Rather would I. with my own hands. crush out the life of my son than surrender him to the fate of the seaman whose lot is cast aboard ships of our country trading in foreign ports !" Why should a father. familiar with the sea. speak so? Because. sir. in our foreign trade the forecastle is. as a rule. unfit for habitation. crimping suffered to exist. payment of wages not enough safeguarded. no standard of skill provided. undermanning permitted. Asiatics employed. involuntary servitude protected. Because. in short. seamen in that trade are not free men. and are obliged to toil under conditions destructive of health. prosperity. selfrespect. If any Member of this body shall. after inspection of average forecastles in our foreigngoing ships. pronounce them fit places for Americans to eat in and sleep in.
Keywords matched
Asiatics