The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-03
THE FISHER MEMS
SIDE OF THE CASE
They Declare They Will Not Work
for Less Than riye Cents
Per Pound.
"BLAME ALL ON PACKERS
Says Secretary JeaseB Oi the union -
Gamble In Labels Ne Declares 10 BE
the Root Of Al the tNii aad the
Cause Of Reduced rrices

That tho Fiahormen's Protoetiyf Union
IL preparing TO take Hn active stand
against the packers Is evident TO all.
To obtain the views OF the fishermen n
representative Of the Aatorian called yeH'
terday on Mr. Jensen. secretary OF the
Union. Mr Jensen said that he did not
care TO discuss tho question very much.
but in reply to questions. he was good
enough to give some OF the reasons for
their position.
Il do not think that any fsh will be
packed this season which cost the can
norymcn lefp than NV cents per pound
The fishermen are determined and We
believe that the whole trouble is Gharg-
able 60 the cannerymcn We think they
could Keep tho prices up on canned goods
n they 30 desired, The gamble In labels
and the packing Of nSh from the Sound.
under Columbia river brands, has de-
prcciated the credit OF Columbia river
salmon Columbia river salmon has made
market for itself The quotation OF
prices At this time shows better figures
than for the same period last year. We
made an effor, some time ago TO pass
bili In the oregon legislature. prohibiting
the falHifying OF labels. but Il did not
30 through A law Of this kind ought
TO bo upon tho statute books. and !
think then canncrymch would dnd they
could keep prices OF tho finished product
whore they ought to be. II the tanhory-
men do not pay nvc cents this season.
the men will not hsh"
Armsbys Chicago Price List. Of March
y. In commenting on the salmon sltua-
ton. says
Columbia river salmon has opened
and at prices that will put a large amount
into consumption during the coming sea
son az onc-pound tails can be- sold IN
large cities at price where Il can be
rrtAilcd at i5c "a can That means u viii
come into morc active competition with
loWrr-priccd nHh We think the Cclum-
bla river packers have made very wire
move In opening at 81 q for tEllA We
do not advocate the lowering ot pr.ces
on any line of goods unless absolutely
necessary. but during the last two years
hlInnhk Nil flNNNfF VI AAtAAANANNNN AANHf
/ come down In price. Columbia river saim-
/ ON being among the few articles which
I have held their own. The result has been
/ during the past year the consumption fen
on 10 an alarming extent The packers
realized whom the season OF i's6 opened,
| that something had 10 be done. and they
could not afiord TO let the trade Of years
| slip away from them. We understand
| they have made demand on the fisher
men TO the eject that they cannot pay
/ last years price 10 raw iish. The fisher
mon. we understand. have refused this
demand, and have declared that they viii
strike before accepting any cut We do
| not blame any one for trying 10 get
every cent possible for their goods. but
| At the same time the fisherman could
not expect the packers TO work for
nothing, nor could they expect the pack
crs to sit Idly by and watch their business
10 to pieces There Is hardly an Rrt-
Gle bought by the laborers today that
cannot he purchased cheaper now than
two years ago. and II IL only natural
that the price OF labor should go down
with other articles OF merchandise How
ever, we do not expect for moment
that the fishermen will accept the re-
duction In price. The result IN be n
long-drawn-out struggle. and the chances
are that this years pack OF Columbia
river salmon will be cut down material
| ly"