Iditarod pioneer., 1916-08-26
THE ALASKA FISHERIES

One the interesting public documents dealing witt Alaska affairs published by the government is the report the hearings before the house committee merchant marine fisheries the Can bill which aims to deprive the territory Alaska of the impose taxes licenses upon the hn industry It developed most exhaustive inquiry and Delegate Nickeham able place before the committee some vau with respect industry whose annual produc totals in the neghborhood of O00 and which he to show rapidly being absorbed by the fish trust Ina Alaska itself derives comparatively little benefit from this industry was concsvy shown and the following excerpt from the pro ceedngs gives glimpse of the actual conditions Mir Wicker sham the stand and being nterrogated by the committee The following is part of his statement;
 Now Mir Chairman, you in Seattle along about the first of May you would be greatly interested you would 20 down the whaves. In Seattle Astoria, the city of Francisco you would all of vessels lined up around those wharve You would the boats and ships being loaded with with fishing and all kinds of mercantile goods You would Chinese and Japanese, Mex Fpno and hundreds of strange put into these vessels and much merchandise which they do not purchase in Alaska They do buy cents worth in Alaska. They sail away those whaves sail through the euan pass Bristol bay and into these Alaskan harbors Within months they catch and s2OOO0OO0 worth of fish They work day and night and the fish keep gong into cans every minute because the is short Within two months getting Alaska they load their catch into the ships load their men, and sail away Seattle Portland and San Francisco where they pay the off, and Alaska is just out another big crop of fish Those who have been the business have raised the price have shown from $1, S6S and SIP up $2 25. They make millions of it, and they have grown arrogant they the title to the fisheries have gone this matter for the purpose calling your attention the fact that the people who do this business in Alaska Aaskans they all American citizens. One of them, of the big for many years a Chinaman. They Chinese up thee and the way they them is American. Everything has been done by the district attorney Seattle prosecute them and them for peonag but he has not succeeded Their influences great around Seattle O any results of that kind"
 Mir. CurryA great many white go up from San Francisco; do know about Seattle
 Mr Wickersham-There is section in the bill of the state Washington which these gentlemen have forgotten to include in this bill They say this state of Washington bill is good bill but they do include all of it. l refer section the Fisheries Code of Washington and reads follows
 shall be unlawful for person to fish take for sale or profit any salmon other food shell hsh of the rivers or waters of this stae which it has rent jurisdiction in civil and criminal unless such son be citizen of the United States has declared his tenon become such and and has been for twelve months prior he engages such business actual resi- of this adjoining state but this section shall apply to Indians"
 your attention the fact that those people do not allow asans to come down there and fish in their waters section have called this your attention for the reason that have been trying to get laws passed here tor years order that might have fishing population in the territory of Alaska; that might have fishing ham lets and towns; that might get something out of these fisheries with which build homes churches schools, and establish civilization there But the contrary the whole policy of these big fish take everything out of the territory and permit anything into it. They do pay any the territory; they have built school house the territory they have built church or a home. They robbng the territory. am speaking from the territorial side They have robbed