Douglas Island news., 1916-10-20

 BEING MADE
American Fishing Industries oI Northwest Denounce Recent
 Legislation

American fishing industries Of the Northwest. operating principally in Alaska. in conjunction with che Se- attIc Chamber of Commerce and especially with the Alaska Bureau of that body. have prepared a strong statement which is directed Co the President of tbe United States and which goes into detail iu defining the hardships resulting Co Che Amer jeans engaged iu che fishing indus try owing Go recent legislation en- acted at Washington. After sum ming up thc situation as it exists at present. che memorial Co che Pres idcnt closes as follows.
 What are thc issues inyolved' What would be thc inevitable result of further permitting present condi- uouss
 Ist A purely American industry would be permanently diverted from American Co Canadian ports.
 End. The S5.OOO.OOO capital in- yestmcut of American citizens would become valuelcss and be absorbed by Canada.
 3rd. The fishing fleet numbering hundreds of vessels would pass from American Go Canadian registry.
 4th. Thousands Of American fishermen would eventually be dis placed by Canadian subjects.
 5th. American transportation companies water and rail-would bc robbed of the transportation Of fish caught on our own coasts dcs- tined Go American markets.
 6th. American commerce would lose thc trade benefits incidental Co operation of this S5.OO0.ooo industry yet iu its infancy
 7th. The control ot a valuable American food supply and Of its cost Co American consumers would pass from che United States Co Cam ada.
 The judgement ot a solomon is not requisite Co just determination of the question. Shall we rob Amer jeans of the results Of their enter pr.sing industry at che instance and for che benefit of Canada. or shall we conserve American interests re- eardlcss ot Canadian protest conh- dent iu thc knowledge that our act of self preservation imposes no m- fair competition on like interests Of Cauada2 There can be but one answer. Sell preservation is the first law of nature. fair sbaehsteoftasns law. If we destroy ourselves we must gain but the contempt ot other nations who attribute our conces- sious Go inefdciency or fear
 To acquiescc tn the protest by Great Britain iu the face of the eyi- |dcucc is Co shame the spirit Of '76 and Go humbly and submissiyely eX- tend our wrists Co be manacled as evidence of our commercial and in- dustrial yassalage We therefore voice our protest on behalf of Amer .ican institutions and ask the small .protcctiou for our industry and our .employcs that would be afforded by Iproyidiug That from and after nine Icy days from the passage of this act. no fresh or frozen halibut or salmon from che North Pacific Ocean or its tributary waters shall be admitted Into the United States through any foreign country except whom thc same shall be tn bond from am Amer .ican port"
 We. the undersigned. subscribe our names Co the foregoing state. ment of the handicaps to and threat cped extinction of the American fresh fish industry which we repre- sent iu the belief that it the facts known Co us and set forth in this statement are presented to Che ad .ministration and Congress they win outweigh the unintormed and unin forming protest of the British am .bassador and that Congress will i'm .mediately provide the necessary pro lection.
 BOOTH FISHERIES co.
 SAN JUAN FISHING & PACK
 ING co.
 NATIONAL INDEPENDENT
 FISHERIES co.
 prpr IVY FISH COATpANy