Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-10-26
Washington Fisheries.

Inc salmon USleTleS vi tuiS Stdte
and especially of Puget Sound are the
most remarkably prolific and profita-
BILE of any in the world. Our waters
every year TEEN with food fish suffi-
cient to feed every man, woman and
child in the State for twelve months.
This great natural provision, however,
is being so handled that the people of
this State get little or no benefit from
it. The great cannery companies are
all united in what amounts to the
same thing as trust. Nine-tenths OF
the labor which they employ are
Cinnamon and Japs. The wages paid
are so low that white man has no
chance to compete for the work. The
canneries contract for the labor which
they require during three months Of
each year with some of the great Chi
nese commercial companies, who
handle coolie labor. These laborers
are supplied with everything which
they require by these Chinese COM
panies and the American merchants
who do business in the vicinity of the
canneries realize next to no benefit.
The manner in which these canneries
are operated not only deprives the
white people of this State from any
possible advantage, from the operation
OF our fishsries, but holds the price OF
canned salmon down to point where
it is Improbable for anyone to 60 into
the canning business with the idea oil
employing American labor. The
trouble in British Columbia between
the Jap and the white fisherman is oil
so recent occurrence that the matter
does not need reiteration at this time
The result is that but q 1.-THE of the
fishermen who at one time were EN-.
ployed in taking salmon can now find
employment. The worst feature il
yet to come. Definite information
has recently come to light to the eff.
feet that a determined and united eff.
fort is about TO be made to 80 reduce
the cost of canning salmon that our
Washington and Alaska packers will
be able 70 successfully compete in the
markets of Europe with Australian
canned beef and mutton. 1t is be.
lieved that they will be able to do
this if they can succeed in cutting
down the cost OF canning salmon from
fifty cents, the price now paid, to
twenty-five cents per case. The great
salmon combine is quietly awaiting
the issue of the coming election with
a view in the event of Mr.. McKinley's
success OF bringing under contract
from the Philippines not less than
twenty thousand Cinnamon to op.
crate the csnneries of this State
Their idea Is that with the enlarged
supply OF coolie labor they will be
able to reduce the cost of packing per
case from so cents to 25 cents, in
which event they feel sure OF being
able to crowd Australian beef and
mutton out of European markets
In the event of their being able to dc
this, the State of Washington will re-
alize these results:
First. The presence during the
three months OF canning season of 90.
GOO Cinnamon in this State. A fac,
that will in no way prove an advant.
age to any of our home interests.
Second. At the expiration of the
canning season each year, the turning
loose of 10000 unskilled lsborers to
compete with our own people in the
labor market for the balance of the
year at any price which can be oh,
tanned.
The carrying out of this plan OF the
cannery combine depends upon the
approval and adoption of the McKin.
ley Philippine policy at the polls this
fall.