Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-27
SENATE REPORT.
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

employer was negligent unless and OK
cept such negligence was wilful. and
in this regard, we have modified the
original draft. providing that the en-
ployee shall not be entitled to COM
pensation when injured as the result
of his own wilful negligence, or while
intoxicated.
There is another feature which the
committee considered and finally in
cluded in the bill, that of individual
insurance, so-called. The original
draft provided for insurance in amy
stock or mutual casualty insurance
company. and for state insurance UNI
der certain conditions. Your com
mittee concluded that it was wise Ia
include the feature of individual in
surance. SO that an individual employ
CT who desired. might insure his own
liability by satisfying the commission
that he was solvent or by filing u
bond. or cash, or securities, in a sulIi-
Gent sum to satisfy the commission
that he could insure his own liabaility.
and by so doing, m. ght pay the com
pcnsati ions provided for in this bill
direct to the employee. That was not
as ! say, included in the original bill
compensation SO that in the case of
total disability the compensation
which tie injured employee was to re-
ecive should not run on and on, be n
continuing proposition, but that it
would end at the end Of five hundred
weeks. and that of course. was some
considerable CT n cuIIailmcnt in rcla-
ton To the amount of the compensa
n, f,rI,t
The proponents of the bill desired very
much that that feature should remain
as II was. but your committee felt
otherwise. and so decided to cut that
feature out So that as the bill now
stands, in the present draft, it has
been made "A very much mildcr bill
than it originally was in this and
many respects.
| am reminded of the question of the
small employers. ! think I mentioned
that earlier Under the present draft,
we have provided that employers of
10 or less shall not come within tho
provisions of this bill. The smaller
employer has been exempted from the
provisions of this act. with the farm
laborers and the domestic servants. 50
that any employer of labor employing
10 or less. will not be affected bv the
prov sio"; # this bid j. il is enacted
into a fa,w.
think these are the general changes
thai we have made in tn, bill from
the original draft. which as been in
the hands Of the members of the Leg
islature for month.
ANY questions which may arise in
the discussion of The amendments
the subcommittee will be very glad
to discuss with this committee of the
whole as they are reached in the con-
sideratjon of this question
The PRESIDING OFFICER: Gentle
men, before proceeding with the adop-
ton or rejection of Amendment a. is
there anything further to be said upon
the general question?
Mr.. WALKER of Somerset: Mr..
Chairman and gentlemen of the SEN
ate: / happened to be one of the dele
gates from my town that attended the
State convention of my party in Ban
gor A platform was submitted to that
convention, written by that great pro-
gressiye statesman Herbert NJ. Heath
as great and progressive as there is
i'll any party, Republican, Democratic
or Progressive. I'm that platform were
planks calling for a public utilities
commission good roads and q work
mems compensa ton act. We adopted
that platform became candidate in
my county for the Senate. There were
other candidates. | stood upon the
platform adopted by my party Fortu-
nateIy, or unfortunately. for myself
and also the people of my county and
State | won out.
| was therefore q candidate before
the people at the September election.
1t was quite hot fight up in Somerset
county There were other candidates
nominated by other parties, parties al
so that believed in this same measure.
/ issued circular letter, which ! sent
TO the voters in my county. In that let
ter | stated my position upon the lueS-
tons upon which they were to decld"
at the September election. ] declared
for good roads, good schools. better ed
uca tienal facilities. public utilities
and a law of compensation
for the workmcn.
/ ,sappened to be elected. Every MEM
Der of this Senate who was elected on
the same platform npon which was
lected stands for those principles. we
have carried out {, part OF TINS pro
gram We lave "a best We could
worked for the bettcrmcnt of our eau
cational facilities in this State. we
have worked for better roads IN TINS
state We have passed an admirable
public utilities measure, and we no"
hope. and ! believe, we shall So iaf i
as this Senate is concerned. pass It
.,-,,,.i,uaet's earnpenea ion act.
Now, Mr. Chairman. TINS IS ploHIcs-
sive legislation. The public u'ililles nli' /
is one OF to best public utilities oii"
that there is IN this country. strlctiN
measure, enacted by men
who believe in cnactng progressive
no matter what The names
of ihe PARTIES Of those men might De
We have passed pension III, dcSiSh-
cd for the hcttermcnt of the pubhf
schools in Maine which is ah",heF
progressive piece of legislation. me
,yor,<luens compensation act, WHICH
will DC passed by this Senate com
nletcs the list of three which the sell
'.te of the State of Maine is going on
record as endorsing.
New. MIR. Chairman. in behalf ol tlle
..,,,,vou II, the State of Maine. tb'H