Stikeen River journal., 1899-07-29
GOLD IS SCARCE THE TONNAGE TAXI
Works a Great Hardship on Steamships and the
 Public

The new tonnage tax levied by the act of Congress, entitled <" An Act to Define and Punish Crime" is working hardship not only upon the steam ship companies but upon the public as we'll. The local traffic in Alaska Is not large enough to warrant large steam in paying $l per ton net tonnage, and in consequence these vessels will not take out a license with the exception of the larger companies. The steam CTS City of Seattle, Farallon. Dirago, Rosalie,, Humbolt and all vessels other than those opetated by the Pacific Coast Steamship Co.,. and the Pacific steam Whaling Co.,, are barred from local traffic in Alaska for the reason that they do uot feel justified in paysng the unjust tax without a chance of get ting it back with profit.
 A person in an Alaskan port desiring to go to an other place or town in the same territory cannot trevel in an un- licensed steamer without paying fare from his point of departure to me point of call outside of the territory. For instance, one cannot go from this city to Sitka Skaguay or Wrangel with out paying fare to Seattle.
 Very heavy fines are imposed for violation of the law. amounting to S70O or more for each passenger
 Thus persons travelling between All askan . orts must pay exorbitant fare or wait for licensed steamers.
 The local steamers were not affected by the law except that they were com pclled to pay the tax. Their tonnage is small, and the tax correspondingly low. It ss nevertheless hardship, for there is no immense fortune in the To- cal steambort business in the waters, as witness the small number engaged in the trade.
 The Pacific Coast Steamship Com- pany and the Pacific Steam Whaling Company have decided to test the con- stitutionality of the license law, and to that end have filed their protests and in the district court, and deposited with the clerk of the court $l per ton net tannage, custom house mearure- ment of each ship to abide the result of testing the constitutionality of the act.
 The act of congress referred to-, is so far as steamships are concerned, pro vides that all steamships plying in AL askan waters and doing local business must first comply with the law as above stated; that is to pay license of one dollar per ton net tonnage, custom house measurement, on each ship, and this causes, if the law is enforced, the Pacific Steamship Company alone to pay upwards of s6OOO. The petition fil- ed by John R Vim, attorney for these severBl companies, bsie1y states the grounds of uuconstitutionality of the law in question:
 First. That the provisions of Sec tion 460 of the act, in so far that it re- quires license fees on ships and ship ping, haue application only to ships do- ing an eqcluslve local business for hire plying in Alaskan waters.
 Second. That the steamships, and each of the companies mentioned here in, are taxed to the owner in the port of San Francisco and not subject to the payment of a license tax in Alaska.
 Third. That the license fee of $i per ton per annum on net tonnage, custom house measurement. of each vessel is unreasonable, exorbitant, and oppres- sive, etc.
 Fouroh. That the title of said act reading "An Act to Define and Pun ish Crime in the District of Alaska and Provide Code of Criminal Procedure for said District" and the introduct-