the Commission in writin
to the effect that they do not wish t
: do SO.
a Taxation is one of the most importan
. subjects with which legislators have (
deal Whether heavy or light. the aver
e age citizen is ever sensitive to its weigh
Il No effort therefore should be spared I
y equaize the burden. The demand OF rurs
S communities for better roads aud schools
the requirement OF rapidly growing elite
for streets, sewers and sidewalks and fo
more and better parks and playground
10 inevitably cali for increased exbenditur
| which must be met by increased take
le The problem Of distributing this hurde
v so that each shall contribute his just shaI
:, Is by no means either simple or easy
"a solve.
ID The Income Tax.
The Wisconsin method of taxing proI
erty has long ranked among the best
the country. but it necessarily shared Il
defects inherent in all systems of gener
~ property taxation. The selection of a.
. SCISSORS every year. the difficulty of va
1T uing many classes OF property and Il
kNSlilp attitude largo of mo-
= pie well able to pay. resulted In the pra
re teal breakdown Of personal property ia,
40 alton. Thereupon the people of the sta
ss demanded a substitute and the legislatn
n OF 1911 took a long step in advance /
enacting an income tax law
In the language OF Chief Justice Win
a lsw who delivered the opinion Of the cou
IN the Income Tax case, this law mari
w very important change in the taxati,
~ policy of the state. and is but a concre
- embodiment of a popular sentiment WIFI
ly has been abroad for some time"