In great colliery, shipping, or railway disasters subscriptions were made, no doubt, just as they are to-day, but the little obscure cases that mount up to many thousands in the annual statistics of the industrial killed and wounded were left to chance and charity. The Employers' Liability Act of 1880 gave certain workmen limited rights of action in special cases. It was a prudent conservative measure brought in by a Liberal Government, and, of course, it was predicted that it would ruin every industry in the country. It must have cost industry a big bill in lawyer's fees. Every case under the Act was fiercely litigated, and might go from the County Court through two Courts of Appeal to the House of Lords. I do not like to write ill of the poor statute. It is not actually dead, but moribund, and in the years gone by, when we were both young fellows I had many a good outing at the old fellow's expense, and he did me very well indeed. Therefore, of the Employers' Liability Act of 1880 I will say no more than the man in the gallery did about the bride when the minister asked, "Who giveth this woman away?" "I could, guv'nor, but I ain't going to." But when we come to the Workmen's Compensation Acts that is another matter altogether. The County Court judges have never received a penny for the extra work thrust on them by these Acts, and therefore there can be no indelicacy or indiscretion in speaking one's thoughts plainly about the system. And of the idea, and to a great extent of the achievement, of Mr. Chamberlain's scheme--for to him must the praise and honour be given for bringing it about--one cannot speak too highly. The theory at the bottom of it is exactly the opposite of the theory at the bottom of the judges' decision against poor Priestley. It is best put in these memorable words of Mr. Asquith: "_When a person, on his own responsibility and for his own profit, sets in motion agencies which create risks for others, he ought to be civilly responsible for his own acts._" That is the Magna Charta of workmen's compensation. It cannot be better stated. And the promises and intentions of the new Act were splendid. For Sir Matthew White Ridley said that the Act would prevent uncertainty, and the parties would know what their rights were, and that it provided a simple and inexpensive remedy and would prevent litigation. Mr. Chamberlain pointed out that up to then, in 1897, only 12 per cent. of accidents were dealt with, but that he hoped that now the other 88 per cent. were to be brought in.