The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-06-04
RUN BY LAND SHARKS.
Said of Seaman's Union by Fields s.
Pendleton, President of Association OF
Sail Vessel Owners.

lnree nunOr6u anu eighty -oCNOH VAou-
sand tons of American shipping was
represented, either by person or oy
proxy, at a meeting of the Atlantic Car
riers' Association at Youngs Hotel,
Boston, May Goth. The association, IN
cludes practically all the larger salilng
vessels on the Atlantic seaboard, ana is
now in the third year of its existence.
A resolution adopted to be presented
to Congress declares that the material
used in the building of the Panama
canal should be of American origin, ana
should be transported wholly in Amerl-
can vessels, and asks for Legislation 10
those ends.
The following officers were reelected:
President, Fields S. Pendleton OF New
York; president, Frank a: Small
Bath; treasurer, Eleazer W. Clark OF
Portland; secretary ard attorney, Ed
ward C. Plummer of Bath; board OF
managers, F. A. Washburn,, Thomas
ton; James w. Hawley, Bath; W. A.
Anderson, New York; George W: Jones,
Baltimore; Peter H. Crowell, Boston;
John G, Crowley, Boston; E. H. Weav-
er. New Haven, and Samuel B. Mac
Donnell, Philadelphia.
President Pendleton in his annual
address said:
One of the most important matters OF
immediate and pressing Importance
with which we have dealt has been the
unfairness shown at coal docks in the
great coal ports in compelling sail yes
sells to give way to steamers IN loaolng
coal, in consequence OF winch sail YES,
sells have lain for weeks at times at coai-
docks or in coal ports. eating them
selves up with expense in idleneSs, In
adequately recompensed with demuf-
rage dues. We have had frequent con-
ferences with the managers of the coal
carving railroad companies, as result
of which al of the companies are now
chartering vessels to load in turn, with
one possible exception.
Although steam vessels secured eX-
emption 81 years ago from the compul-
sorry payment of state plotage fees
when engaged in the coastwise trade
through the enactment of law by Con
gress. sail vessels have been compelled
to pay these fees during all of the sue
ceeding wears, except where they have
been voluntarily discontinued IN all OF
the Atlantic coast states north OF VIZ
oinia by state statute. These state
pilotage fees are invariably higher, IN
most cases double, and IN few cases
treble, the amount charged by tug-boats
for towing vessels into and out OF port.
The state pilots have maintained at
WASHINGTON hired attorneys and agents
to appear before the committees OF
Congress to oppose and to secure the
defeat of all bills looking to the aboIl-
ton of compulsory pllotage on sail YES
sells engaged in the coastwise trade.
In order to counteract the growing
strength and insOlence OF the lnterna-
tional Seamens [ Mon in its attempt TO
dictate what men and what mates we
shall employ on our vessels, and IN or
der to free ourselves from the lntolera-
bic dictation of men entirely out OF
accord with American conditions and
customs, we have been compelled to
consider the matter of a counter-or-
ganization of seaman and officers in or
der to free the more respectable men
from a coterie of land sharks who are
bleeding them of their earnings for
their own enrichment, and who threat
en- to debase and degrade these men to
such an extent as to render them Ob-
iectionable for any employment on
American vessels. We are progressing
as rapidly as can be expected in the
| formation of the counter-seamen'S OF
ganization.
Just at the close of the prolonged coal
miners strike, Representative Mccall
of Massachusetts introduced in the
House of Representative joint reso-
luton permitting, for a period of 90
DAYS, foreign steamers to carry coal be
tween American potts. upon the base
less theory that New England was suf
fering for coal because of a lack of a
sufficient number of American vessels
to carry it from the coal ports. | am
convinced that Representative Mccall
was victimized, but in just whose in
terest | am not able definitely to say.
This much we all know; that if the
McC all resolution had been adopted by
| Congress, as it would have been but for
the vigorous interposition OF the Off
GERS and members of the Atlantic
Carriers Association, and the lombard
ment of members of Congress with
kilograms. letters and delegations of
protest, a few concerns III New Eng
land engaged in the coal business would
have soon had a complete monopoly of
, all the coal to be had, as 1t was only at
their WharveS that steamers could be
unloaded. The Mccall resolution was
one of the most dangerous expedients
ever resorted to to secure an entering
wedge which would have made easier,
at another time, the full and free ad-
mission of foreign vessels to the privi-
leges of our coastwise trade and the
early overthrow of our own vessels.
For our protection, and in order to
prevent delays in port, we must take
steps at an early day to secure the re-