Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-01-17


erage purposes
1t has been suggested that the en-
forcement of the prohibition law be
left to the communities, and that the
state content itself with the thought
that local officials are sufficiently Wig
liant and the public interests will
be safeguarded 1t is respectfully
urged upon you to give place to no
such sophistry. The constitution
throughout the years has reseved
broad police powers to the state. True,
they \have been delegated, but the
mere assignment does not in the least
degree reduce the responsibility of the
state. On the other hand, the con-
tention has been made that inasmuch
as the police power is first inherent
in the state, and the prohibitory
mandate is of such Importance, that
the state alone should be the respon-
sible unit. This is most unsound in
theory and would be a dangerous
practice. The spectacle of local Off i
cials paying no attention to the viola
ton of the law on the theory that it |
was an affair of another government |
| al unit, would be travesty. Reduced |
| to plain terms, therefore, the enforce |
ment of the law in the first instance |
should be with the public officers in |
| the community, but vigilant eye |
/ should be with the state, and power |
of removal from Office should be Civ
en- the governor in case of delin- !
| quency.
Workmen's Compensation.
The experience of our state with
the compulsory workmen's compensa
tion law bears so vitality on the indus
| trial life of our people that it is deem
ed proper to report the outstanding
| features of the situation. The amount
of money in the fund held by the
state as trustee for the injured work
men and their dependents, as of date,
Jan. 2, 1919, was 15,401.429.74. So
carefully measured has been the cost
of human justice that employers pay
a smaller premium rate in Ohio than
elsewhere, and the injured workmen
and their dependents are given larger
compensation. 1t is gratifying also
to know that the administration of
the law carries no financial burden
whatsoever to the state. The state
fund bore interest during the last
fiscal year amounting to $371 ,443.67.
The cost of administering the trust
for the same period was 1927, ,S06.04,
leaving surplus of $43,637.63.
It is more or less we'll known fact
that incorporated companies whose
employees are assigned to interstate
work cover as large a part of their
payroll into the Ohio fund as they
possibly can. 1t is thus demonstrated
that the employer and employe both
regard the Ohio plan as the best. Dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 80,
1918, $4,000 claims for compensation
were passed upon by the industrial
commission. Nine hundred and nine
ty of these were based upon fatal
accidents. In the period named, there
was awarded to the victims of indus
trial accidents an their dependents
more than s1O.OOO.000 In thousans
Of cHoes lvIn7 =,--?f v-~re allowed 70
purchase homes for widows and chill
dren or to establish suitable business
for disabled workmen who we're no
longer fitted to support themselves,
in shop or mine
Important Change Made.
During the last few months an i'm
portant change in administrative pol
icy was made. Experience developed
: an element of injustice which has
been corrected. The rate of premium
assessed against the employer is
,, based not only upon the hazardous
!, nature of occupation, but upon the
number of accidents occurring during
, a given period. This is not only the
!. equitable method of maintaining a
: stable fund, but it insures intensive
effort toward a primary objective
: upon which the very principle Of tfe
law itself was based, namely, reduc
tion in the number of accidents, be
cause it has been shown that the prob
ability of increased cost to the en-
= ployer leads to the precautions which
= safeguard life and limb. There came
= however, this development: If a mar
. lost an eye, an arm, a leg. or any
l. other member of the body, his EN-
y ployer was unwilling to take him bacl
because of the increased chance O
u his subsequently becoming totally dis
y abled. Many men in consequence o
q this, injured i'll the course of usefu
employment, were out of work. Sta
u tistics showed that there was no
one crippled workman in 100 who re
>, ceived the second injury which mad,
q him permanent total disability, bu
IL 1n mt 10 %o1x
"a the risk, nor could he be blamed TO
oI it. With a fund more than stable
ID and the opportunity to render sucl
e. helpful service, so plain, the commits
'e sion wisely adopted policy whereof
oI a permanent total disability, result
ol ing in the manner already described
p, carries no penalty against the EN-
ID ployer, the difference between
partial total disability and
n permanent total disability bein
lie charged against the statutory surplu
n fund. Nor is this all-the same cor
o. sideration is shown to the wounde
w soldiers and sailors who have return
to ed from the war with the loss of a
w eye, arm. leg or other member of tn
1g body Useful employment await
el, them not only because the nature
gs impulse with the employer is symp;
is thetic. but if total disability shoul
st come, the employer is not held al
an swerable to the possibility of accider
having occurred as the result of il
iuries received in the military Sc
: vice.
nt Budget.
ro- In 1918 a budget system was adop
re ed in this state; it has limitation
a in operation, but they are within tn
he constitution. So far as it has gon
to it has helped to simplify the final
TIL cial affairs of the state. 1t has r
mt suited in great saving and it clearl
H. indicates what might be accomplishe
en- if the results of pai2staking invest