Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-04-02
DUTY ON FRESH WATER FISH.

water fish caught in foreign waters.
This is something that the people
of Michigan are particularly interested
in. The bill was reported by the COM
mittee on Ways and Means, of which o.
ID. COnger was chairman, but at so late
a day in the session that no action was
taken thereon. We understand it will
be again brought up at the next session
of congress and we hope it will become a
law, as under the present laws of this
country and Canada the canadians are
favored above our own citizens in so
much that they are allowed to bring in
their fresh fish to the United States free
of duty, while the citizens of the States
are taxed duty of one cent per pound
upon all fresh fish caught i'm American
waters and exported to Canada. 1t will
be seen from the report of the Ways and
Means committee, which we give in full
below, DIR. Jno. R. Bailey. of Mackinac,
has interested himself in the matter, in
behalf of the large fishing interests of
this section and has been doing all he
could to get the bill through. Accom-
panying the report is table showing
the number of pounds of fresh fish and
their value imported into the United
States during the years from from 1872
to 1879, inclusive, as ascertained by the
census bureau at the census taken last
year. In these years the amount varies
from 7,735, 981 pounds, the lowest amount,
valued at $236,0 up to 15,30S, 7S9 pounds
valued at $35l, SS9.
REPORT:
The Committee on WAYS and Means, to
arhOm aUas referred the bill III. r. 1868
to amend an act entitled AN act to re-
dice duties on imports and to reduce in
ternat revenue tares, and for other pur-
poses" hare had the same under cOnsid-
Grafton, and beg leare to report:
From numerous petitions filed, and
from the evidence adduced before the
committee, by John r. Bailey, esq.,, who
appeared in behalf of the fishermen and
the fishing interests of the great lakes
and rivers tributary. from Duluth and
Chicago to the Saint Lawrence, it ap-
pears that about 1900 men are engaged
in, or are indirectly interested i'm, the
fishing industries of the waters of Lakes
Superior, Michigan. Huron, Erie, and
Ontario and the rivers connected there
with lying in the United States.
That large sums of money are invested
in the said industry by our citizens in
boats, scows, tugs, and their equipments,
tackle, nets, grounds, warehouses, and
their apparatus.
That under the present United States
revenue laws freSh-water fish, to wit,
whitefish, yellow pike, trout, pickerel,
bass, and similar fish, caught i'm Cana
dian waters by subjects of Canada, are
admitted into the United States duty
free, and those of the same kind caught
in the waters of the United States and
exported to Canada are subject to one
cent per pound duty.
That the subjects of Canada and others
are allowed to fish i'm the aforesaid waters
of the United States, bringing their
boats, nets, &C., upon which no duty is
elected, provided the same are considered
and held as Canadian property by the
rules of the customs and revenue laws
providing for the same, placing the fish
caught on the markets of the United
States in competition with the citizens
of the United States engaged in the said
business; thus having the full benefit of
the markets without paying the duties
exacted from the citizens of the United
States in supporting our revenues and
industries, whereas the citizens of the
United States are prohibited from fishing
in the waters of Canada unless they re-
nOunce their allegiance to this nation
and become subjects of Canada and of
the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.
The amount Of capital invested by our
citizens in the aforesaid industries, To-
Gated on the lakes and rivers aforesaid,
is about $3,150,OO0, of which sum about
$9o0.OOO Is in nets of various kinds,
large proportion of which being import
ed, is subject to duty of As per cent;
$1,2OO,OOO is in property, buildings and
their equipments, &C.; and 100000 in
tugs, boats, and their equipments; and
the amount paid in wages per annum is
about $0,820OOO. In addition to these
amounts, about $4,000 per annum is
required to replace the twines for nets,
&C., worn out and destroyed by various
causes.
That the twine used i'm Canada for the
manufacture of nets is the same as that
used by the citizens of the United States,
costs nearly One-half less for Canadian
fishermen to manufacture and keep up
their nets.
That the wages paid by citizens of the
United States to those employed by them
In the aforesaid fishing business average
$3.50 per month, while the wages of the
same men engaged in the same indus
tries in Canada is from SIS to ST per
month, large proportion of which is
paid In stores bearing profit, whereas
the wages in this country are generally
paid in money.
That, owing to the cheapness of labor
and materials i'm Canada, the citizens of
the United States under the present reve-
nue. laws cannot successfully compete
with the Canadian importers of fresh
fish in our markets.
That by means of the use of steam tugs
in said business, the importation into the
United States of fresh-water fish caught
in Canadian waters is very rapidly in
creasing, and threatens soon to destroy
the business of our citizens.
That the relative cost and expense of
placing upon the markets of the United
States fresh fish caught in Canadian
waters, and the importation thereof, is
from a to cents per pound for hard
fish and from Is to 20 cents per hundred
pounds for soft fish; whereas the cost
and expense of placing upon the same
market fresh fish caught by citizens of
the United States from the waters there
of, is, for hard fish, from to31s cents
per pound, and for soft fish from so to 60
cents per hundred pounds.
That the present revenue laws between
: the United States and Canada appear to