The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-04-21
B!ood-money and shippi ug Sailors

4 Giii was introduced III Inc lower
house of congress in February last, by
Mr. Chandler IF Massachusetts, which
was read twice. printed and referred
10 the committee IN commerce. The
, title Is, ''a bill for The relief and im-
/ prorement Of scamen in the merchant
service by changing the system ol ad-
vance wages. Il provides among
othcr things. that after The first day of
November of the present year, any
document authorizing the fntarc pay
ment oi money un account of any
seaman's wages, conditioned on his
going 10 sea from any port in the
United States, beiure the wages arc
earned. snail be void IN short, the
bill strikes directly at all advances to
seaAen, which have been the fruitful
source Of corruption and shameful
frauds. NJ money paid in satisiao-
ton of any document purportins to
be for advances shalt ever be deducted
from seamen's wages. No bounty ur
blood-moncy shall ever be deducted
from his wages. even thonch the sailor
may have signed receipt for the
same. Clothing sold at sea may he
deducted from wages earned or uR-
earned. But no clothing shall be sold
at larger profit in such instances
than 25 per cent. on the original cost,
as shown by the invoice sworn Ia and
signed 10y the master In this way
destitute sailors going to sea siii be
furnished with outfits suitable for
them. But sailors well provided on
shipping will not. Of cuurso, bo obliged
20 purchase anything Of the masters.
Every seaman, whether shipping at
Atlantic OF Pacific ports, fnr deep
water voyages and Cor ccast voyages,
except when the destination is less
than four handrel miles. must pro-
duce q certificate made within three
months hy some authorized surgeon.
Any deception on The part OF the sea
man shall WORK d forfeiture of one
quarter of his wages % the United
States hospital fund. Aud any master
receiving = seaman without arsrtif-
este shall pay dur; to the collector Of
the first port of e:,try Of $40, TO be
added to the nar:ne hospital fund.
There Is al important omission in the
fourth section, this substance OF which
Is gwen above. A surgeons certificate
mast be- provided, but there IS not a
word as to the kind OF certificate.
Suppose the seaman is usseHnd, and
the certificate states Us much. wnnld
that comply with the iaw
The fifth section provides that if
any sailor going on board OF L vessel
OF verbal agreement 10 20 on the
voyage, shall refuse to sign the articles
and proceed. the Master cf said veg
sol may take him before any United
States commissioner or Justice of the
peace, and if it shall appear that the
seaman is not justified in his refusal,
the Judge may order him put on board,
and may sigh the articles for him. and
tac entire expense of the proceedings
msy ba deducted out ui his wages.
Bat ii the seaman IS justified in his
refusal, the Master shall pay him 81
day and board while he has been
detained on the ship. Every master
is required to keep n separate account
with each seaman, and twenty-fnur
hours before the final discharge shall
render sn itomizcd account, and this
account mnat be signed by both
parties " their authorized attorneys.
Seamon' ) wages arc tu run Until the
account is paid in fnll The eighth
section provides that all Masters shall
have the right to ship and pay Of the
men in their employ.
This is the essence uf the bill now
baioro Congress. Its provisions are
humane ami just, and strike directly
at abuses which have long existed at
all the great shipping ports Of the
country. That these abuses and
frauds have not beea exaggerated is
clear from evidence not only within
reach, but from Il distance. The New
York Maritime Register has an article
headed "Abettors in the Blood Money
Business. Il declares that sailors are
sold in tha, port like cattle. "a sea-
| man can no more obtain a berth on
ship without the consent Of his owner
the boarding. house keeper than
he can secure the command OF s!oop-
of war. The clearinghouse man
secures the ship, orders the sailor to
sign tho articles, and then, fnr the
chance, charges him good round
commission, taken olt Of the advance
wages.
The bill should receive the sanction
OF congress, and when it is the law Of