The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-06
rhe ninrIev PiIotnge Ri1I.

Representative Dngley, few years ago,
succeeded i'm having a bill passed by con-
gress relieving coastwise vessels of all Gus
tom house dues. This was done on the
plea of helping to build up American COM
merce. This law took from the revenue
of the government something like ss,OO0,OOO
annually, and added it to the already
large dividends Of New England.
The people of other sections of the coun-
try, especially those on the South Atlantic
and Gulf coasts, had previously been pay
ing tribute to New England through the
monopoly given to their ships by the law
prohibiting foreign vessels from engage
ing in coastwise trade. The abolition of
custom house dues on their vessels was
another indirect tax upon the rest of the
country for the benefit of the never sat
ished demands of New England for some
thing out OF the public treasury.
Not satisfied with a monopoly in trade
and exemptions from custom dues, the
ship owners and ship builders of that IA
vored people are now asking congress to
abolish state pilotage. so that the charge
for maintaining pilots at ports of entry
in other states will either have to be
paid entirely by foreign vessels, or by a
direct tax levied upon the people OF COM
mercial cities, or if that is not done, the
foreign trade will have to be wholly car
ried on through northern ports and goods
for southern ports will have to be reshipped
south in coastwise vessels, as foreign
ships would not risk the dangers of
coast where there are no pilots to guide
them into port.
1t is urged by Mr.. Dingley, and Others
who favor abolshing what they call cons
pulsory pilotage, that it will help Ameri-
can commerce. If these gentlemen want
to help American commerce why don't
they abolish the laws prohibiting the use
of foreign vessels in coastwise trade. and
also the law which prohibits Americans
from buying or building ships in foreign
countries?
The pilotage system has been consd-
cred of such great Importance to the well
fare of commerce in every civilized coun-
try that it is placed under government
control The state of Georgia, for in
stance, has most eXacting laws on the sub
ject. The statute limits the numbers of
pilots for the port of Savannah to about
twenty men, and requires that pilots shall
serve eight years before they undertake
to navigate the larger vessels into port
Furthermore, under the law, pilots are
placed under bonds for the faithful per
Torrance of their duties, and are required
to conform to certain stringent regula-
lions, which are enforced by board OF
pilot commissioners.
The effect of the Dingley bill, if it should
become a law. would be. practically, to
abolish all state pilotage regulations, and
this would be done in the interest of the
New England fleet, which comprises about
all the coastwise vessels that are now
subject to the pilotage laws. The foreign
vessels would not furnish sufficient en-
ployment for the pilots, and, besides. it is
very probable that foreign nations would
demand that their ships should be put on
as favorable footing as is occupied bv
American vessels. Foreign vessels would
insist upon having the privilege Of taking
pilot or not. If pilotage system was
maintained it would have to be at the
expense of the ports.
New England ship owners have a mo-
nopoly of the coastwise trade and New
England ship builders monopolize the shin
building business. The New England shin
owners have the benefit of the custom
houses which other sections are taxed to
maintain. Besides these advantages, the