STARTING EARLY
The cry of the special interest papers has always
been—“Keep down taxes.” II should he “Make the tax
fair.”
The legislatures have fallen for the song so that
today the system of taxes imposed by the legislature is
most unfair.
Rumor has it that the great Kennecott Mine will
soon close down. When they do, only the hole will he
left. Out of over 100 million dollars of net !income,
they have paid Alaska about ONE million dollars.
The minimum profit in a case of red salmon is SIX
DOLLARS. Their tax is TEN CENTS territorial and
FOUR CENTS federal, total sixteen cents per case. A;’•
ter tin’s and other costs are paid lliere still REMAIN a
NET profit of SIX DOLLARS.
Wo agree1 that “Anything that tends to retard
that prosperity shop! I he discouraged,” hut we hold
that taxes can he raised without being unjust, so long
as it is fair.
We quote a pari of an editorial from the Juneau
Empire for your consideration:
“None of the Territory’s major industries are ov
er prosperous. * * * Anything that tends to retard that
prosperity should he discouraged. And high taxes are
the surest deterrent to good times in all branches oc
business and trade.”
Does this apply to Dio Konnecott Mine or the red sal
mon industry?
Ti!k two sides or the
ERS STRIKE AS TOM) RY
THE CHRONICLE
THE TROLLERS SIDE
■ n response to a radio message
ser.: to Port Alexander yesterday,
The Chronicle last, night received
the following radio from the Alas
ka Trailers Association at that
pla/’e, explaining the trailers’ stand
ii? relation to the strike in effect
at the ground there.
‘Last year when the strike was
set led,” the message declared,
“there was an agreement made be
tween the mildcnrers of Alaska
through their Port Alexander re
presentatives with the Alaska Trac
ers association that an eight-day
notice he given of any cut in price,
a id in case of any demand made by
the Alaska Trailers Association
tuo buyers would he given an eight
day notice.
“This agreement was on the sum
mer grounds only. On June 2,
19^8, this agreement was violated
bv the buyers by a two-cent cut on
tJ e small fish, and no action was
talu n by the Alaska Trailers Asso -
ciation. On June 17 the Alaska
Trailers Association received a wire
signed by all the buyers saying that
they had agreed upon the following
prices for the summer:
“Fifteen cents for large, S cents
for small, 5 cents for white, effect
ive June 18.
“The prevailing Ketchikan prices
were and are up to this publication
24 % for large, 11 cents for smelt
and 7 cents for white.
‘The outlook for the mildcnred
fish is bright, the buyers admit, as
fi ere is not any mildcnred salmon
on the market. The average bom
was not making expenses before the
strike at 1S-S-5; so this cut makes
fishing impossible until the pro
of 18-8-5 and 5 cents for cohoes,
which is demanded, is given.
“The first meeting was attended
by 400 trollers and f»7S were pr< -
sent at the second. The demand
was carried by unanimous vote.’’
“Everyone is enjoying himself
and good fellowship prevails.”
THE PACKERS ANSWER
Ketchikan, Alaska, Juno 2:>, I9”S
Alaska Trollers Association, Port
Alexander, Alaska.
\ news dispatch from your associ
ation received in Ketchikan today
carries several misstatements which
we request you to correct in early
telegram. Your statement that an
agreement was made between milri
cir ers of Alaska, through their
Po-t Alexander representative with
your association, is the first inform
ation we have had of any such pro
posal. Our negotiations last year
were conducted through Karl Han
sen in early stages, Hansen event
ually acting for himself alone. We
h°ve had absolutely no verbal
or written agreement of eight-day
notice proposal. Price last year,
when strike was settled, became
1 5-8-4 with a 15-pound limit which
yo'i will aft roe proved less than our
oilers of 18-9-4, with a sixteen
I ound limit, when si/e of last year’s
fish are taken into consideration
(;.’r present offer of 16-8-5, with
a 15-pound limit is one cent better
than Inst, year’s price for large and
while and same price for small
which you accepted when strike was
settled and present year’s great in
crease in trollers and new trolling
beats is sufficient proof you made
goad-earnings at these prices. First
§
pre e at Noyes and Baranof was
18-8-5 and price of 18-10-5 which
was made by one buyer acting in
dovendently followed by others was
for a short time only, all returning
to tiie original price of 18-8-5. You
mention price 24 and % , 11-7. This
pi ;<e never was paid at Ketchikan
for fish comparable to Baranof kind
and our average price was much
loss. You fail to explain that fish
carrying 2 4 % cent price are Hecate
strait fish, with fish running 25 to
•20 pound average, nearly all prime
fish whereas Baranof fish average
15 to 1(1 pounds and small percent
age a premium for prime which re
sults in unusual demand for prime
quality. You state outlook for mild
cure market is bright. Our latest
information, of June sixth, states
park of mildcured salmon to date
is about 1600 tierces, which is about
equal to Inst year’s pack at this
time. Latest reports indicate prices