The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-05-27
LABORINC MEN FAVOR
JUDGE IRA ROBINSON
FOR NEXT GOVERNOR
President Huggins Of the State
Federation Tells Why They
Are for Robinson.

WHEELING. May 27.-Charles j.
Higgins, president of the state fed
GRAFTON of labor. declares that a very
large majority OF the members Of the
union labor organizations In West
Virginia prefers Judge Ira q, Robin
son for governor to A. A. Lilly. This
declaration comes from President
Huggins in reply to statements made
by l.. v. Barton. former state labor
commissioner. Along this line, Pres
ident Higgins says:
First. he says that the workmen's
compensation bureau is extravagant-
ly conducted. and thereupon he gives
some figures which answer his own
charge. He says the state spends
$4,000 per year on the woikmen's
compensation bureau. and that some
thing over $4,000 accidents per year
are reported. In other words, for
about 1910 per case the workmen s
compensation bureau investigates, re-
ports on and adjudicates all the cas-
ualty claims In the state. Nearly
every case requires special investi-
CATION and report. Some require
two or more Investigations. hap
pen to know ono inspector OF the
workmen's compensation bureau
right in Wheeling who frequently
works sixteen hourse per day on his
Investigations and reports. For any
one to say that Investigation, report
and adjudication OF claims at a cost
OF $40 per case is extravagant, Is a
ridiculous absurdity. Yet that is
what Mr.. Barton alleges In his let
ter.
Then Mr.. Barton goes on in his
letter to tell what General Lilly will
do to, improve the workmen's COM
pensation bureau, and to Improve
the law. II he becomes governor.
God help the workmen's compensa-
tion law II ABE" Lilly and his
bunch get into power. The work
ingmen Of the state had to fight for
the workmen's compensation law,
and every inch Of the way they had
to fight the very men who are now
backing Abe Lilly for governor. The
opposition to the workmen's COM
pensation law did not come from the
OF northern West Vir-
ginia, but from the organized coal
operators. headed by Taylor vinson,
and financed by such men as Nc
Kell and Huston, the very men who
are directing Lilly's campaign for
governor. The working men remem-
Der, too, that these men were influen-
tial enough in the legislature to mu-
tilate the first law. passed in 1918,
and to force limit on the ASSESS
ments that made 1t impossible to col
lect from the coal companies their
full and equitable casualty charge.
They know, too, that when, In 1915.
they sought to amend the law. to
make 1t equitable, they again had
to fight the coal operators who are
now backing Lilly.
The working men Of West Virginia,
know another thing. That
is, in famous case the martial law
case arising from the Cabin Greek
strike, Judge Ira e. Robinson, in an
atmosphere absolutely loaded with
hate and opposition to the striking
miners, had the courage and honesty
alone to resist the demand OF the coal
operators, and to render a dissenting
opinion, yindicating the constitution
al rights Of American citizens; that
this opinion practically took fifty
miners and sympathizers out OF the
jails to which they had been sent
by drum-head court-martials; that
this opinion Of Judge Robinson was
commended In the senate Of the
United States, and has been uni
versally accepted: while on the other
hand A. A. Lilly went before the
Investigating commission appointed
BY the United States Senate and spent
days trying to justify the martial law
These are some OF the things which
the working men OF this section
know, and they are reasons why the
very large majority Of them, with
out regard to party. prefer Judge
Robinson to A. "A Lilly for governor.
From Judge Robinson we expect
friendly and fair treatment. From
Lilly, we expect nothing.