The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-05
BILL WAS KILLED
HOUSE REFUSED TO PASS IT TO
THIRD READING
AFTER HEATED DEBATE

HI LIN NLHILU ULUAlL
The Employers Liability and Work.
mems Compensation Bill Is Prob
ably Killed by Refusal Of the
House, on Close Vote, to Pass the
Measure to Third Reading.
The joint resolution in the house
providing for commission to inves-
tigate the question Of employers
liability and workmen's compensa-
ton, when taken up Wednesday on
the Calendar. provided the contin-
ua,ion of the interrupted speech Of
Tuesday Of Mr.. Miller of Richland.
Mr.. Miller eulogized the lawyer mem
bers of the general assembly as being
very competent. Mr.. Miller claimed
that the passage Of the liability
would do away with the "peti-fog-
ging" lawyer who receives the major
portion OF all moneys received from
a successful suit: He claimed that
a negro would get justice before the
commission, just as in a court OF law.
rhe speaker claimed that the COM
mission would do good at little cost.
Mr.. Miller said that the commis-
sion will consist of two capitalists
and two laboring men who will be
appointed by the governor; two mem
bers Of the senate appointed by the
president OF the senate and three or
FIVE mem bers of the house appointed
by the speaker OF the house. On
question, Mr.. Miller asid he was
willing to limit the cost Of the COM
mission to $1,000.
Mr.. Welch of Richland then gain
ed the floor of the house and pre-
sented vigorous argument IN favor
Of the passage OF the resolution. MI.
Welch said that at first he thought
that he would have nothing to do
with such a resolution, as 1t cook
away lucrative source OF revenue
from the lawyer, but, later thinking
Of the whole matter, he rose above
petty selfshness and would help in
the passage Of resolution on the high
grounds Of humanity.
Mr.. Welch said that liability bill
will help the laboring man, and will
not rebound to the benefit OF the
corporations, as had been charged.
The speaker stated that only two
reasons could be advanced IN oppo-
sition to the resolution-ignorance
and selfshness. Mr.. Welsh, in his ar
gument, read extracts from an arti-
Gle in Golfers, telling Of test case
brought by the Buffalo Railway COM
pany.
The speaker, reading an excerpt
from a work by Woodrow Wilson in
favor of employers liability and
workmen's compensation, spoke
these words: II do not suppose the
gentleman from Cherokee will say
that Woodrow Wilson champions the
cause of railway companies and 9th
er corporations"
Mr.. Welch vehemently asserted
that the question under considera-
ton is big question; that only by
spirit OF "get together" could an
equitable bill be drafted. Mr.. Welch
then took up the question Of indus
trial arbitration, characterizing it as
the largest question now looming on
the political horizon Of the State.
He deprecated the enormous loss OF
money and time during strike, as
serting that arbitration could stop
this waste.
Mr.. Welch, in his argument, quot
ed statistics from report OF five
fatal court cases settled out Of court.
The report showed that the COM
plaintants received $4,000 after law
yer's fees had been paid, under lia-
bility and compensation act they
would have received s12,s75; the
average amounts received, less the
LAWYERS fees, were $500. under the
compensation act it would have been
s2,595M the average time for recoV-
cry was 22 1-2 months, under a liza
bility commission the claimants
would have received compensation
at once.
Mr.. Irby Of Laurens said that he
was in favor Of some Of the features
Of the resolution; but opposed it be-
cause the resolution favors corpora
tions. He claimed that the corpora
tions are being forced to pay oat
much money annually On account OF
the courts continually failing to rec
ognize contributory negligence; and
they want some measure to overcome
this judicial tendency; that an Indus
trial regulation as proposed In the
resolution Is just what the corpora
tons want.
Another assertion by Mr.. 1rby Is
that fixed amount for injuries and
death will be specified in liability
act; that the corporation Will take
out insurance on the life Of their en-
ployees-something that they cannot
do now, because Of the uncertainty
of Jury verdicts-and il one is killed
the corporations will pay absolutely
nothing. Mr.. Irby caustically criti-
cised all commissions as doing moth
ing except for themse'yes-goins on
trunketing trips, etc.
Mr.. Thompson Of Charleston said
that the resolution for a commission
is a compromise on several bills: