The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-08
IT LOOKS LIKE
A COMPROMISE
Fishermen Make . Proposition to the
Packers 10 Commence
Fishing.
TwINE WILL BE RETURNED
Many Ats kill Retire From the Busiaess.
so That the Remainder caa Get More
fish--Cannsry Neu HAVE Aot
Yet Made Reply.

Like nearly every other line OF husl-
ness. thai OF nHhlng In the waters OF the
Columbia. has TO n certain extent BEEN
over done This. at least. was the I'm
port OF the overturcA made yesterday by
tho fishermen TO the packers. A. II well
known some months ago there was con-
siderable talk among fishermen to the
effect that there were too many men en-.
gagged In tho business to make u profta-
bic to all. AZ that time there seemed 20
bp quito sentiment In favor OF some
means OF reducing the number OF men
nshing on the river Butchers. bakers,
grocrrH. drygoodH men, lnwyera. doctorA
and even tho farmers. have passed
through tho same experience. and many
OF them are today suffering from too
much competition. From NIL appearances.
the same competition will last TO the end
of time. The nttest survive. Phiian.
thropistn and scientists seem 10 agree
that there IL room for everybody In the
world. but Il h said that only small
proportion are happy In their choice OF
"a hvocAtlon or pne OF business Sooner
or later the error II discovered. Hence
Il Ia that many failures result and some
times when n is too late people learn
that Il would have been better TO have
connnpd their work 10 n different sphcrc
Yesterday "A committee Of about three
hundred fishermen called az the Elmore.
Cutting. kinney and other canneries
and submitted proposition. which. n
accepted by the packers, will probably
settle the strike on the Columbia river
II was proposed that the cannerymen
should agree 10 take back the twine
which they had distributed 10 large
number OF fishermen. composed princl-
paily Of the floating element OF the craft
who have no home ties In the city. ana
who only come here during the season
To work. II IL estimated that about %
per cent OF the mon ON the river Hro
composed Of this class. and that lew OF
them Are native born or naturnllIvd ci-
tiEcnH demand was made that the
canncrymrn In receiving back the twinc
from these men. should also give tncm
credit for the labor. at fair wages spent
In knitting this twinc into nets The
greater portion OF the twinc 80 far dis
tributcd among the men has been used
In repairing old nets. or IN the con-
stryictlon OF new ones The men stated
that n this arrangement could be made
II would result In about twenty-five per
cent OF the fishermen now here leaving
the river and going into other lines OF
work The balance OF the fishermen. or
the scycnty-fve per cent remaining In
the union. Il was proposed. would then
be willing to fish for four cents, or the
price established by the cannerymen's
union.
Up to late hour last night none OF
the cannorymen had made any reply 90
the proposition from the fishermen. II
ls hoped that Il meeting OF the packers
viii be called today and that the question
viii he decided. The matter II an i'm.
purtant one, and deserves careful con-
slderatlon by all parties concerned Tho
general business OF the city Is suffering
TO a certain extent on account OF the
strike Packers claim that because OF
the condition OF Eastern markets and
general business throughout the East
and Middle West. II Is impossible for
them TO put up salmon and pay ont nve
cents for the raw material one of the
most prominent cannerymen on the river
said last night to an Astorlan representa-
tive that the proposition made by the
fishermen involved much more than APP
peared on the surface. 1T is really IN
the nature OF n compromise, for II the
CunVfENHlNn NVVNpN w Nhhc udCh tnV
nets ana twine OF the men who will
leave tho business, and pay them besides
for their labor In knitting the nets for
their own use, II win mean that We win
have to curry very large amount OF
deNd capital The way things are at
present we cannot afford TO pay 1--WE
cents for raw fish and | do not believe
that the vast number OF fishermen on
the river can. as n body, make anything
at four cents a pound. II the number OF
men Is materially reduced the balance
can no doubt make wages ut four cents.
II Ave hundred should leave tomorrow
and engage on the railroad. or In other
work, | think It would be better Rll
around and that the remainder would
be enabled to make something this sea-
son, while the packers could afford to
start their canneries and put up the
fish, There would be little profit to eth
er side, but It would keep matters going
until better times come | have not de-
cided, so far as I am individually con-
cered, what ! shall do In the matter,
but will OF course consult with the other
cannerymen. We shall no doubt have q
meeting In a dny or two"