Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-13

The pilots at this port have bill before
the legislature that cannot fail TO meet
the approval and command the hearty
support OF every fair-minded member of
that body. The object OF the Dill is to
amend the laws relating 70 pilotage 50 as
10 give them the eject that was originally
INTENDED, and which they had until flaws
We're picked in them BY shrewd lawyers.
AS these laws are now interpreted. the
pilots lose their fees on certain outward
bound vessels that are disposed to evade
the payment Of fees.
Phe pilotage laws are, Of course, com
pulsory, aud il pilot tenders his services
to vessel and they are declined, he is
nevertheless entitled to his regular fee.
The Jaw says. however, that the pilot who
brings a vessel into port shall have 1.-The
exclusive right" TO take her out. Those
vessels which propose to evade the pay
ment Of the pllotage fees refuse a pilot,
and are brought to the city by steam
tug. They pay the inward pilotage fees,
but they refuse to pay the outward fees
on the ground that not having been
brought in by a pilot, there is nopilot who,
under the law, has the right to take them
out. As can be readily seen, the pilots
are deprived OF their fees from outward
bound vessels on a mere technicality.
Their bill provides for such an amend
ment Of the law as will give them, In their
calling, the protection TO which they are
entitled, and will insure them the fees
which they ought to have, and which the
trainers OF the law doubtless intended
they should have.
OF course, those who don't want TO pay
pIlotage fees say that it Is unfair, and
even unjust, to compel them to accept and
pay for services which they don't want.
They can just as reasonably object 10 be-
ing taxed for the support OF police force.
They may think they are able to protect
their own persons and guard their own
premises; but because they think they
don't need police protection the munich
pal authorities don't excuse them from
the payment Of taxes.
Pilotage is made compulsory not for the
benefit of the pilots, but for the ports.
The commercial needs OF ports make
pilots necessary, and, of course, the pilots
must be paid. If they are not paid by a
tax on commerce they must be paid by
tax on the citizens Of the ports.
For nearly quarter OF century GER
tain interests have been trying to break
down the pilotage system in this country
in order to get rid of the tax for pilots.
They have failed, because they have
neither justice nor reason to support
hem. The pilotage system isn't some
thing that has come into existence within
the last few years. 1t has stood the test of
time, and has shown that it is absolutely
necessary to the commerce Of the world
To abolish it would be to expose com
merce to such dangers as would impose
burdens upon it in the way Of increased
insurance rates that would be much
heavier than the fees OF pilots.
The pilots at this port are not making
fortunes. Indeed, they find 1t difficult TO
make incomes anyway near commensur-
ate with the dangers to which they are
exposed and the hardships they endure.
Ii they realize a 500 month they think
they. are doing pretty well. The pilots,
however, are not asking for sympathy.
They are asking for justice.
Those who are opposing the bill to
amend the piotage laws ought to direct
their efforts against the present pilotage
system. With the system out of the
way they might get rid of pilotage fees,
but the city, If it wanted to maintain its
commercial prominence, would have
10 support pilots. Owners Of foreign
vessels would not seek cargoes
at port where the want OF
pilots would vastly increase their risks.
While, therefore, a lew might be bene-
ited by abolishing compulsory pilotage,
the city would be either injured or have
its burdens increased.
The Savannah pilots do not ask for any
thing unusual. They simply want the
protection that is afforded pilots at other
ports. In fact they want only what they
have, until lately, enjoyed for a century,
and what the laws OF this State intended
they should have.