Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-08
CLARKSON COMPENSATION BILL DECLARED
UNJUST TO EMPLOYER AND ENPLOYE
Henry Phillips, Ottumwa Manufacturer, Points Out
What He Terms Weaknesses Of Proposed Act;
Counsels Further Investigation.

SaTeSuarQeQ, Will De CLOSELY followed
by lawyers and doctors, and under the
Clarkson bill it will be distributed by
a committee OF arbitration (where
employer and employee cannot agree),
and then their finding may be subject
to review by appeal to an industrial
commission.
"This method will substitute new
kind of court for our regular court,
and as questions of law will inevitably
arise, decisions must be rendered by
those who are inexperienced in law
or the trial of cases, and ruinOus re-.
suits must inevitably, in some cases,
follow.
What argument can there be for
trying such an experiment? Why not
let our regular courts handle these
cases along with all others even
though it be necessary to have add1-
tional judges?
"The details from start to finish OF
the insurance features Of the Clark
son bill are so faulty; so contrary to
sound and we'll established insurance
principles, so cumbersome for man.
agement, and so open for mismanage'
ment, injustice and Misrepresentation,
that even a novice can see some OF its
glazing defects, and it can be
punctured so full of holes by actuaries
and expert insurance men, that IT
would soon appear more appropriate
instrument for use by the legislative
sitting committee than for a COM
pensation and insurance law.
Compensation too High.
"This Clarkson bill places the COM
pensation for injuries so high, that 1t
will and must encourage malinger1ng
and dishonest practices by both bene-
ficiaries and doctors"
Mr.. Phillips objected to the provision
of the Clarkson bill that exempts the
employers who employ less than five
workmen. He held that the employees
of small factories, mines and quarrles
as a usual thing have poorer tools ana
more dangerous equipment than IN the
larger plants, and such employees are
more liable to accidents. AS to the ex-
emption of farm laborers from the
provisions of the bill, Mr.. Phillips held
that greater proportion Of farm labor
ers meet with accidents than the en-
ployes in all the factories combined,
and that less average compensation IS
paid for farm accidents than for ac-
cidents in factories and mines. In
concluding his remarks Mr.. Phillips
urged the fullest consideration before
action is taken by the legislature. He
said:
- CounseIs Legislature to Wait.
How many of our senators and rep
resentatives are anxious to assume the
responsibility Of voting on this great
question at the present session? If they
are not anxious to do it, then let 1t go
over to another session and let the
newspapers and especially the dailies
Of Iowa start a campaign Of education
that will inevitably result for the
mutual interest of employer and en-
ploye, for the farmers and business
men, and most important of all for
qualifying our lawmakers to vote on
It, 49,.
] intend no discouftesy for our law
makers when l assume they are not
qualified to vote on this compensation
subject now. If there is such imperative
need for compensation legislation that
we rush pell nell, or even with other
than greatest caution into untried
channels, should any employe be de-
MED the benefits Of such law?
"The average employer of Iowa is
neither turning a deaf ear to the needs
Of those who are unfortunate, occas-
toned by accident or sickness, nor are
CnGS ReneTdlly SlOW dDOuI lCIpAlS thSlA
dependents, but they are usually the
sinew and backbone of every charity,
every hospital, mad every movement for
the betterment OF the laboring classes,
morally, physically, and mentally. The
employers will not now resist the enact
ment of a just, equitable and safe
guarded compensation law, but know
ing full we'll the mistakes made in
these laws in other states, the increas-
ing complaints Of extravaganza and
abuse Of the laws in foreign countries,
they do advise caution and careful
consideration of the question in every
detail. ,.>
What this country needs and will
have in the near future, is a uniform
compensation law for all of the states.
Every step taken resulting in the en-
actment Of indiscriminate and various
legislation on this subject, will hinder
and retard the goal of uniform COM
pensation laws. Many Of our manufac-
turers are doing business outside Of
the state in the erection of bridges, ma
chinery, and structural iron work, and
are sending their employees and erectors
from this state for doing such work.
and these employees and employers
should be protected by uniform COM
pensatiOn law. Such a bill has been
prepared. and is being quite extensive
ly circulated with a view to influencing
uniform legislation. l am advised that
the Iowa Manufacturers association
has recently prepared, and will submit.
a compensation bill to be offered as a
substitute for the Clarkson BILL
have read the same, and in many par
ticulars, it is Il very fair and just bill,
and is much better for employer and
cfnployc and the general interests Of
the state, than the Clarkson bill.
''The Baldwin bill offered in the COM
mission minority report by w. w.
Baldwin, is q much better bill for both
employer and employe than the Clark
son bill However. the ones prepared
by Mr. Baldwin and by the Iowa Manu-
facturers association are far from be-
ing perfect, and can be improved upon
by careful Investigation, study, and
work.
You are the spokesman for the peo-
pie. You can, to large degree, build or
destroy the great commercial indus
tries of Iowa; YOU can mold and lead
public opinion: you can tell the people
of Iowa what is right and what is
wrong, because you reach the people.
That is why l am talking to you. Your
success depends on the upbuilding Of
Iowa's industries. But, my friends, that
the Clarkson bill is permeated with
defects to the very core; is unjust to
the employer: is discriminating with
employees: is coupled with an insurance