Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-12-10

the inventions ut legislation to prevent
unjust discrimination. 1t is our duty
to protect the people Of this Common
wealth, andta secure to otir own cities
such advantage az, from their location
and proximity TO Trade, rightfally be.
long to them. Discrimination may
neutra'ize every advantage they have
and render hopeless the requirement OF
any other-trade ID lieu Of that Wrohg>
fully wrested from them. If ordinary
! legislation hr-the way Of fines and pro.
! hibitions, will not~re;.ch thu evil, let an
! efficient police be maintained ON each
road at its cost and let the criminal
| law ct the Commonwealth be- applied
iso. that The prison doors shall be
i opened 30 all VINO contrive or in any
manner aid and abet tina Injustice.
j These companies cannot escape ths law
OF public servtala. ani they can be
eacned by ieyisl4tipn, wn-.t. o, thu
/ rome hand, should be jus mi ever
4 liberal to the railroads aud on the
other, should be 50 m ,ul,ied NJ certain.
! ~ to prevent injury to trade or in
Jastfce 10 che people.
I A bin was reported, hat not acted
on, at yenr last session, wIic, provided
tor commission to examine into the
management and business Of the rail
road companies, and TO mike annual
reports to the Legislature. ~ to their
condition, charges and proceedings
Such laws have been successfully ex
ecuted and tested III Other States and
and have resulted brnehcialiy
FISH WAYS AND FISHERIES
1t will be found necessary to extend
the time, now prescribed, for comply
!, ing with the provisions OF The act, APP
proved April 49, ala7', to proven,
distractions to the free passage OF fish
in the streams OF lhe state Plans for
hsh ways, as required by the toarth
section oi the act, have been adopted
and circulated. Bat The cost of s.cl,
structure. is considerable, snd more
time, and, if possible, some substantial
aids. should be accorded by law for
their erection
Your attention is invited to the grea,
, value aud importance Of the fishing
interests of the State, and the in
adequacy Of the present statutes for
:heir preservation. Some Of the more
ei.terprising States, with advantages
far interior to ours, have materially in
creased the food, comfort and wealth
OF their people, by prudent Legislation
on this subject. With the exception
OF, perhaps. ons Or two lake States,
Virginia includes larger proportion OF
inland waters, adapted to the propsga
ton of fish, than any other State. Fix
perience asserts HAT, with proper pro
lection, every acre OF lhe water Is
capable of yielding annually Il greater
amount OF human food than any acre
Of The land. Competent judges csti
mate the amosn, Of TODD capable OF
being produced in our waters TO br
greater than all the pork annually saved
IN The State. The results of actual ex
leriments in other States prove that
fish can be raised with ,ss trouble and
cost than her articles of food. Less
money than it costs to feed the people
Of Richmond for one day would, in
ski I'D HANDS, suffice tn propagate and
place in our rivers hundreds OF millions
of The finest varieties Of fish.
Stringent Legislation is needed II pre-
vent threatened determination Of the
fish in our waters. Ingenious con
,riyances are being used. often 10y non
residents, which are rapidly destroying
the supply Of fish, aud unless arrested
they will render cur vast and otherwise
invaluable water areas, worthless As a
source for the supply Of fish food. BY
one oe these con,rivances, fifty tons OF
fish have been seen to be taken i'll a
single night. A stringent law, with
eff c,ual sanctions and penalties, should
put an end 10 the use of pound, gill
aud stake nets fish wires aud all other
coatrivances which destroy or per
mantlv diminish the supply Of fish
The law should more effectually regu
late and limit the modes and times OF
taking fish, and provide for the restock'
ing our waters.
rec. mrnend the creation OF board
of commissioners of fisheries, with
authority to enforce the execution of
=. the law, in respect to the erection OF
fish ways, and the suppression of un-
lawful practices in taking fish, as well
as their general propagation. 1t is
supposed that nothing need be paid the
board beyond their actual expenses
Blu: a moderate APPROPRIATION is re
quired for procuring and propagsting
proper varieties Of fish a spirit of the
closest saving to the treasury. the
hardest maxi,ns of economy, dictate
such appropriation.
THE PROTECTION OF SHEEP RAISING.
| A large proportion OF the lands OF
| Virginia, better adapted to pasturage
than to tillage, would contribute very
rapidly to the general wealth if devoted
to the uses for which nature obviously
designed them But our pastoral lands
are seriously diminished IN value, and
| the important interest of sheep raising
is not only much depressed, but in
many localities abandoned by reason Of
the increasin. prevalence OF worthless
and costly GUYS II is for the General
Assembly to determine If principle of
political economy is,to be Sc, aside and
the well-being Of the State and the
force of its civilization to be baked by
such influences as uphold the existence
of this grevious nuisance. Legislative
attempts to suppress it in the past bave
been abortive, because iDdeclsive and
timid, and because they transferred to
the arena of local and neighborhood
politics question which ought to have
been firmly and finally settled by the
government for the whole State. Such
/ lauislntian lfrnvnkas the onnositiou