The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-26
THE OYSTER CULTURE BILL.

On Saturday the Governor returned to the
House of Representatives. with his veto,
House bill No. 81, the object Of which is to
give to the owners of any land or sea marsh
the ownership and erclusive right to all the
oysters in the Gulf Of Mexico, or in any river,
bay, lake, bayou, cove, inlet OF pass not over
one hundred yards from the bank or edge
Of the said land.or sea marsh, etc. This bill
and the message Of the Governor were made
the special order for to-day at o'clock.
We hope the House will sustain the Gov
errors veto. The reasons which he gives in
his message for his refusal to approve the
bill are cminently sound. The practical et-
feet Of this measure, ii it should become q
law, would be to create a monopoly Of the
whole oyster trade of tho State, and God
knows we have enough monopoies in Lou
sana without adding this one to the list.
The cultivation of oysters In this State does
not require for its encouragement that it
should be confined to a few SPECTATORS The
best encouragement of that and similar in
dustries is to be found in the demand which
exists for such articles of food and the legiti-
mate competition which that demand pro-
duccs. The oyster consumers Of this State
and city do not care to be placed in state of
tutelagc, under the protection Of a few
spectators armed with the power to
enlarge or restrict the supply of
oysters not in accordance with the demands Of
the consumers, but on the basis of their own
chances of profit. The following extract from
the Governors message shows clearly at how
small cost and with what ease handful of
spectators could monopoliZe the oyster trade
of the State
at is well known that the lands which Dor
der upon the waters where the oyster is
usually found, in Louisiana, are generally
unfit for permanent residence, and that they !
are almost worthless ntrinsicallv. The most |
available portion of the sea marsh west of the |
Mississippi could be bought up for a trfle |
and if the ownership of the same were, to carry
with it the right which this bill would give it,
it would t., tempt speculation to enter up this
ownership thereof in the hands of a small
number of persons and of acquiring in per-
petuity a right the value of which can scarce
ly be estimated
This statement Of the practical effect Of the
bill is certainly sufficient to stamp 1t as confer
ring u speculative monopoly. The Governor
does not SO denominate it, nor de we wish to be
understood as charging that it was intended
as such. We have really not the least idea who
introduced the measure in the Legislature
md championed it through. It was probably
introduced by some member ut the request OF
friends, who were eloquent in portraying the
benefits 1t would confer upon the people.
Many bills are thus thoughtlessly presented
md advocated by members who are too busy
20 look into the details of their pro-
visions and are surprised at the oppo-
a tuI,n, tI,n1r lyn Nln
md the condemnation which they meet with
rom the Governor 1t Is inconccivable that
my right-minded man could have deliber-
ltely proposed to place tho oyster trade of
he State In tho hands Of a few individuals
But the bill Ia objectionable, not only be-
nuse of the exclusive privileges it confers,
nut also because of the Injury and wrong it
would lnllct upon hardy class of citizens of
his State. This fact has not escaped the notice
i tho Governor In tho keen scrutiny to which
10 has subjected the bil IA tho following OK
rnct from his message shows:
A large number Of Industrious, good ctI-
ens may, through this bill, either have their ,
livelihood broken mp. or their pureuit OF tho
ame seriously interfefcd with BY hniah and
otired that this bill attaches neither condi-
Ions nor limitations upon the right Of owner
hi Of tho oyster grounds. !
The Governor points out other objections to
he bill. but those which we have cited IRE
efficient to show that IT should not pass.
he people Of this State have had enough of
and exclusive privileges and this
n bad time to attempt the imposition of
mother one. Nor are wo quite prepared for
laws and placing In the hands of
handful of spectators the regulation of the
yster trade or any other trade of this State, ]
I'd the control Of the supply Of articles of