The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-20
O[NUNC|AT|ON Of
BILL PROVIDING
PAY To INJURED
W0RKMEN HEARD
Manufacturers. Representatives
From All Parts of State Enter
Vigorous Protest Against
Measure.
Declare 1t Would Make En-
ployers Victims of lrespon.
sible Labor and Would Put
Heavy Court, Maintenance
Costs Upon the State.

In the name Of the great corporation
yeneral hearing of the opponents OF
he Wendenburg- Charley working
mems compensation bill was given by
he joint COMMITTEES on courts OF JUS
lice. The chamber was packed with
men, prominent in the manufacturing
Industries of the State.
The first to take the floor against
the bill was e. Nj. Braxton. OF the
Newport News Shipbuildlng and Dry
Dock company. He opened with the
principled type had forced through
sweniy-three legislature just such bills
IN this before the States could realize
what was being done, because 1T was
.asy picking for the attorneys.
In he name of the great corporation
which he represented, he said that II
the general assembly would pass
Stringent laws providing for safe
guarding the workiugman, the com
pary would heartily cooperate, for
they believed in the old maxim, an
punce of prevention Is worth pound
VI cure"
Offers Amendments.
Unless this was done then the New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock
company would have to make a pro-
test, and Mr.. Braxton offered several
amendments The first was that sur
tfcient rules could be made by the
employer to safeguard the empioye
offering some protection 10 the EN-
nIoyer from careless workmen. The
second was exempting nonresident
workers from full liability compensa-
ton.
He spoke eloquentiy In The latter
amendment. saying that ii was put
ting a burden on the innocent manu-
facturers to take care OF families Tor
whom the state Of Virginia was in nc
way responsible.
Mr.. Harrison, representing the
manufacturers OF Danville. declared
mems compensation bill in his section;
labor was satisfied with employer AND
employer with labor. and they be-
Eeved the measure revolutionary from
its very bottom, He gave strong In
cident Of the hardship the bill would
work on the employer OF a small num-
Der of men, declaring the measure was
purely illogical. Mr. Harrison de-
rlared the bill would institute new
system OF courts In addition to the
costly court system now In the state
md would be tremendous expense on
the Commonwealth.
Make Employers Victims.
Mr.. Plummer, of Petersburg. made
short address, opposing the meas
~'f~
hardships that would be worked on
the employer by the tramp or trining
laborer or the man who has just
worked one day and Is hurt or killed
/. r. w. Marie, of Richmond. made
short speech. In which he denounced
the bill on the ground that II injured
the financial standing of firms. be-
cause they could not -Hse their -Atfss-
ness as an asset 20 borrow money
when at any moment an empinye Whe
might be injured could obtain lien
on the business under this measure.
His remarks were heartily applauded
Mr.. Long, OF the firm Of Harrison
& Long. 'Lynchhurg. followed Mr..
Marie going more into detail about
the objections to the bill. He declared
Ii was merely playing into the hands
of the insurance companies The adj
ministrative feature of the bill was
thoroughly objectionable. he declared.
as II took the case out Of court and
throw it into the hands of the arbitra-
ton board whose decision was almost
absolute.
J. r. Deal, OF Norfolk. representing
n lumber association OF nearly seventy
1--we lumber manufacturing concerns
who employ an aggregate number OF
$4,000 iaborers. voiced the intense dis
approval of the association against the
workingman's compensation act.
want Bili Defeated.
Edwin L. Levy. Of the American Can
company. OF Richmond. made an elo-
qucnt address against tho bill. telling
OF the negro help with which the vir-
ginia manufacturers had to contend;
saying the Richmond manufacturers
had no amendments ~ ofYer. but want
ed the bill defeated entirely. He was
given strong ovation by the crowd.
r. b, Davis, OF Petersburg, spoke
- -. wi tho nfhRr sneak :
ers throughout.
Delegate Woodward, OF Norfolk.
read a telegram from his constituents
vigorously protesting against the bill.
/ n was signed by the chamber Of com
mercc.
Chairman oliver read another teie-
gram from Retail Merchants associa-
s ton Of Norfolk. protesting, while
others from the coal fields and cities
throughout the state were read, asking
that the bin be defeated, From the
number read, the voice OF the mer-
chants OF the State unite In their pro-
test against the passage of the work
ingman's compensation bill
George Bryan, attorney for the Vir-
Ttnia Bankers association, gave a
clear insight into the financial end OF
the matter, reiterating Mr.. Marie's
Abatement that credit would be ma
feTIaIIy crippled. Several members 81
the house Of delegates and citizens
from Richmond and other cities made
uhOrt addresses.
The proponents of tho bill closed
thelr argument for the passage shortly
before midnight. Mr.. ChallSley made
I most eloquent appeal for his meas
1re. discussing the bill at length,
rhowing the benefits to be derived,
bringing out more fully the arguments
nraoented at previous meetings
Captain Alex. GuiEon, representing
nv N!rxinia Railway and Power com-
E ANY. also made . short talk advo-
4. sna1nw the bill. declaring the corpora
I, Sions IA REPRESENTED favored IT. pas