The morning call., 1893-10-27
ALAS, POOR JACK.
The Question of Wages
Discussed.
SHIPPERS ARE INDIGNANT.
Because They Object to Posing as
Instructors for Cheap Men-Are
Sailors Poorly Paid ?
SHIPPERS ARE INDIGNANT.

A nightmare of possibilities has come
over the spirit of the dreams of coastiug
and deep-water captains and visions Of
greenhorns galore manning the yards and
halyards of their vessels pass before them
like the procession of the witches before
Tam O'Shanler.
The Ship-owners' Association is offer
ing to ship men for $25 month, which
to all outward signs appears to be great
move in favor of the reform OF the union
seamen, but labor councils in general and
the sea captains in particular do not seem
to be of the opinion that this sort Of econ
omy is tile road TO wealth.
The shippers seem to think that cheap
men. like cheap jewelry, won't remain
bright very long. and that all work and no
salary makes Jack dull boy.
Speaking of the reduction of seamen's
wages, a captain OF n noI-union vessel said
yesterday: For my part, L am not in
favor of paying sailors less than $50
month at the very least. Why should a
sailor receive less wages than the average
farmland? Take for example the coast
ing trade vessels running to Puget Sound !;
men have TO work In all sorts of weather
day and night. All sorts of weather, mind
you. | repeat it, for landsmen don't know
what seaman has 10 put up with. His
labors are never done. He arrives IN port
and has to work even harder 10 help get
out the vessels cargo, than he does while
at sea. Why begrudge these poor fellows
paltry So extra month?
"a ship can make better time, save more
money, have less expense for repairs, and
be more satisfactorily handled in every re-
spect when she has a complement of able
men before the mast.
Nv hen wages get down to S25 | notice
that all the good men go away or else en-
gage in other pursuits. Why Is it that
there is such determined effort to freeze
seaman out of his puny earnings"
Captains are not willing to give their
opinions OH this subject for publication,
but upon the promise of Withholding their
names The CALL reporter was able TO
obtain number Of interviews. One thing
is certain-commanders are anxious that
sailors shall be paid at least $50 month.
Some of the captains spoken to are strongly
opposed to unions, but said that they did
not believe in making the poor seafaring
man suffer as whole for the misdOings
of a few. They spoke from a point of
justice, that was all.
II can see nothing ahead but the promise
of green crews and continued trouble with
men," said one of them, provided a
sailors wages are placed so low that able
seamen will vacate this port as much as
possible.
IA farmer pays his help 81 and 81 so a
day, feeds him and treats him well.
IF a sailor gets S25 a month he has ship
ping fees and inhumerable expenses, and
besides he does not always receive the best
of treatment or the best OF food If wages
for coastiDg seameD, and even deep
water men, come down 10 S25 and $40,
then we are going To get the scum of the
earth 10 handle our merchant marine.
Il am part owner in the ship CON-
mand. and am in the employ of one of the
largest ship-owners OF the coast My peo-
pie have only recently come to me and
asked me the advisability of securing men
at S25, and | told them that / would rather
have a half dozen able sea men at $50 a
month than a dozen greenhorns at $40.
They have concluded that am right"
The prospects of sailors wages being
permanently reduced to S25 and $40 has
created o end of discussion.