The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-30
HUCGIN ANSWERS
President State Federation Of LABOR
Defends Workmsn's Compensation
Law.
Wheeling. ". Va. Nav 2q /,

Wheeling. W. Va, May 20. 1916.
Editor wheeling lntelligencer.
Sir:
! see a card i'm the Wheeling Reg
ister signed by /. v. Barton. in which
he complains abou being bounded
by n. {. Ogden. and attempts to get
sympathy for himself. He i~nsinuates
moreover. that the card which ! pub
lished in The Intelligencer several
days age. answering a circular letter
in which he had been attacking the
Workmen's Compensation Bureau. and
the state administration. was not my
own work. Mr.. Barton ought 10 now
II h. knows anything. that ! am not
the man 10 sign a card and 10 u
the same TO be- published without en-
dorsing every word in IL. | dictated
the card. published in The lntelli-
gencer. ! read 1t carefully after il had
been typewriter. ! revised II, n
signed II. and there il no a word or
thought in h that ! do not stand spon-
sor for in every respect.
10 Mr.. Barton wants sympathy in his
misfoTtuncs he ought not 10 go about
attacking other men who are doing
their duty and performing the service
expected Of them.
Concerning Mr.. Barton's troubles
with Governor Hatfield or mis- ~acquain-
lance with the late commissioner h.
y. Ogden, OF concerning anything else
that Mr.. Barton Ia written in his al
, legged reply. ! have only to say that
] know nothing and care nothing. What
I do say Is that the working men of
this state are proud Of the Workmen's
compensation Bureau as n stands TO-
day. They do not regard IL as com
plete or satisfactory in every respect.
hut they know that IL Is a tremendous
" Ions step forward. They know hat
u is a partial realization OF their
dreams Of years. a part Of the things
they have been lighting for. and as
a working man I don't intend 10 81.
idly by and hear the operations of this
law unfairly criticised by men who are
simply inspired by jealousy.
We know too the influences hat We
had TO fight in order 10 get this Work
mems Compensation Law passed. and
To our great surprise. We lind q man
like ! V. Barton. who Is supposed "a
be in sympathy with labor. advocating
and supporting the very interests thai
We had 10 fight in order to get the
Workmen's Compensation Law. and
which we had 10 fght two years later
In order 10 get the Law fairly amended
Mr. BARTON seems TO have left his splt'
and jealousy get the better ~ his judC
ment. So far as ! am concerned.
would never have thought Of publish
ing a criticism concerning Barton. II
he had rot been actively at work for
. Nffk- lllST FHTfNtN NV ldfNSs dui
seeking TO deceive working people II
became necessary TO answer him anC
have answered him solely a. 10 ths
matters which concern the worklnt
men. Ns ! said before. ! know moth
ing about and care nothing about hi.
differences. Il he has had any. viii
Governor Hatfield. ogden or any ont
else. and IN publishing n card 81 the
kind he has published, he simpl,
lodges The real issue. repeat my
former statement that ! consider tina
the Workmen's Compensation bureau
adiudicating. adjusting and s~ettlini
% 5000 cases in a year AZ an OK
penditure Of about $50. 600 90. Is beini
conducted economically and not waste
fully We think the Workmen's Com
pensation Bureau ought 10 be improved
In some respects. but We expect to Ee'
those Improvements and more efhci
ency from friends Of the Workmen
Compensation Bureau. and not from
the enemies % o.. and that b. why 10
favor Judge Robinson for Governor
and not General Lilly
think I am acquainted with n verv
large majority Of the leaders Of -
working men Of West Virginia. and
almost to a man those who have looked
into the matter a. AT. prefer Judc,
Robinson candidacy to that Of Gen
cral Lilly. solely for the reasons ] hav,
above stated.
signed Chaq Higgins.
Pres State Federation ~ Labor