Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-06-09
nerican Press Associa ton.
ARE OPPOSED TO
THE FISH BILL
What The Farmers Union Of
Three Big Counties Say
Against it

Farmers Of Walla Walla, Columbia,
and Garfield counties opposed the pro-
posed fish bill. The Union represent
ing these counties made these state
ments:
Initiative Measure No. II places q
tax upon the fishing and oyster indus
tries Of the state. Fishing Is one Of
the great natural industries Of the
state. having invested more than $780,
100000 In the industry and supporting
more than $4,000 Of our people. This
property pays the regular state tax in
common with all the state and in ad-
diti0n the fisherymen and cannerymen
pay the state a special license for the
privilege Of fishing and canning. Ac.
cording to the report Of the state fish
commissioner. the receipts derived by
the state from the salmon fisheries
for the year ending March 31st, 1914,
totaled $94,553.76 and during the same
period. the state expended the sum Of
$7S.406.3S in the operation Of the
hatcheries and fisheries bureau, 80
that the state is actually gamer by the
sum Of $16,147.38 during the past year
from the salmon fisheries under the
present law. The proposed initiative
measure would put an additional tax
on every fish caught. ranging as high
as twenty cents per fish for some var
ieties.
As no claim is made to regulate the
fishing industry under the police pow
ers of the state, the only purpose for
the enactment of this measure would
be the raising Of revenue. The price
Of fish cannot be fixed by this state
and the passage Of this measure will
mean that our fishermen cannot COM
pete with those Of Alaska. British Co
lumbia and Oregon in the matter of
prices while under the handicap Of
the Washington state tax, consequent
ly the fishery business will be lost to
the state and the fisherman will sac
rifice whatever Of his location and out
fit that cannot be moved to other
states.
The power to tax is the power to de-
stroy, and the taxing Of natural in
dustry for revenue is q new principle
in this state, II not in the United
States. which. II adopted. will apply
equally az disastrously to a bushel Of
wheat or a box Of apples, as to fish.
The Fishing Industry Of Washington
pays the state license revenue Of
$94.553.76, and the question has been
asked:
What amount of taxes does the fish
ing industry pay?
The answer is simple. In addition
to the $94,553.76 the industry pays the
same property tax as every other per-
son and corporation in the state.
While the fish companies do not own
the ground on which the traps are
driven, they pay property taxes on
these traps on a valuation based upon
the catch of each trap. The land on
which these traps are located thus
yield a big tax revenue. The fisher
man also pays taxes on his cannery
site, cannery building, and machinery
boats, general equipment. floating
property, etc.
The fishing industry pays a higher
tax than any other business in Wash
ington.
In reaching a conclusion as to what
the fishermen do pay. It would be Just
as difficult to get that total as Il
would be to go through all the various
tax books to reach a conclusion. Thu
figure quoted is simply the license
paid; the fish men pay q propert,
tax, both personal and real, tax OF
fish sites. tax on traps. tax on boats
machinery and appliances Of all kinds