The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-01-14

many HAAAHH AMf. mNHNNUMM ARE used NUH
The administrative 81 the Compensation
Law 7 can 80 no good reason FOR this.
sna it Noulu seem 90 me that a single
head IN chsrEe 20 this department. sur
rounded by competency iu The WAY OF A.
tuaricS and either experts IN this line.
woald insure an effective communication
The great field g. before the Public
Service Commission In On. Way % rcgu-
administoring the many duties before fI
requires almost the constant service %
a lawyer who - empowered BY Law 70
service ~ given 20 them I am there
fore % the opinion that the legislature
should provide Tor special counsel TO the
Public Service Commission in order that
the best possible results may obtain. 4
make this recommendation. not for the
duty nov devolVinE upon the Attorney
Generals ofnce. hut to the contrary. for
ne reason mat on account OF the many
duties that he t. asked 20 perform. 4
h impossible FOR his department to give
the consideration 80 the Public service
Commission thai " demands This H.
Concurred in BY the Members OF the Com
mission themselves IN their report 60
me- in the way OF recommendation
There are many amendments which
should be made 10 the Public service
Commission law. one 81 the first tn
power Of the Commission may be well
defined - 10 it, right 70 prevent any
Increase in any rate made by any public
state business In this state. also d.
fininE the rover % the Commission -
a. railW avs and other public service cor
p~orstious doing a passenger business IN
the state. giving them the express right
20 prevent any changes OF schedule or
permission is first obtained from the
Commission. Additional power should
ne given ." lhe ',nmlssion 10 ~snhposno
witnesses. take testimony. administer
oaths. and this power should be given
also to inspectors and special examiners
when they are required by the commits
sion 20 exercise Jurisdiction over all
I electric. Eas or water meters. whereby
any electricity. gas or water is sold In
Ihe Commission should also be given
thN power Go punish FOR contempt and
TO require papers. evidence. books. doe
uments. etc. to be produced without In
Voking the aid OF the Circuit Court.
There should be a change OF date for the
collection Of data with regard Go the
valuation OF property owned by public
service corporations to the valuation or
property owned by public service cor
April 1St. making a definite rule In gath
eriug this data as there seems 70 be
ice Commission and the state Tax Com
misSioncr's office In this duty.
There are many other changes looking
towards "a greater amount OF effective
ness an the administration OF this law
that / should indeed be pleased to dis
cuss with the members OF the Legisia-
Ths wortmeus Compensation Law.
In harmony with the advance Of civil
s@ANA'Aa eANA W. N-ff ~ ~
more humane systems has grown up in
the way OF compensating workmen who
are injured while engaged In the course
The employee. under the compensa-
tion law: contributes ten cents ON the
one hundred dollars. to the employers
ninety cents. In other words. ~ the
employee earns $4,000 per month. he
pays i've cents. ~ 10000. ten cents.
There are those who suggest that the
employee should pay twenty-five cents
o mnNnNnT The balance and that The in
demntty paid the employee be Increased
TO sixty per cent OF his weekly wage.
OF the weekly waEe TO the employee In
case OF injury. This - thirteen anu
is MOVED PbSyt t tSe Vest seS viTEinis com,
pcnsation law. our statute. however.
permits more consideration for the wild
ows and 10 those PERMANENTLY disabled.
as well as gives greater consideration
TO medical. surgical and hospital care.
than does other states.
The adjustment OF these conditions
merits the greatest consideration. II Is
a matter OF detail we should proceed
idea with deliberate speed. measuring
step by our ability TO grant relief with
who comes within the purview OF the
law. The assembling OF statistics and
based upon assembled facts. Is the safe
and sane method TO be adopted for the
future instead OF taking n leap In the
dark that might call for retrenchment
In the future.
The workmen's Compensation law be-
came effective October est. 1913. The
law as originally drawn was based upon
very meagre statistics. There was a great
demand for the enactment OF such IA
statute at the last session OF the lie. T.
~islature- IL was indeed a great eno+t
20 secure "a sufficient amount OF da'a
Just compensation law. but a start had
TO be made. and the accomplishments
thus far achieved have been indeed
The law should be amended for the
purpose OF adopting the merit idea. /
am OF the opinion. and 50 suggested ina
an interview OF some months past. that
IL would be one Of the best safety appli-
ance laws that could be adopted in the
way OF preventing accidents. and at the
same time we would recognize merit
where deserved. Under the present act.
permanent disability II concentrated
only FOR the time he Is totally disabled
nothing therefor N the way OF a minor
permanent loss. II. however. he has lost
an eve a hand or = foot. he receives
compensation 10 the amount Of ibG
weeks. The law should be amended to
the injured a graduated sum. based
ability he has sustained. some states
pay and some do not pay nonresident
any Of this class Is decided II Should
be limited and confined to the immediate
family. our law now provides for the
This paragraph should be amended eth
~ 60 exclude altogether. or TO pay only
ANN~f VI ANf immaculate FANNY 7 nc rFff-
son for amending the law in this regard
IL due 10 the imposition that iE being
practiccd by some who req
resent foreign governments.
81 present the employers pay ninaty
ana the employees ten per cent OF tie
premiums. ! am Of the opinion th.r
the employers should pay the full
premium. The time or temporary dis
ability is limited to twenty-six week.
While in the majority OF cases this
FOUND 10 be adequate. yet there is ru
occasional case Of this class disabled
Tor n longer period 81 tim. which
should be provided for in the discretion
OF the administrative head. The prem
iums a. now collected are not due and
seldom paid before the twenty-hfth OF
the month Tor the preceding month. and
a. q compensation cannot be paid until
the premiums Tor the month In which
the claimant received his injury are col
lerted. iudemnites are often withheld
on this account thereby deriving fns
injured man from participating in the
iund when most needed. This condition
should be- remcdied by compelling IT,
payment Of premiums In advpnce on "a
estimated payroll. or o. better .uethod
would probably be 90 require the fm-
pipyerr Co. advance "a certain amount a.
money az "a guarantee. 90 that the Com
tho indemnity when applications were
made hN injured persons. D. present
law BE- not effective iu case o. death un-
less the injured person lies Within
nlUttN DAYS from The date Of the Inffrr.
The law should BE- ameudaf. zoo my uu.n.
Jon. o. extend over o. lungcr period Of
Time. Tor 90 Toast ak MuwffH g. UHHrn