The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-02-01
SKAGwAT, Jan. 90, 1908

"the interests or the many nsnermen VI Alaska"
 With all respect to the gentlemen who ARE che Wrangell chamber ot commerce-many o' whom arc my per sonal frieuds-I beg leave to print an open letter in the cause of Alaska dshermsn." A letter written by fish, erman. in rebuttal of the circular let ter endorsed by the Wrangell Chamber;
 This circular letter says in part:
 'The organization Of the Northwest ern Fish Trap company, of Seattle, Is A direct thrust aL not only the many fishermen living 10 Alaska, but at every business man in the district"
 Becauseg continues the circular;
 'Al employees of this company will be hired in Seattle and paid on in Seattle. Thus will Alaskan business men be deprived Of the benefits of tho money which Is rightiully theirs and should be kept in local circulation"
 The wrangcn gentlemen are light ing for the registration of all rcsidens Alaska fishermen. A measure for the purpose Of excluding an nonresident fishermen from working for local Ash cries.
 ] beleive that I voice the sentiments of all my fellow fishermen with the statement that Eve want all fisher men registered as a check against out side fishermen"
 WE ALSO WANT FISH TRAPS.
 ''Whys"--Because eanneries must have aSh. There are not enough home fishermen to supply the ash shortage that would result from the exclusion Of the outsiders. We want registration but we beleive that it is impossible to get it without traps" to supply the hsh shortage that would happen
 We want fish traps" because their operation in northern waters by com pauies independent oi the caunery com pines, means that these companies will make che price oi fish. It will be im- possible for the canneries Co dictate the price ot fish Co alien thousands of con tract dshermen.' Fish.traps and regis tered native fishers will do the work ot these men. The home workers will profit by che advanced price and "con- trlctoulslde fishermen" be excluded by law.
 NINE THOUSAND OUTSIDERS
 The Wrangell chamber Of commerce don't want hsh traps. lt contends that f-h.traus-if Jtlih by Scdttk cdpifdl- will work most damnAble hardship upon every Alaska business man aud put residen. fishermen out of business. "Gentlemen; we fishermen who make our homes in Alaska. wish 70 be pro- tected against outside competition. lt is as great an 1, jury Co us as 70 our business men, when an army Of ntIle h0uy1ud 0tuSids fishermen, Is transported every year-frOm the ports of Seattle, Portland and San FranciscO-to our shores, co fish with gill-nets and seines in Alaska waters These men are All compelled by their employers 70 sign a season contract" |" which specifically stipulates that "the undersigned shall receive no pay for his season's catch until bis return Co his home port"
 NEARLY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS The average net earnings of each fisherman during the Alaska hshing season, amount Co about S4OO. There fore. these uine hOigdnd fishermen from the states take away from Alaska every year, hrCe milliOn aud SiI Hundred hO,lsUnd dollars
 The native and resident Alaskans- who fish with nets-number about lOOC men. The earnings of these men Sill bring .he ishers' total earnings near e four million dollars. More than hity per cent Ot the money earned by thi local fishermen Is spent To the cannerJ stores. lt Is thus that Alaska business men are deprived of the money thAI rightfully belongs Co us"
 The entire district of Alaska does nol hold over 1000 resident fishermen.
 There are seventy-siX cAnneries IT Alaska and thirty-eight galleries These concerns employ 10000 gill-ne hands and seine hands 70 supply them with fish. These men are aN hsher men and do not belong tO any othel class employed about a cannery.
 How in Sam Hill" can tho canneriel get salmon enough for a season's pAcl after the making of registration law" has lcgislated those nine thousanS outside fishermen out Of buslnessY
 CANNERY CoMMISsARIES.
 Canneries must have 6sh. If th canneryman cannot buy trap hsh, h will be compelled to bring outside hSh ermen north and pay them oh besoao after the end of the fishing season.
 Which. then, Is of the greater bench Co Alaskans, the outside fisherman, O the Alaskan fsh-trapY
 To is the custom among many or a resident fishermen 70 sell our fish 70 th canneries at ''the fixed price of hsh"- the price Is now ten cents per hshe-Ani to buy our groceries where ws please AU of the outside fishermen and th rest of the home men, work for th canneries on a monthly wage, Eit board and receive in addition 2H cent