The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-04

industry on the Fraser river There are
the trouble The fishermen wanted Is cents
: hsh, because they thought the nsh were
worth 1t and because this was the price paid
on Puget Sound. The cannery men gradually
came up from Is cents a fsh to ANAL offer Of
20 cents, and declared that that was tho last
offer they would make. The parties parleyed
for q week In all-day sessions In Vancouver,
but reached no agreement. Then the threats
were made which resulted In the calling out
Of the military Now the latter action is the
subject Of parliamentary investigation at Vic
toria-
The whole trouble has been brewing for
years. There are forty-seven canneries on
ono side. representing very large amount OF
capital invested. and when the strike Yas frst
called there were 5000 fishermen on the other
There ID great reason In the fshermen's con-
tantfon that while the labor market was un-
organised. and they were forced to take any.
thing from to 10 cents fsh and consider
themselves lucky. the Gamers took every pos
sible advantage Of their weakness and grew
rich on the profits Of the industry. There 10
almost equal reason, according TO independent
Judges, that the cannery men cannot now.
when labor has become 20 well organised a.
to Close down the industry for two weeks. with
out net being cast. pay the figure asked BY
tho fishermen.
The attempt Of the Japanese to break up the
union has brought out the bitter feeling Of
hatred that comes to a poor man when an out
slider, and Mongolan. takes the bread out Of
his mouth. II is . fact that with the 1000
japanese on the river. cheapening the labor
market to the degree that the Oriental always
makes the rule and with the whites and In
dians there are so many fishermen that II all
made equal catches each man would lose
money on the whole deal. simply because tho
Gamers could not accept all the hsh they could
catch. II Ia a question OF who 10 to stay on the
river. the white man or the Jap for there 10
not from the labor standpoint. room for both
So long a. the laps are fishing. the majority
Of the Gamers care very little. from business
view. whether the white men work at all or not.
- 9. WINDSOR, Of the United Canneries.
~ Ltd. one OF the most experienced pack
era on the river. made the following liberal
minded statement OF the case to the Post-In-
teligencer correspondent today:
This strike is the beat thing that ever hap.
pened TO the salmon industry on the Fraser
river" he said We have been having more
or less trouble all along and now think II will
be settled once for ALL | want to say that
will give the fishermen fair show II the
fishermen will treat with us without these pro
fessional agitators being in positions OF dicta.
ton we will certainly recognize the union
Some people make q mistake about our posi-
ton but We feel thar the fishermen have Just
as much right 10 form a union as the cannery
men have To form combine They have their
rights as well we have, and they should be
recognized We will do everything we can for
them but we want to treat with fishermen
bona hde fishermen. who know what they are
talking about.
THE question regarding those canneries
where there are only white union men EN-.
rioyed hahitualiy brought up AT a meeting
81 the Gamers Association on Thursday
There are only eight cAuneres on the river
where Japanese not employed. All the
other cannsries that employ laps are agreeing
10 give ash TO these eannerieR pro rata so
that all viii be able TO make the pack as uni.
form as possible. There Is no trouble at all
between the Gamers. Everything "A running
smoothly, and we are stii convinced aud All.
ways viii be that a large loss win result from
canning nsh at g cents and therefore that
figure cannot be paid"
xAItf.L M'CIAfN who was an unsueccssfu,
w candidate of the Socialist Labor marty In
the last provincial election was one OF the prin.
cpal leaders OF the strikers and wl..l Barns
also a Socialist. Is called the professional axt.
tAtor by the CAMPERS. In the course az n
speech a short tine ago he bitterly attacked
the militia, the members of which he charac.
terised as tin soldiers skunks and towards
and to whom he applied the worst vltuperativa
epthets. HE said that IL the corps had come
to SteyestOn by daylight over the road ana
not by the steamer Comox In the dead OF nixht
not one OF them would have lived 20 see the
granting OF the strikers demands He saia
that many of the militamen had skipped 10 the
other side Of the line so that they would NOT
have 20 serve The military authorities tooN
legal advice 20 bring a charge OF treason
against Maoclain, but were advised that il