New-York tribune., 1880-04-10
THE "BL00D-M0AEY" SYSTEM.
SAILORS swINDLED on ALL SIDES.

SAILORS SWINDLED ON ALL SIDES.
IMPOsnIvNs ~ AGENTs AND BOARDING-HOUsE
KEErERS-EFF0RTS 10 ADArE HE EVIL.
The Efforts now making tD destroy the
practice o cXnciug bl /" money from seanen for
the privilege Of shipping ycs,cshve again atrlctcd
pubic attention - the evil The present system OF
lking up ships crew has become ~ cdmp That
the ownefs of the vessel the capt shippnI AGENT
boarding house muster, Rnd tn Goverum N SHIPPING
cornmissun"r all tax. part IN getting sailor on bOard
ship at u cost 10 the saor OF half. and s1melimcs
norc oi MS frat months pay.
To brgin w,ih Just d-chnrSed from "A vessel
The men are almost without oZc 'pon. greatly in need
OF co:h money. class Of boarding house korpcI5
called boarding masters receive them an keep thcn
until they have .ured emp oym,nt ON ves'e + ing
ont " port As the boarli ling master cannot Ct any rs
turn Ir the accommodation, furn shed tho sdlDs 'Iay
Ing AZ hi, house until he has secured hcm engage.
men. hr a Yoyagc-whcn the amount Is subiracted
from thr advance paymsnt made by I'll; shiirOwncTs
-he becomes directly Interested in securing them
paces and depended on by III IN as their agent Tie
spuwncr the captain, instead Of paying an agent 80
much for se!ecting for vessel or engaging the
scl,n himself. es the privilege to shipping agent at
40 much for each ,caInan be- furnished The shipping
agent makes contract with boarding muster To find
places r tn his hands M so much cnch, IN
Iuta tie Irarlin--usuniy hllt the amonni-inio his
pocket. Thr paid bytLc boarding iEaster-usually
from - So according 10 length OF v0yage-is taken
Oh, or the alvaicr payment made to the by the
OyUrrs pf ih ship Tue NOR pavs all OF fhn money
involved in the transaci,n. hut has iO.ning to say
Al owners OF American vessels trndiDg win foreign
ports compel ol to ship tioir crows through tho Of
flee tha Skipping Conmi-,iOn'r. to whom they pay
fee OF - f.r each seaman: ihs not required for ycs-
sra engaged cOast ira ir. rho cxactions that are
made from the sailor called blood money aud the
practice has become universal, II II asserted. that
sail0r Is unable ship without making torc pay mcnts
with reference to the subirct Dr William L.
Thons. the president oI the seamcns All ANA
Protective AssOcmtOn and tho protector Of u Di
now before thG Lcsi-laturc for correcting lhe e'i
slid recently 10 TRIBUNE reporter; ,
"TEc entire business Is contrary ~ INV Inc ODltrd
Suites laws provide that no person slhil receive hby
tonmis sion whatever for me ThirlnE "I sea,m, @ eN
cent the regularly appointed Gov. rnmcnt to"'iS
soucr IL All thorr are several hundred snipplnS
agents IN Solih-,t, smty of HON milking large Incomes
Uf the DOnrdinG masters inNteh OF con ihE
wh The agents. buy Inc ply ilcge of y"s, iFnm me
captain slpowner. AMI make the prniii which USUALLY
fans 10 the agent iOr Themselves Again II IL pnstvey
known that Irany cal Iins employ these men
for The privilege Of rcshippnr. Ihls also IN defiance
of Law md yei no pr0src ions made. The sailor ls
twtl,c OF principal boarding mnsicLs iOImen CON
blnam for controlling me entire business. Inty &
pu and ccmp pccd the iier b0aldlng masters 10 snip
fcnmrn through them This combination mas since been
br0Arn. hut tho evil remains the same
"Wl dos the blll PROPOSE t"ht IL now penang III 'he
Iii propo,e. that n Board Of Commissioners DO np:
pOnc1 which shall have supervision OF tne sDppphB oi
scnIc s Ill take Out licenses and b. accountable TO the
InnTd AS now T.. may act as an agent anu
l. raOnsibr to DObOdy Notices Issucd 10 be sure
hy the Shipping Comm iss0nor. stating that no sailor
pnylnV blood money Will be permitted TO take snip
ping; that unless he does II lie is not nDio
10 get ont OF port With tho bill before tnc Legislature
petition sgnod by 45OO2 sailors from whom these
eXnrt inns nave been made. wns presented" .
4 wclknown mastor who has been engaged In obtain obtain
ing crows for ships thirty years, sad - Dlotd
m0y rx"ciOns BEGAN In the ltter plrI OF 1872 u!
me the slippngmastcrs law went into OPERATION an
IA" Government Shipping Commission was es'aVli,h.u
Before time the crews were poked by the shipping
master 4, pa d commits Ion OF ~ Tor ehon - y
man Tie s'amen themselves obliged to pay 70
cents beng engaged aud % cents on hehs
The bill introduced Congress, anu now pehdlhg Dc
fore the Commerce Committee, Will, thlnk II psstu
correct tho evil provides that the power OF appoint
ng 5hil ping Commissioner, instead ot being veslen ~
the Circuit Court judges shall be placed In the hanus OF
tile Secretary the United States treasury 1Ee O9n
nissOners would then receive stated salaries IN tehu Oi
fees and wonln be compelled to assist the Government
| IN brin einQ Offenders OF tho law to Justice" .
Tho atest nhnse OF the matter IL the action OF the
Boardnghonse Keepers Association In raiang the scale
of wages paid seamcn, and IN reducing the amount OF
blood" money paid. BY raising the scale oi wages
several dollars aud by reducing the bonus lfom 70 ho ma
9o 10 SO md S5 they havo ehdoavoreu 10 Sotten tue
fleet OF the sySem the sailor. and 10 conciate
lihlI opiniOp Shipowners obliged 10 pay the ad-
vanced Wages IN order to get soameni