Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1908 — LABOR BILL ISPASSED [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LABOR BILL ISPASSED

Forty Minute** Debate All the House Talk on tha Em* - ploy art* Liability Bill w BUT OEE VOTE IHTHE NEGATIVE Littlefield Standi Alone in Oppoeinf the Measure. Its Principal Provision* Noted— Seat at Onoe to the Senate, Which Mas a BUI of Its Own. With only one vote recorded against It, that of Littlefield (Me.) the house of representatives, on Monday, under suspension of the rules, passed the Sterling employers’ liability bill after forty minutes’ debate. In brief the bill establishes the doctrine that the railroad companies engaged In interstate commerce are liable for personal Injuries received by employes

In the service of such carriers. It abolishes the strict common law rule of liability which bars a recovery for the personal injury or death of an employe occasioned by tbe negligence of a fellow servant; It also relaxes the common law rule which makes contributory negligence a defense to claims for such Injuries. Sliding Scale Principle Included. A provision, however, diminishes the amount of the recovery in the same degree that the negligence of the Injured one contributed to the Injury. The bill further makes each party responsible for his own negligence, and requires each to bear the burden thereof. The bill as passed by the house was transmitted to the senate latef in the day, and on motion of Dolliver was laid on the table subject to being called up at any time. Dolliver explained that the bill is quite slmilai to the measure reported to the senate from the committee on educaation and labor, and he will flrolvably move to sntvstltnte the senate bill.

House Bill Most Sweeping. The house bill is much more sweeping than the senate bill, as It applies to all “common carriers” while the senate bill applies only to “common carriers by railroad.” In the debate Minority Leader Williams said he welcomed the opportunity “to Illustrate to the country how quickly and how rapidly we can join in passing remedial legislation.” The Democrats applauded the statement. Payne denounced the Democrats for delaying by a hifff hour the passage of the bill by forcing a roll call on the approval of the journal. The Republicans would go on Just the same, he said, and write In the statute books Just what they desired to write

CONGRESSMAN O. E. LITTLEFIELD.