The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-13

sure an effective administration Of
this law.
Amendments Needed.
There arc many amendments which
should be made to the Public Service.
Commission law. One of the first IN.
importance Is to amend It SO that the.
power Of the Commission may be well
defined as to its right to prevent any
increase in any rate made by any pub.
lie service corporation operating IN
Iintra.state business in this State; also
defining the power of the Commission
as to railways and other public sery.
Ice corporations doing a passenger
business in the State, giving Ithsm the
express right to prevent any changes
of schedule or the discontinuance of
any train until permission is FIRST oh.
tanned from tho Commission. Addi-
tional power should be given to the
Commission to subpoena witnesses,
take testimony, administer oaths, and
this power should be given also to
inspectors and special examiners
when they are required by the conf
mission to obtain Information; also,
the power should be extended to the
Commission to exercise Jurisdiction
over all electric, gas or water meters,
whereby any electricity, gas OF water
is sold in the State.
There are many other changes look;
ing towards a greater amount OF ef.
fectiyeness in the administration Of
this law that I should indeed be
pleased to discuss with the members
Of the Legislature.
The Workmen's Compensation Law.
In harmony with the advance of
civilization and our duty to our
neighbor, a moiN humane system has
grownAup in the way Of compromising
workmen who are Injured while en-.
gagged inSthe course of their employ
ment. The burden in the past fell,
upon the employee first, but in case
of death, ito those dependent upon
him. As the law stood previous to,
the passage of the Workmen's Com.
p~ensation law, the industry was in:
Identified by the insurance companies,
and less than fifteen per cent Of the
Injured received any damages in case
Of litigation, and then, after a long.
drawn;out litigation. which resulted
I'M practically nothing for the plain:
tiff. The INJUSTICE to the employee
and waste of time and money toSthel
taxpayer has excited the attention
Of public spirited men, and it has
been demonstrated that It would have
been a saving Of money for the tax
Ipayerqif a reasonable compensation
had been paid out Of the state treas,
ury. thereby preventing court cost
and injustice. There Is, however, no
good reason why such a procedure
should be necessary in the face of
other, remedies, whic h in Justice and
good conscience should be wiling 10
do their part. The compensation law
Of Germ u lis supported altogether by
the employer. Most of the states do
likewise. They have compensation
laws and with few exceptions, it has
been suggested that the employee
would have more interest in the fund
if he contributed to its maintenance.
and he would feel freer to speak con-
corning matters pertaining to its wei:
fare. The employee. under the com:
~pensation Law. contributes ten cents
on the one hundred dollars. to the
employers ninety cents. notheHi
words, II the employee earns $1,000
per month, he pays five cents; tfl
$4,000. ten cents.
The workmen's Compensation law
became effective October LIST, 1913.
AT the present time there are 1000
employers. with 175,0oo employees
participating; 11.41s claims were
handled for the fiscal year ending
June Goth, 1914. and q total amount
OF indemnities paid Of s275 ,os1.so on
accidents occurring during said
period.
Mothers and Old Age Pension Laws.
Mothers pension laws, which are!
In force In several states! apply in;
the case OF mother left with help.
less children by the death Of the Fhus.
band and father. Often she can keep
the children together and support
and educate them with more or less
help from the government. In any
event, helpless children VIII be taken
care Of in some way; some times In
poor houses. or they are put in a.
children's home, or In private FAINT.
lies. Generally speaking, there is no
institution for the child equal to the
home, although It may be q humble
one; and there Is no other person
who can care for the child. generally
speaking, like the mother. Ths child
Is designed for the home, and the