The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-19

SEATTLE. FRIDAY. FEB- 10.
rHr FISHERIES QUESTION.


r. me PopuIlst majority IN the Wash
ington house % representatives had bean
actustea solely BY a desire 20 infiLct the
most serious amount q Injury possible
70 the material interests % TIRE state, with
out compromising advantages TO any citi-
sens OF Washington. they could have So
ieoted no better way OF accomplishing
That result shan BY the passage Of the
aati-nsh trap Bill. wbich passed the house
on Wednesday.
The nshlnK business Is Ia relative rank
the third Of all tie industries OF the state,
and it is the one which has been pros
perlng during TIE last three years q de-
preston a. no other industry has pres
rered. PROG 20 the Introduction of ssh
traps IN the waters Of Puget sound, there
vas but a single salmon cannery ia this
section. and that institution had difficulty
IN securing sufficient supply Tor It's
needs. Now there are dozens Of such in
situations. and the annual output mounts
40 iato the millions, and the number OF
employees and persons who make living
directly or Indirectly through their opera
ton mounts into the thousands. The
cannsrymsn assert. and there ls not the
sligbtsst reason 30 doubt the statement.
that II fsh traps are absolutely prohibited.
a. the law which passed the lower house
eontemplates. nearly every one OF these
cannerles viii be forced to remove from
Puget sound. either to British Columbia
20 go out OF the canning business entirely.
The opposition 20 tish traps does not
come from the citizens OF Washington
II l. foreign In It's origin. The true in
vardness Of the whole assault upon one
OF the foremost industries OF the state OF
Washington II found IN the Vaccinations
OF the so-csiled union fishermen OF thu
OREGON side OF the Columbia river. with
headquarters IN Astoria. assisted hy Brit
'sh Columbia fishermen and cannerymen.
The opposition OF the oregon fshermen's
union comes from the desire 70 keep the
Ing salmon within the union. This union
annually dictates. or attempts 70 dictate,
the price which all The canneries on the
Columbia river shall pay for nsh. Tho
only manner by which this can be accom-
plished 10 BY preventing the catching Of
fish IN the Columbia river by any person
rot member OF the union. That union
Is a close corporation. No one can az
auiFs membership in It except By two
years service with union fisherman as
a boat-pulleT. II a man not member
Of that union should undertake 10 catch
salmon for cannery on the Columbia
river BY means OF a gill net. the probablli-
ties are strong that be would soon be
numbered among the missing This IS 80
well recognized that the attempt Is never
made.
The attempt OF the union 10 secure
Nhat the eannsrymen considered an ex-
orhltant price FOR fsh las; year proved
a failure. because on the Washington siaa
of TIE Columbia are located fish traps
owned and operated b bona ildo citizens
os this state. farmers and others. who TO-
,aw fishing for livelihood during the
season. The lawiess Oregon fishermen
undertook 20 prevent Washington trap
eNeers from supplying salmon to the can
nerlss las; year by force. and ala succeed
n destroying a number et traps The
presence 81 the Washington state militia
Was All taa; saved the property OF the
wssA.nston fishermen from total destruc-
ton.
Having been prevented from accomplish
iaE their purpose BY fore. they have
adopted wllie~ tactics. and have been try-
ing % persuade the Washington lex slA-
ture 20 pas. laws dirsc;ed against ths eill-
ssns u thls state for the purpose q assist
iax the uoua8s who sathsr n an Orog on
par, during - ssh.ns season One house
az The legislature has been guilty OF iho
Encoacelvahis folly % doins 80. as FAR a.
lay "a It's power.
TIE Ofekon fishermen have had warm
and Interested allies In the Fraser river
fishers &nd eaaaefynea. TIE soekeyc
sala,oa which frequent tne Fraser river
GA the seAson avs ths sest nsA wAlch
enter tho waters tributary 90 Pare,
saua3 They eanae; Be caught ln 81
nets except Ia British Columbia Ma rs.
t8 she Fraser river o. near is moath.
n - N@3 tf&s&. aANEfHAs Ne tssAH tsfr44A. as.
several American caaneyiss ran turing the
season upou sockeye salmon So captured
wlsh trap assins abolished IN American
waters she British Co,umetaas w.l have
a monopoly q the catching and canning
81 the particular Hrssd ~ salnaor. sns
&.E be rl4 % iAe.r present competitors.
Prominent FSAser river canneryasn wsrs
as Olympia So ioaeT Ia favor e ta3s meas
are and they reess certainty feel slxAly
csa.ea at their oen success ana az the
S4laeiagy q a Fce444t legislature.
Nor Is sass a. TAo hta. 81 ls passed
tae aoase. soes further. Il Pres5Slts tae
Use q purse seines IN esaias. az4 TrsAtast,
uuaer aay circumstances she use - a
seine vita a zassA smaller TRAN ave inches
Ninety per sent a. che very Tease % al
tso fishermen whs make Se&te,s ,Aelr
sa2nce ase garse sz.nss gn ASKING sar ssi-
rvaa. Dzss sa.nsoa come oasy agriaz a
very sh5rJ ssasen. uavsrg tae res; - ,ss
yesr tsess osreruien sse sesues Gar ere
rarpasa - eAtehfnx stsss fcea ssa. srcs
SIS sEelt herring sud ire ESs. The n1e.
Der - sme.; or herring valcA eoG,a -
s&9sAs n ssisss Ntth ave-iaea Essa.