Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-17
THE MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE
How Poor Jack is Cared For-An At
tempt to Abolish the Tax System and
Maintain the Service by Government
Appropriation.

How Poor Jack is Cared For-An At
tempt to Abolish the Tax System and
Maintain the Service by Government
Appropriation.
A petition has been placed in circula-
ton in a number of seaport and river
towns for signatures by seamen employed
either on river or ocean craft, asking Con-
gress to repeal the law levying a tax for
the maintenance of the Marine Hospital
Service, and to maintain that service by
an appropriation by the General Govern
ment.
A MORNING NEWS reporter called upon
Surgeon Stone, Of the Marine Hospital
Service at this port, in regard to the mat
ter. and was informed that as yet no pc
titi0n of that character was in circu-
latiOn in Savannah to his knowledge, and
that if it should be introduced here he
should oppose 1t vigorously. From what
can be learned the petition originated In
the North, where IL seems TO nave met
with considerable favor. Copies were for
warded to Cincinnati and New Orleans,
and the towns along the Ohio and Mlssls-
SipDi rivers. where some signatures were
obtained. In New Orleans, it is stated,
'sthe seamen and steamboatmen are al
most unanimously opposed to this meas
ure and in favor of the continuance or the
present tax. They are opposed to its abo-
litiOn and the substitution for it OF gov
ernment appropriation"
At present the Marine Hospital Service
is SUPPORTED and maintained by tax of
40 cents month on each seaman belong
ing to the port. The collection is made
| bv the Collector of Customs at the end OF
| the year from the ship masters. A regis
! ter is kept on board by the master, and at
the end of the year when taking out new
| papers return is made Of the sailors and
| the tax is collected, This tax. which Is
| nominal, is not felt by the sailor, and in
reality is taken rather out of the sailor
! clearinghouse keepers than the sailor; is
| not felt, and they say is Of great benefit
| to them, 1t is stated that the amount de-
| rived from this tax is large, and amply
sufficient to carry on the marine hospitals
| of the country; indeed, more than sulA-
cient for that purpose, for 1t aecumulates
! large sums of money in the treasury, and
/ il lately had a surplus fund of between
$500, 600 and 100000 on hand, which fund
| allowed the government TO construct the
numerous new marine hospitals now be-
ing erected here and at other points.
THE present sYstem," said DIR. Stone,
sis all right. The tax is not onerous and
can easily be borne, and IL is right and
prOper that the men should pay it; and,
{ uHdllN. II Is dlMd1 CNA tam anu ANAAetDASs
1t will never do to trust to Congress for
appropriations, or the Marine Hospital
/ Service viii soon get in bad condition,
/ Congress might make sufficient appro-
priation one year and the next year 1t
would fall short, and notice would have to
/ be given to the surgeons throughout the
/ country that no more patients can be re-
/ ceiYed at the hospitals owing to the lack
| OF appropriation. This state of affairs
would never do, and if Congress makes an
/ appropriation for the poor sailor the gem
/ eral poor of the country have an equal
| right to demand hospital care"
''BefOre the present Hospital Service
was established, the government appro-
/ priated for the care of the sick seamen.
/ The department was badly managed, and
4 the hospitals were filled with longshOre-
men and men who were not entitled to
! admission. The Marine Hospital Service
/ at once regulated and brought the de-
| partment into a systematized order. If
1 the tax is removed and the service is sup
/ ported by Congressional appropriation,
/ the same state Of affairs will occur again"