Pacific American Fisheries v. Territory of Alaska

(after stating the facts as above).

We see no merit in the contention that the imposition by the Legislature of Alaska of the license taxes in question was in any way an interference with interstate commerce. True, the plaintiff in error is a corporation of the state of Maine and engaged in the business -of catching and canning fish in the waters of that territory for the purpose of transporting and selling them in states and other *247 places outside of Alaska; but that no more makes the fish so caught and canned interstate commerce than would the wheat, barley, corn, wool, or other products of the agriculturists and stockraisers of Alaska, or the metals taken by a citizen of one of the states out of the ground of Alaska thereupon become interstate commerce. When moving in transportation from the territory to outside states, such property undoubtedly thereupon becomes interstate commerce, but not before. ’ This, in our opinion, is very clear.

Does the statute imposing the taxes in question violate any provision of the organic Act of Alaska, enacted by .Congress in 1912? We have no doubt that the business of catching and canning the fish constituted but one business, which…