Tort Law in President Taft's Inaugural Address

In 1909 Congress has just passed the Federal Employer's Liability Act - which dramatically reformed the tort system for one group of workers: railroad workers engaged in interstate commerce.  Next up: Theodore Roosevelt on workers compensation. - GWC
TortsProf Blog: Tort Law in William Howard Taft's Inaugural Address:
by Prof. Christopher J. Robinette

"Yesterday I asked which inaugural address contained a direct discussion of tort law.  The answer is William Howard Taft's, delivered on March 4, 1909.  Taft discussed the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) toward the end of his address: There is one other matter to which I shall refer. It was made the subject of great controversy during the election and calls for at least a passing reference now. My distinguished predecessor has given much attention to the cause of labor, with whose struggle for better things he has shown the sincerest sympathy. At his instance Congress has passed the bill fixing the liability of interstate carriers to their employees for injury sustained in the course of employment, abolishing the rule of fellow-servant and the common-law rule as to contributory negligence, and substituting therefor the so-called rule of "comparative negligence.""