The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-05-06
Gov. WILSON and
LAWS FOR LABOR
Real Service He Rendered to
New Jersey Workers.
FOUGHT BY INSURANCE MEN,
They Threatened to Raise All Their
Rates If Employers Liability Law
We're Passed, but Became Quiet at
Hint of State Offering Indemnity.
Sacramento (Cal.) Union.

TINT VI Sldlo SUCi NY
Sacramento (Cal.) Union.l
When Woodrow Wilson became gov.
ernor Of New Jersey he found that
wealthy employers had been given the
laws they desired regardless of the
welfare Of the thousands Of men. wo.
men and children on their payrolls.
He found that in the factories of the
etate scores had been killed or MAIN.
ed for life and that there was abso-
lutely no provision for the protection
Of the families Of those workingmen
engaged In hazardous occupations. He
found that the bosses had been carry
ing out the wishes of the interests,
from which they had obtained cam
paign contributions.
That was the situation In corrupt
New Jersey, where the conditions OF
labor had been VIGOROUSLY oppressive
and seemingly hopeless for a genera.
ton. But Governor Wilson determin-
ed to change it and with his custom
airy vigor tackled the problem.
Employers Liability Law.
One Of the reforms he effected was
the enactment of q strong employers
liability law. But for this he had to
fight with the same grim and IN
swerving purpose that had obtained
the Geran primary election law. After
the bill had been introduced in the leg
lslature anG became known as one OF
the governors measures the insurance
companies sent representatives to the
capitol and through them threatened
eeprisal. IF you enact such a law
we'll raise the rates OF all insurance
throughout the state. Well pile them
up on everybody" they said. But the
bluff didn't work.
Every we'll. gentlemen. as you
please" replied Governor Wilson, but
remember that if you try anything OF
that kind 1t may be necessary for US
to establish a system Of state insur'
ance." After that the insurance com.
panies decided that silence was the
better part Of wisdom.
The employers liability law was
passed, and an apparently fair statute
It is, essentially fair to the employer
as we'll as to the employee, for Wood.
row Wilson Is not a demagogue who
plays for labor's support, He merely
believes in justice to the whole people
within the authority of his Office.
Prevents Long Litigation.
The law prescribes the liability of az
employer to make compensation for in
juries sustained by an employee in the
course of employment. 1t establishes
an elective schedule of payment and
strictly regulates the procedure for de
termining the liability and compensa
ton. 1t relieves an employee who Is
injured Of the necessity Of instituting
suit to obtain damages by providing
q definite schedule covering the differ
ent classes. Of injuries and fixing the
employers liability for each.
Employers now regard the law as
fair because under it they can calcu-
late with reasonable certainty what
their maximum liability for any one
year will be instead Of leaving this to
be determined by jurors. Employees
are greatly benefited by it because in
case of accident it secures to them
without delay a fixed income at a time
when money Is most needed and be-
cause it avoids long drawn out litiga-
ton, with it's attendant expense and
suffering.
Real Service to Labor.
Governor Wilson meant 1t for both.
He supplemented it shortly with a law
compelling the erection Of fire escapes
on all factories and buildings housing
a number of employees-not n or two
spider ladders, but equipment sufh-
cient to prevent a recurrence in New
Jersey of the horrors that had shocked
the people of the New England manu-
featuring cities.
Such laws are worth something to
labor. They reflect the opinion Of a
man who believes. in the honesty Of Ia
boris purpose to the extent that he
holds labor above seeking selfish or
undue advantage. AS they were en-
acted they represented steps In Will
sons restoration Of New Jerseys gov
eminent to the people. They wrote