Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-02

IL Ordln8ry Legislation In tne way OF nneS ana
prohibitions will not reach the evil let an Ell.
hcient police be maintained on each road At its
cost, and let the criminal law of the common
wealth be applied so that the prison doors shall
be opened to all who contrlve or in any manner
aid and abet the injustice. These companies
they can be reached by legislation, which, on the
one hand, should be just and even liberal to the
railroads, and, on the other, should b. so mould
ed rs certainly to prevent injury to trade or in
justice to the people.
A bill was reported, but not acted on, at your
last session, which provided for commission to
examine into the management and business OF
the railroad companies, aud to make annual re-
ports to the legislature as to. their condition.
charges and proceedings. Such laws have been
successfully executed and tested in other states
and have resulted benefcislly.
INSPECTIONS OF TOBACCO
Such defects exist in the present system in
speeding tobacco as call for legislative correc-
ton, The legislation Of the past evidences q
settled purpose to preserve and perfect the sys-
tenn of inspecting tobacco under the author lty
of the government, Notwithstanding the ten
dsncy to dispense with many other public
inspections. The reasons and facts which up
hold this policy are understood to b.: the
great importance of this leading staple, 50 large
" exported from the state; is exceptional ma
ture as al article of merchandise and manu-
facture It's numerous grades in respect Of character
Irregularities in sampling and preparing 1t for mar
ket the impossbility of Knowing or inspecting its
value, when once in market, without stripping and
breaking its bulk, and the advantage OF having 1t
stripped and fairly examined and broken, and hav
ing fair samples drawn from it, by sworn, bonded
and skilled officials, who stand as impartial agents
between the seller and buyer, and can have no in
terest in the questions they decide II is held that
such inspections necessary, TO attest fairly The
condition and character Of the tobacco; that they
will equally protect the seller and buyer against i'm
position will command confidence and facilitate
sales in the markets at home and abroad, and will
promote its production by preserving the high repu-
Iation of the tobacco grown in this State.
1t is alleged that the statute, as now framed, is
in many res ecls defective, easily evaded aud often
disresarded. It is alleged that the inspections
unduly controlled BY the owners or lessees Of ware
houses; that the spirit, if not the letter, of The law
is violated by common practice of allowing draw
backs or rebates to middle men, by which the pro-
Queer or seller is taxed more for inspection than the
net sum actually received on that account at the
warehouse; and that these and other irregular
practices impair the value and character of the n-
spectons operate to the injury Of both seller and
buyer and impose wrongful burthens on production.
Every warehouse is represented by an inspector
chosen by its owners, and commissioned on their
nomination and it is my duty TO I'LL The other
vacancies annually arising under the law, by ap
pointing another inspector for each warehouse on
behalf of the State. In filling appointments OF the
latter class have aimed to select such men as are
representatives of the planting and other important
interests involved and such as would certainly put an
end the irregular practices complained o. IL Is not
understood that the'owners of warehouses or their
lessees alege aught against the fitness or worth OF
the appointees thus chosen on behalf OF the State
That the owners or lessees should in some cases
OPPOSE the inspection of tobacco at their warehouses
by the appointees thus chosen that they Should
oppose inspections by any appointees on behalf Of
the State except those of their own dictatlon that
they should seek to close their warehouses and co-
vert them into private establishments, rather than
submit TO appointments thus made according 10
law, and rather tnan consent to any reforms III tue
present system-these circumstances afford OF them-
Selves reasonable presumption that the alleged
abuses do exist, and should be brought at once
under the restraining hand OF law.
The costs and charges for handling and inspect
ing tobacco have generally amounted to more at
private than at public warehouses. 1etthe charges
allowed BY law at public Notwithstanding less
than like charges in other States-amply compcn-
safe thorough inspection. 1t is clear that the ln
spectOns cannot FULLY answer the purposes OF the
law unless they are brought under uniform reguia-
tious: consequently the warehouses 10 the cities
and chief marts of the trade ought to be Of the
same all public or all private If the proprl-
etors are allowed 10 thwart the law By converting
public into private warehouses at Will, they can es-
cape legal restraints, destroy the uniformity OF the
system and break down the credit and usefulness OF
the inspections at home and abroad. An lnVestlga-
ton will show that already tobacco is being habit.
ualy shipped by railway lines, from some OF the
private warehouses other States, without the pre-
yious inspection required by laW-thus al once an
nulling the objects and benefits ofthe system.
recommend an early and thorough revision OF
the law for the inspection of tobacco, and such
amendments of the present system as Will oeneht
all branches of the legitimate tobacco business
whether of the country or the citles-and secure
certain and equal protection 10 the producing, mer-
camille and manufacturing interests concerned,
without mpairing any just right Of the warehouse
poopretors.
FIsH-wAYs AND FISHERIES.
II will be found necessary to extend the time, now
prescribed, for complying with the provisions OF the
act approved April 90, 1874 to prevent obstructons
to the free passage of fish in the streams OF the
State Plans for tlsh-ways, as required by the
fourth section of the act, have been adopted and
circnIated But the cost OF such structure is con-
Siderable and time, and If possible some SUBJ
stantial aids should be accorded by law, Tor their
erection.
Your attention is invited to the great value and
Importance of the fishing interests OF the State and
the inadequacy of the present statutes for their
preservation. Some of the more enterprslng states,
with advantages far inferior to ours, have mate.
rally increased the food, comfort and wealth OF
their people, by prudent Legislation on this subject
With the exception of perhaps one or two lake
States. Virginia includes larger proportion of in
land waters, adapted to the propagation OF flsh,
than any other State. Experience asserts That,
with proper protection, every acre OF the water Is
capable of yielding annually greater amount OF
human food than any ace of the land. Competent
Judges estimate the amount of food capable of being
produced in our waters to be greater than all the
polk annually saved in the State. The results OF
actual experiments in other States prove That nsh
can be raised with less trouble and cost than other
articles of food. Less money than it costs to feed
the people of Richmond for one day would, In
skilled hands, suffice to propagate and place in our
rivers hundreds of millions of the finest varieties OF
fish.
stringent legislation is needed to prevent threat
ened determination of the fish in our waters In
genious contrvances are being used, often BY non
Residents, which are rapidly destroying the supply
of fish, and unless arrested, they will render our
vast and otherwise invaluable water areas worthless
as source lor the supply Of fish food: BY one
of these contrivances, fifty tons OF fish have peen
seen to be taken in single night
stringent law, with efectual sanctions and pen,
allies, should put end 10 the use Of pound gull
and stake nets sh-weirs and all other contriVahces
which dostroy or permenpntly diminish the supply