Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-11
Thursday, July II, 1907.
The Southern Compulsory Pilot Graft.


siderable If its valuable space in I'M
dertaking to show that the Journal
was in error in its statements regard
ing the outrageous graft by which 12o
Southern pilots with headquarters at
Norfolk, Virginia, are permitted to levy
perpetual tribute upon Northern sail
ing vessels doing business with that
section. We were accused of misrep-
rescntaticn in asserting that when a
bill - repeal this iniquity was pending
before the last Congress the South
lin-I up in practically solid opposition
t. it," 1t asserts that only SO South
"rn 'nrnbcrs Of ne Hous, vJtcd
aE;iin.t this retr;l measure, and in
favor Of the continued rule Of the 40
pilot robb, RS of that section. InaS-
much as there are only 113 members of
the National House from the South
this would on the face of it seem to
substantial" the Journals statement
only II votes were thrown from South
srn states in favor of repeal. OF this
number three were from West Nir-
souri,: two from Virginia.; one from
North cHr"lnt; on" from Georgia: one
from Tennessee. and one from Ken
tucky. II will b" seen that Of the l.
votes thrown for repeal of the pilot
graft from rhc South five were from
border statc-and. although we have
hcg"inf"r" considered this matter
from sectional rather than a partisan
standpoint. Ne will add that Of these
II votes four were thrown by Republic
cans. We think our readers will agree.
in view Of this analysis Of the vote.
that the Journal WAS fully justified in
stating that the South lined up in
practically solid opposition to the bill
r"l"aling compulsory pilotagc in
Southern ports The second charge Of
the Sentinel is that the Journal was in
error in stating that Representative
Splrkmon ~ Florida. in his plea for
the pilots. drew a pathetic picture
Of the dangers That women and chill
dr"n would be subjected to, If the COM
Ir!s"ry pilot law should be repealed
iEu"ring tn" fact that the law applies
only t" sailing craft which carry no
passengers. 1t declares that it has
read Mr. Sparkman's speech in the
Congressional Record and finds Moth
ing of the sort. our statement came
from prominent Maine attorney in
whom We have full confidence who
heard the debate and who Informed us
that Mr. Spari1man used the language
we attributed to him 1t is possible
therefore that Mr.. parkman. in later
revising his remarks for the printer
may have recognized this mistake, and
cut out the statement in question, and
that the Journal may not after I'LL have
tc,n guilty Of "straying from The
truth. as the Sentinel. with its lis
position 10 resort to cpithet. made
hast" to allcge
Now let us look for q moment ut the
"'''H'ht anu SHItu"1ui CnaraCtc" of
this graft at the expense Of Northern
ship owners. as thought out in this de
bate. Representative Humphrey of
Washington stated it very clearly in
tn" following words:
Let II b. understood mt the begin
ming that this bill does not intend to
abolish pilntagc where there is any
necessity of having Il pilot. The very
nar" of the present system. Com
pulSory pilotaEr." is rcpugnant to the
American conscience. and ii means
what the term implies in its fullest and
worst form. 1t means that ships
must and do pay pilots for services
that the pilo,s do not perform. 1t
means that on" man owns a business
and another is given the privilege of
lcvying a tribute upon it without Civ
ing anything in return. Some most
astonishing facts were presented he
fore the committee. and not disputed.
as to the workings of this system. a
sailing ship enters one of these ports.
~ pilot is needed. none is used but
unless these vessels pay a pilotace they
are libclcd and held The safety of
the vessel and the protection of prop
erty does not enter into TIE calcula-
ton. The only thing necessary is to
pay the pilotaEc \ vessel comes into
one of these ports towcd by Il tug. the
owner of which * liable for damages if
any injury is sustained by the vessel.
yet that vessel must pay for pilot.
True. such a pilot is mere fiction. He
is never seen and he renders no service.
hut he must be paid. To require a
pilot on a sail vessel that is towed into
port is iuts as much needed and fully
as diotic as it would be to require an
additional engineer on each one of the
coaches of passenger train
Mr.. YOUNG Will the gentleman
tell US where these pilotage fees go?
Mr.. HUMPHREY Of Washington.
They go to the pilots. II gentlemen
will excuse me. do not wish to be
interrupted until I get through with
the discussion. and then / am willing
to answer any questions. These pilots
are not even just i'm their iniquity. II
,,.,S shown nv the evidence introduced