The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-10-15
In Case Supreme Court Sus.
talns Taggart Ruling
Former Gov. Cox Defines At
titude In Matter

~S~~>>~~St
Governor James M. Cox is ready and
willing to take up the fight again in
behalf of the things for which he has
fought in the past is indicated in cor
respondence made public in regard to
the workmens compensation law.
Michael Collins, Of Athens. for for
ty-five years coal miner, has appeal
ed to the former governor, whom he
calls the father of compulsory work
mems compensation, asking his opin-
ion as to the Taggart ruling which
permits competition in the writing Of
insurance by way of employers liza
bility policies, and the apparent at
tack against welfare laws for labor
passed by the Cox administration.
In his reply, dated October 10, for
mer Governor Cox refuses to define
the meaning Of the law inasmuch as
appeal has already been made to the
supreme court. He does not, howev-
or, hesitate to say what those who
wrote the law meant to express, and
that was to prevent the writing Of
employers liability insurance, and to
prohibit the writing of policy that
would insure man against his own
wilful act. Mr.. Cox defines "wiifulp
act as criminal act, and diverges
from the text far enough to take is
sue with another Taggart ruling
which refuses insurance against mis-
takes, as in the case Of physicians.
He parallels that permission which
permits an employer to secure in
surance indemnifying him against
loss when an employe might suffer
damage directly by criminal act Of
the employer, and the refusal of In
surance which would indemnify
doctor against loss because of an err
ror unavoidable.
Answering a question as to what
might be done to resist the attack,
former Governor Cox expresses HIM
self with vigor that II the supreme
court should fail to reject the Tag.
gart ruling, he, as citizen and as an
individual, will lead fight for con.
stitutional amendment which will for
all time prohibit the writing OF en-
ployers' liability insurance In the
state Of Ohio.
Seventeen members of the Repub-
lican state central committee, q ma
jority of whom are state officials by
appointment of Willis, passed a weak
blanket endorsement Of the Willis ad.
ministration, having rejected spe-
cific and unequivocal resolution Of
fered by the governors "boy scouts"
And again they ignored the McDer-
mott law referendum. Looks like
here was more work for the Reid
Secrest Detective Agency. Willis
certainly can't blame the Democrats
for this.
There is talk that Governor Willis
will ask for the resignation Of A. r.
Peckinbaugh from the state tax COM
mission. because while the duplicate
has been forced up by raising land
values ON the farmer, the tax spend
ers have also put the rate up to the
limit, by and with the consent of the
state tax commission. The blame at
taches to Peckinbaugh as senior
member of the commission, 1t Ia
charged, because he failed to warn
the Republican members out Of the
wealth of his experience and his
training under Governor Cox last
year. He knew what the budget com
missions would try to put over and
did not stop them, is the claim, which
intimates perhaps political feeling
in the matter. Willis may make 9
goat out Of Peckinbaugh. but ht