The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-17

freshly arrived, unshOTn sheep TO the
wolves Of the pack. Before the ship is
doCked the men are often so piled with
liquor as to render them inefficient IN
their duties; but the runners are not
molested by the captain or mates
Such action would make it difficult
for the ship to find a crew when ready
to sail, and the men-nOre or less IN
tOxicated, excited by the proximity of
land, anxious to quit the ship-surren-
der themselves to The runners, ana
when free, accompany them to their
boarding houses Here they are given
6Oendlng money-UEualy a S. bill
apiece-pending the time when they
are paid off at the commissioners Of
fee, three days later. Then they are
dJsed with more liquor, fed at table
where the food. though the plalneSt,
is beyond their criticism. and then,
after a night of stupefactiCn, they are
informed cor perhaps this is deferred
for a few days. that they have b0r-
rowed and spent $40, $l5 OF so, or any
amount which the CTimp believes II
safe to name. The sailor, with aching
head and hazy faculties cannot deny
it, for he does not know, and the crimp
can produce his books and Witnesses
When the ediloT draws his pay he IS
relieved of it by some one, providing
he can be made drunk; if he remains
sober his chance for spending il as nc
wishes is as good as that Of the rest OF
sober humanity.
Crimps and the Present, Law.
On Feb. 20 1899 a law wenb into eff
feet reducing allotment to one months
wages, and this wrought CONSERVATION
in TIE camp of the associated and in
corporated thieves. For one month
wages Of a deep water able seaman Is
Z or 7v-e
be allotted to the Crimps, they fore
saw the runation q good business.
So. strongly organizing themselves, the
criups Of the Atlantic ports inspired
strike for wages, naming $50 month
as the fair pay of q good man, and
preaching loudly and widely OF sailors
riohts
Backed by the crimps, the strike was
successful and for q snort time the
artificial rate of pay was continued
but it finally yielded. Lesser breeds
without the law" cOnspiTeI with panied
and rebelliCus GkipperS, and shire be
gan to go to sea with sailors shipped at
lower rates, though possibly snort
handed, and manned with - abs from
"6cab boarding houses Today wages
are at the old low 'evel and men are
turned into the street more quickly
though still kept De touch with the
crinp for the proper q D fSitian OF ne
/ cor ing SIS al 0traent. Meanwhile the
crimEs are working with might and
main to ostablsh q sliding scale OF
wages, to begin with $50 for the nr5l
month and decrease monthly, so as 70
bring the total To the normal four
months wages, four months being the
accepted length CcpassaSe around the
Horn or the Cape.
If the scheme should succeed, as is
possible. should the United States chip
ping commissioner forget the duties OF
his Office the first months wages VIII
undoubtedly be arised to so. and then
the crimps will receive their old income,
l'Under the law designed TO lessen II.
Success is hardly probable, though,
even with the concurrence Of the COM
missioner: for. though the sailor would
benefit and 50 try to help the scheme,
the war viii really be between the
crfmp and the ship-oUner and the
crimp must yield. When the Duzzard
fVhts the hyena. tFe'e g scattering OF
feathers-and laughter
Different Policy In san Francisco.
TIE cr-mps in San Fr~ nciseo al e. ted
opposite tactics to dee Ire pU Csc
CT the present law. ms en- O IA ne
wages they combined with { @ ship
owner to lower them from % the nor
r al rate out OF that port O. s'7
mouth The difference Of 50 a month
for four months $50 was paid to the
CTimp by the owner as legitimate
''blood money" and this, with the SIS
allotment, made S35-Only s. less than
the old stipend secured from four al
lotments of SO each. Thus the San
Francisco crimp is only mulCte1 Of this
amount by the hostile legislation, the
ship owner pays the same amount as
before. and the sailor receives s. more
for a four months passage than be-
fore How beautiful
But this system cannot be main
, tanned. Wages. depending on supply
and demand, will seek their natural
level, and the CTimD. scheme as he may.
viii have to be content with the
months allotment. plus the blood
money" which the skipper or owner
VIII be content 70 pay for men. The
only direct good coming of the ch~nCe
in allotu ent-for the sailor viii remain
In the power Of the cr'mp so lone as
the latter can draw on MS future is
that the sailor viii be paid off with
more of his own money, and THUS he
enabled in a measure 10 seek his own
boarding house. pay his expenses IN
cash and buy his own cl9thnE-thus
1essenng his subservienCy 20 the cTimp
and iDt reasing his own self-respect.
But this result, though small VIII be
a distinct gain; the only possible good
to the sailor IN the retention of the
present one months allotment Is Thar