The morning call., 1893-05-25

1T meeting of ship-owners, called yes.
terday by the Ship-owners' Association of
the r 4eitic Coast, Secretary Williams ont
lined plan for regulating the shipment of
seamen on this coast.
Captain a. NJ. Simpson presided, and
there were about fifty members or repre-
sentaNyeS Of shi -owning firms present
All listened attentyely to the >chgme pro-
posed, ami outside the association there
was no disrussion of is merits. IS
The system provided for place where
seamen might be taken care of when on
shore, and to this end it was announced
that the association had secured promise
of cooperation from the Sailors Home.
Secondly, it provided for the registration
of seamen, who would be asked to sign
before being shipped, the following pledge :
! hereby pledge myself to carry out my agree
ment, in accordance with the merchant Ship
ping laws of the United STATES of America, ana
TO proceed TO sea IN any vessel for winch may
Sign arilc Is aud- to complete tnei the voy-
age Iof which i sign; notwithstanding that
other members OF the crew may not be members
OF any seamans or trades union.
The seaman slipping would be given a
little book containing all his Sea-record.
rules under which he worked, wht ther he
had paid-his bills, etc. This book would
be retained by the association during
seaman's voyage and returned to him u
bis coming hack.
The ru1es alluded to would lay it down
that selection of seamen should go alto
gether by rating, and that all seamen
should be paid off at the main shipping
office or one of its branches. This. the
secretary explained, was to do away with
advance money!"
Furthermore Mr. Williams explained
that what he called Jacks board and Stop
bll7 would be guaranteed by tile asSocia-
tion, and If he refused to pay IL at the end
of the voyage wh-n he himself was bald
off he fac, would be recorded against him
in the register and little book.
a oenent system was also proposed
Whereby II any seaman served faithfully
for SIX months h. should be entitled in the
event of dlsablement- to 500 or weekly
sum for perio. not 10 exceed fifteen
weeks. Ship-owners were legally liza Bile for
accidents 20 their employees anyway, and
this provision might be really a saving to
them.
Secretary Williams summed up as fol-
lows: The seaman would agree to ship
whether he belonged to a union or not. In
return he would have provided for him u
registration rating system. comfortable
home, security against being robbed by tile
advance money dodge and provision in
CASE he were injured. He would say
hbtiAltS = VI tBf duN hItdR6S Ul lllb dSSOcln-
tnn to the shiD-nwner-the influence the
organ ization might have on legislation, or
10 collect information or TO promote
seciabIlity and harmony among the mem
bers. The main object OF the association
would be to smooth away the d tficulties
existing between Shlp-0WneTS and sea-
men.
Chairman A. NJ. Simpson said so far the
association had shipped about 1000 men,
and lie thought the scheme feasible.
q. ). Hinsdale, another member of the
association, wanted owners TO own their
vessels. y heh he said was not the case at
present. His heht was not with the sea-
men, but their methods.
Several members declared that the
abuses complained of by certain of the
Seamen were u0founded.
Captain Charles Nelson, another men,
Der OF the association, claimed that wages
at present were too high. He said $50
was enough at present rates of freight,
instead OF the $40 now demanded, to-
gether with eXBTa hours nay ard $50 or
$50 blood money, very.iittle Of which was
received by the seamen themselves.
Mr. Hn>dale thought the associations 5.
plan would not affect wages, which would
continue 10 be regulated by supply ana
demand. As to extra hours pay. each
captain under the new system would have
charge Of the ship and could exact a fair
days work, g
Captain Jansen objected to the associa-
tion OH the score that its method might
delay the securing of seamen. He wanted
TO knew how Rltch the,dlles were.s1
j. j. Smith said the duessWere IS and So
for each man ~ pppd.@ ADema DDS for sea-
men. would be Elled in rotation. 2 The asso-
cation had been in existence fonf months
and no detetllons of any moment had
occurred.
The chairman said there was no objee-
tion to signing union men; all the asSoci-
alton reqqited was that thew sign United
-States'shinping articles aud abide by them
Captain Nelson said that the new plan
would ebvate the necessity for so many
seamen as Were now required.
John W. Graham, one OF the associa-
tion's directors, SAID that without the CO.
operation of the ship-oBners the associa-
tion would fail. AT bis motion the new
plan was referred to- comm ttee as fol.
lows for con sideratiQn: Captain Marsden,
John ". GraA IN Captain j. j, Smith G.
5. Hlnsdale, Hans Madison. The comm t.,
tee, all of whom with Une exception were
said TO be members of the ASSOCIATION, will
rerort on Friday afternoon next at 2:30
o'clock.
Among those called upon to address the
meeting were: Messrs Fred Talbot, Miles,
Holmes, Madison and others, noa-mem-
bers of the association. They declined.
Fred Talbot Stating that his relations with
the Seameu's Union were such as pre-
cluded any action on his part in the mat
ter.