The New York herald., 1870-09-10

Doubling the Hospital Charges Upon Poor
Jaok-Snall Business Of CONGRESSMAN I'm
position that Should be Repealed.

At the last session Of Congress an act was passed
authorizing the Secretary the Treasury increase
the Seamen's Hospital tax from twenty to forty
cents, and accordingly an order was issued which
took effect the 1s OF this month"; giving effect to tho
law and addressed to the collectors Of customs IN
the following words:-
Tae Marine Hospital tax having been increased
from twenty cents to forty cents by act passed at
the last session OF Congress- the same taking eject
on the lst nst you are hereby instructed to assess
been employed on anv vessel snc she was last en
tered at amy port Of the United States according TO
the provisions OF that act.
WHAT THE FOREGOING MEANS.
The majority Of people are not perhaps, very well
acquainted with the meaning and motive OF the
foregoing order. 1t Is explained in this wise:-
Every American vessel pays N at the Custom House
for each seaman on board, no matter OF what ma
tonallty hospital tax or forty cents per month.
the vessel has returned from voyage she pays
voyage tax in addition OF dollar per head for each
man. All this money goes to the Custom House in
each port where the hospital fund kept At stated
terms the amount IN the hands OF each col
lector is forwarded to the Marine Hospital
within the jurisdiction OF the port, or
to such other institution furnishes
accommodation and attendance to those followers
Of the sea happen to be stricken down with
ness or disease When the owner OF a vessel pays
his hospital tax at the Custom House the paymaster
Of the crew deducts from the wages OF each man
just the amount which has been paid on his
account to the government Under the present tax,
after voyage or an absence from this port OF six
monshs I,au tne SAILOR Wonid una hmsei indebted 70
cents The amount levied for such wise and
worthy object as the Sailors Hospital, which every
leading port In the country Is supposed to
possess, cannot be deemed exhorbtant, but the late
addition Of 100 per cent to the former figure makes
the Jack Tars extremely indignant Tle fact seems
to be that twenty cents per month from each sailor
was inadequate to sustain the marine hospitals and
that a United States tax OF twenty cents on each
ton Carrying capacity OF ships has been abolished,
mae to ay double what hat thew we're M
There is State tax OF this character. but the fcde
RAJ government II appears, levles no such eXtraor-
binary Imposition, and consequently can have no
interest In raising the amount VI the hospital rate.
HOW THE THING WORKS.
AS FAR as sailors are concerned they are Tree TO
hospital accommodations In every part OF tie world,
but each country has different method of man.
aging the matter. Our system Is as good as amy
other. An American ship which sails f'om here
with native, mixed or foreign crew, 1t matters
months ana having a crew Of say nifty men, ilnds
her Indebtedness to the hospital iund $i20 under
the present ssx II ten Of her crew happened 10 pe
Ill, and lay in hospital four weeks at an expense
! board, accommodation, ana medical attendance OF
| three dollars each per week, 1t would amount to
$l20, SO that IN this particular instance there would
/ be no margin OF prout LETT.
| TIE PoINr OF THE SAILORS OBJECTIONS.
Or course IL Is essential and none are more ready
to admit 1t than the sailors themselves, that some
little contribution should be made to sustain the ef
! fectiveness OF these Charitable institutions. No
doubt II the sailors never paid cent towards their
support plenty or benevolent people could be found
| to Keep them going but when each Individual sub
scripiion IL set down at small figure, and that
the yearly aggregate renders the institutions more
Independent oil precariOuS eicemosynary assistance,
is wiser to pay without grumbling. sun 1t is odd
! to say The least, that Congress, Ia increasing
| the tax, did not insert provision in the
sailors responsible for the increase. This Certainly
should have been DONE and the twenty cents In.
crease, which Is small matter 10 tile owner, but
great deal to the crew, charged to the ship. OF
course the Legislature had no lime TO bother with so
| trfing subject; but II II only knew how seriously
and painfully this doubling OF the Old fee Affects the
sailors they might nave given 1t little more con
! slderatl0n.
| AN IMPOSITION IN NEED OF BEpEAL.
ShpOwners Just do as they did DetOre-cDilect th
tax OF the sailors, for whose beneht t il Imposed.
| 1t would be worth while 10 Know IL Congress was
! aware or that when they inserted forty cents for
I twenty. Ten to one but they supposed II was the
| shipowner paid the money, and NOT the crew. II
the marine hospitals coud get along for such con-
siderable time under The OH subscription it Is
dilicut to see, In these altered and cheaper
| times why tey could not have continued without q
! hundred per cent additional aid. The Sailors are
naturally dissatisfied with the arrangement and cam
not be persuaded IL Is ANYTHING more than gross
imposition designed to enrich somebody at their
pensc. IL looks singular on tile face or it, and can
nave no JiiSti1cati0n except on the 2f0uuCs that
sickness among sailors coming TO this port Is the
OF support. In the interest OF the poor sailors,
who have nobody 10 SPEAK Tor them, 1t Is to be
hoped some member OF Congress will show up this
Imposition next session ani secure Il reduction 10
the Old figure Of twenty cents.