Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-07
PUBLIC CORPORATIONS NEED TO
HASTEN TO BENEFIT FROM
woRkMEN's COMPENSATION.
OLD FASHIONED WAY OF
FIGHTING GONE FOREVER
In Case of Accidents Counties, Munici.
paIities and Other Public Corpora
tions Would Have No Defense
Against Liability-Law Applies Same
az to Private Corporations.
pecial TO Times-Republican

DeS Moines. May 1.-Cnless public
corporations that employ workmen take
steps to get in under cover Of the new
Iowa workmen's compensation act some
Of ther. may find tina, the old fashioned
way Of fighting off damage suits has
gone forever from Iowa.
In case a workman on a bridge is
carried down when the old structure
falls and there is death as result,
and a lawsuit follows, and the county
has not qualified under the new law,
the county would be lef. before a jury
without any of the old common law
dstenses Of contributory negligence and
other things.
The workmen's compensation COM
mission will notify counties and town
ships Of this situation in time so they
can take advantage Of the law by filing
proof Of ability to care for cost Of in
jures. The matter was decided by AS
sistant Attorney General Sampson in
reply 10 a letter from the state high
way commission, because Of the large
number of persons in the employment
OF counties and townships on road
work
The law applies to these public cor
porations TIE same as to private cor
poratiors. They can either take ad-
vantage Of the law by fling proof OF
soIvency or insuring employees, or they
can ignore the matter and take their
chances on jury veTdiccs in the case OF
damage suits, with a change in the law
affecting such cases. 1t Will not place
the pu bic corporation under obligation
as to injuries to employees Of companies
having contracts with counties and
townships, as bridge company, for
| instance.
The last legislature added three new
judges Of the district court in Iowa and
one to the supreme bench. There vii.
be a demand for add q Onal courts be-
fore the next legislature, so 1t is
1 learned. Now it is also learned that
an effort is 10 be made to establish
superior court at Arnes, like the ones
/ a, Perry, Shenandoah. Oelwein and
else where The superior courts have
1 jurisdiction in the same kind Of cases
as the district courts. The salaries OF
! the judges now make a hole to the
extent Of over 100000 in the state
treasury for each period
DR.. j. I. Gibson, state veterinarian
went into Dallas county today for con
ference with the force at work in tina
county combating the hog cholera
The county is being thoroughly organ
ICED by townships, with chairman and
secretary and executive committee o.
each township organization. and pro
vision is made for complete record 0,
conditions as to every farm In the
county.
This week TIE rules and regulations
as 10 that county will be posted. Great.
er care than ever will be taken in hav-
ing the premises of the farmers quar-
an tined and cleaned up. The co-opera-
ton of the railroads is assured
The latter part Of the week plan:
will be laid for starting work in Clay
county on the same lines as in Dallas
This will be in cooperation with the
State college and the federal bureau
The federal authorities will handle ff
teen counties this year as against -four
last Two Of these counties Will be i.
Iowa A start will be made in Min
nesora and Illinois for the first time
this year.
Thomas L. Stevens of the adjutan
generals office is compiling a list o
Mexican war veterans living in Iowa
He has a list of six now and name:
are being added almost every day
The youngest Of the veterans reported
Is IS years. 1t is believed not yer,
many are living here now. The las
national reunion of Mexican war vet
Grams was held in Des Moines abou
twenty-five years ago, when the lat,
Judge Given was at the head Of th'
organization.