United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Minnesota Iron Co. v. Kline, 199 U.S. 593 (1905)

Minnesota Iron Company v. Kline

No. 6

Argued December 5, 1905

Decided December 18, 1905

199 U.S. 593

Syllabus

If a state statute, as interpreted by the highest court of the state, is not violative of the federal Constitution, this Court will accept the construction of the state court.

The statute of Minnesota, G.S., 1894, § 2701, providing that the liability of railroad companies for damages to employees shall not be diminished by reason of the accident occurring through the negligence of fellow servants, and excepting from its provisions damages sustained by employees engaged in construction of new and unopened railroads, does not, as interpreted by the highest court of that state, discriminate against any class of railroads or deny to such class the equal protection of the laws; the exception merely marks the time when the statute takes effect.

There is no objection under the Fourteenth Amendment to legislation confined to a peculiar and well defined class of perils, and it is not necessary that they are shared by the public if they concern the body of citizens engaged in a particular work.

Freedom of contract may be limited by a state statute where there are visible reasons of public policy for the limitation.

The facts are stated in the opinion.

Page 199 U. S. 596