The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-13
Masters of Vessels Have
No Cause to Complain.
HAVE PLENTY OF LAW.
II is the Seaman Who Suffers and
Is at Their Mercy.
MR.. MARS INTERESTING ANSWER

There are generally two ways Of view
ing a subject--at least two. and for this
reason tie sailors view on the relations
between themselves and ship masters can
not fail to prove as interesting as was
the views of a captain, published in The
News a short time ago. Charles Mars
OF Boston. who was interyiewd. Is we'll
qualified to speak for mis- fellow toilers of
tho sea-
He said that lie would at first view
think the party who announced opinions
so differ mt from the facts was a mate.
Asked to name the main statements with
which he disagreed ia the interviewe, he
quoted the following language Of tho in
terview published: "If we had the time
more cases would DO thrown out Of
court"
This was the first statement the able
seaman took exception to- and the way he
referred TO it was "If tho man who
made that statement would read up the
court records no would lind that the
majority OF the sailor cases coming into
court have been decided In favor OF the
master and officers and will continue TO
be SO decided as long as the present cap
italistic jury exists in any OF these United
States. AS for fighting the cases, We all
know only too we'll the cowardly trick
that Is commonly resorted to- IL Is for
the mester to give bail for his appear
ance, and then the case is postponed from
time to time, the master and the law
dispensers knowing full well that thes ca
man from lack OF resources TO maintain
himself on shore will DO compelled to
ship away and then the captain APPEARS
and the case is mol pressed. Especially
is this the case when there is almost a
certainty that the master or other officer
will get the worse end Of IL, IL the case
should be tried. IL is "a cowardly way to
fight, that of taking advantage OF mans
poverty and helpiessness and use the two
latter drawbacks as weapons against him.
but 1t is on par with the actions OF
the majority OF the shippers on American
vessels.
DOES HE REMEMBER9
was as follows: "We are in the hands of
the sailors. and sometimes 1 have thought
of disposing of my schooner and buying
farm and get rid of the everlasting
trouble tLess fellows make"
The comment on this quotation was:
81 wonder IL he remembers the tine
when he was one of the fellows himself.
Would he have us believe tnat he
did not kick when he had oc-
casion TO himself orla does he wish
us to believe that he was one of those
men who put up with any indignity and
licked the hand of those who beat him.
There are only the two kinds. i am in
clinod to think he was one of the latter
kind for whom we have IA very appropri-
ate appellation. How he has discovered
the fact that shippers are in the hands of
the sailors l don't know, for n moro
servile chained- down class Of men are
not to be found in the universe than
sailors when OH board vessel
"No truer picture Of the wage slave
ooad be found than tho sailor. He is
worse off than the chattel slave or the
serf and the master is Riyel complete
control over him. The master of q mer.
chant vessel. even an old coal schooner,
has more power granted TO him over his
sailors than the captain of the finest
man -of-war afoat He is allowed by law
to beat mans brains out. IL he can
show what he claims to be justi1ablo
cause.
AUToCRATIC POWERS.
"The officer can keep n sailor "a hours