The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-24
PEOPLES FORUM


Bill Unjust to Both.
Editor Virginian:
sir-Having been subscriber to your paper
since the first issue and only once possibly
twice imposed upon your space, take thlS
liberty of addressing you on subject OF conn
mon interest to which my attention has re-
Gently been called VIZ: a bill by Mr. Nehoei-
burg in the senate and Mr.. Charley in the
house, Concerning the liability Of empioyes
for injuries OF, death of their employees
have always, and am now, opposed to any
Their than practical business men representing
US In our law making bodies, and unless ! nave
been mis!nformed this bill shows the lack or
both business and justice to either employer
or employe. While our national Legislature mas
by passing the currency bill, gone long way
towards encouraging and stimulating both young
and small business where opportunity presents
itself. State legislature would make it I'M
possible for the small manufacturer to use the
benefit he could otherwise derive from the field
congress has opened, because to erect, or oper-
ate a manufacturing plant. labor must be en-
ployed; some skilled, some unskilied some
honorable, some dishonorable, more or less be-
cause of scarcity of labor and lack of ac-
quaintance.
This bin imposes on the employer just start
ing while yet in debt the obligation OF carry
ing an accident policy on the life and limbs OF
his employees May / ask, can the struggling
lhcginner pay for this out of the profits he thinks
he sees in his business? Or will he cut the
wages of such employer. for the purpose of
curing himself against the loss this bill would
impose him? The latter, of course, would
be the case. Then 1t is unfair to the employe.
While en- the other hand il would impose hard
ship on the employer, because he cannot pay
the old scale of wages thus labor Will be pro-
portionateiy harder for him to secure and hold
And in this connection please remember that
long service adds to the efficiency Of emplOye
Thus Mr. Chalkly and Mr. Wendenburg Will
defeat even their own pretended ends by put
ting inexperienced men in dangerous places;
that it seems 10 me is a lack of practical bust
ness principles
Again | mention dishonorahle employees In
the country board cur help generally, and
pay the minimum wage. and sell our products
at the low figure which such scale of wages
demands: thus. live and let live only deriving
small profit, and m!ilers in small mills
act as our own head miller, and employ cheap
labor as helpers.
Now if one of these cheap men should be in
experienced fool enough dishonorable
! enough to stick his finger between pair Of
expensive gear wheels while they were in mo-
! ton his employer in a small MILL according
/ to Mr.. Wendenbergs style of Justice, would be
obliged to give the man more wages, while he
sat on the bank 6f some stream fishing than
he did while working. Yet, II this same en-
ploye sticks a bar OF iron between pair Of
gear wheels. worth perhaps SIS or Sl06, and
pieces of the bar wheel fly and hit the en-
p1oyer puts perhaps his eye out, cuts an arm off.
mr. mains him for life. Mr. Chalkly and Mr..
| the employer nor of providing security for his
relief though by the careless act of an en-
ploye. the bread winner of perhaps two three
families has been put out of commission. How
ever, if both the employer and the employe are
hurt by the carelessncss of the employee the
employer, because of his inability To attend to
his business. and not having good bank ac-
count, is sold out his family is beggared. while
the shiflcss emplnye and his family squander
the proceeds of his employers efforts
Again, If my informant is not OFF his base, II
tthis pc Trigger of Messrs Chalkly and Wenden-
burg asks off a little Will eand to a Niger
meeting where just off the grounds there are
watermelons and cider for sale, gets drunk. and
x.1ila- drunk he gets hurt the these -entleElerz
! sample of justice gives him wages while
| disa aled, or working for someone else than he
| received while at work for the man paying him.
| / have handled men all my life. en-
iieHet 4ff44f+ number
| of years, and ] advocate the same Justice now
as before ] never had man hurt or killed,
|hut have had broken up thousands of dollars
| worth of machinery mot all mine) by care
less employees, and nearly always they were
doing what they had been told not to do.
Thanking you in advance for publishing This,
/ ! am,
i Yours truly.
y. A. KELLER.
t'nu,h Va Eel