The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-02-27

"To what base uses may wo return, Horatio."
YAoutNA BAY, Feb. 1st, 1869.

YAoutNA Bar, Feb. 1st, 1869.
Editor State Rights Democrat;
In response to an article in the Corvallis
Gazette, Dec. Goth, on the Oyster question,
beg leave to make few remarks through
your columns, under tho above heading
The article in question, is we'll calculated to
create wrong impression on the public,
and possibly disturbance in this locality.
1t may seem strange that any man should
imagine that we, the settlers Of Yaquina
Bay, lack intelligence and arc not compe.
tent to manage our own affairs, and, there.
fore, this genius, calling himself IAN oys.
terman," in spirit of enthusiastic generos.
ity, comes oil tho way from California, to
interpret the Oregon oyster law, and to gvc
us advice gratis. "of oil intractable fools,
an overwise man is the worst" The law
says, "The natural oyster. beds of this State,
shall be open 10 all citizens :" how then arc
those people to net who take tho advice Of
"An Oysterman stake the beds off and at
tempt to restrain their fellow citizens from
catching oystersP" "An oysterman " re.
frains from giving any advice about that
If it were not to prevent disturbance, tho
argument would not be worth answering
and what is still worse, oil this may come
to pass when the party who, it may bc said
was the originator, is far away from here
and laughing ut the fools who could be led
by any such style OF chop logic. The oys.
tor business is limited at present, and the
oystermon are attending to the sale Of their
oysters themselves. This does not suit the
old monopoly, they arc losing their former
influence; if tho beds could be stakpd of
and then sold--as they wish-they would
buy them up. This is not denied here, aud
it Is furthermore agreed that it is the best
thing that could be done for the bay; what
nonsense. The oystermen are accused of
placing their own construction on the l4w as
amended this is u direct falsehood; the
oystermen have been guilty Of no action
since the Law was passed indicating such Il
course. Individual arguments are not to be
taken rs the sense Of n community, it is oa'
| ~ such people as imagine themselves men.
tors, and public advisers that are egotistical
enough to consider their opinion final. |
am of the opinion that there are few who
would envy an Oysterman, yet, when selfish
interests are at work, there is no estimate
of the length TO which some Of US bipeds
viii go. The Legislature passed lsw so
worded as TO prevent any monopoly from
importing gang Of men to clean up these
oyster beds in short notice Tor an outside
market, impoverish the resident Oystermen
and then "skedaddle." This j. rs il should
be; and hence the vail of IAN oys,orman. "
lie does not Ike the new oyster law; he
heaps ridicule on il aud its framers be IA.
ges; we'll Let the CALLED jade vince. our
withers are unstrung." What the Oyster.
men are doing, believe practical Oyster.
man land no otherl has right 10 do; they
do not interfere in any way with the rights
Of others 10 come and catch oysters; they
desire to keep Independent Of any monopo.
| ly; they have suffered enough already, and
DO not desire repetition. With all due re-
spect to the freedom Of opinion, and the
right to meddle in public affairs, leave il
to discerning public 10 decide whether
these oystermen, as citizens Of Oregon, have
the interest Of Yaquina Oyster. beds most al
heart, or transient visitor Bith no other
object in view than deSire to control these
oyster beds in the future as they have been
/ in the past, and the establishment Of a pet.
y dssPotism, over free American citizens
YouT obodient servant.
/