Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-21
SournaI anA GOnrier.
SINGLE COPIES TWO GENTS.
Monday. January 21, 1884.
THE NEW YORK PILOTS.

THE NEW YORK PILOTS,
 We have watched with interest the attacks made upon the New York pilots Cor pirates) during the last four or five years. These men have oppressed commerce altogether too long and too successfully. We had hoped that long before this they would have been regulated" but they have fought for what they doubtless regard as their rights with much vigor and skill, and thus far with suc- cess.
 There is bill now pending ip the leg1sIa- ture of New York which has for it's object the reduction by one-third of the pilotage fees at the port of New York. It has been reported favorably by the Committee on Commerce and Navigation, in both the Senate and the Assembly, and will, no doubt, be placed up- on it's passage in due course. Last year a similar bill, at the earnest request of the Chamber of Commerce and other mercantile bodies of the metropolis. was endorsed by the same committees of the legislature, and having been passed by the Assembly was defeated in the Senate, just before it's ad- journment, by one vote Consideration of the bill in the upper branch was several times delayed at the request of senator who was seized with mysterious attack of sickness each time the measure came up upon final passage.
 Counsellor Ridgeway represents the New York Chamber of Commerce in the contest over this bill, and a few days ago he made an argument before the Assembly committee in favor of it which clearly showed the neces- sity for a change. The present rates of pilotage were fixed in 1865, when gold was at high premium, and it was understood that they should remain in operation for but three years. Though values have since shrunk, and the cost of living has fallen to ante-war rates, the pilots have contrived to defeat all efforts to reduce their fees. Mr. Ridgeway stated to the committee that the pilot charges at the port of New York are far in advance not only of those collected at the principal ports of entry in Europe, but also of those imposed in many of the hsrbors of this country. They are 75 per cent. high CT than those at Baltimore, 82 per cent. in advance of those at Boston and 300 per cent. moro than the charges made at Portland and Providence. Mir. Ridgeway further in- formed the committee that the pilots are now collecting double the amount received prior to 1866, and that the result of their extortionate demands has been to drive commerce away from New York to 'enrich rival and competing ports in other States.' It is the opinion of this representative of the Chamber of Commerce that if the bill to re- duce pilotage fees B 1-3 per cent. becomes law each of the one hundred and twenty licensed pilots will receive an annual com pensation of $3, 900 and upwards.
 Those who want to see the pilots' fees kept where they are now have no very strong answer to make to this. They say that tt e proposed legislation is in the interests of tEe wealthy foreign ship-owners, and is, there fore, blow at home enterprise. To this 1t is answered that for the past two years the number of vessels entering the port of New York has steadily decreased, that there is prospect that the decrease will continue, so that the pilots must eventually suffer from their suicidal policy of driving commerce away from the port; and that whether the vessels arriving at the port are foreign or do- nestle, the charges for pilotage have even- tually to be paid by the consumers who pur- chase the goods brought by them to New York.
 It is to be hoped that the legislature of New York will pass the bill. There are oer- tainly many reasons why it should, and few or no reasons of any account against it.