Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-12-18

THE OYSTER QUEsT7oS.-Tn giving
pace in our last issue % The letter ct
Capt. ChiIes, snd making The apology
which was due him, We do moi wish 10
be uQderstOod as reeeding from the PO-
rition taken BY Us upon the oyster ques-
ton. We sought TO show that both the
Law and the manner Gifts administration
are defective, and 10 that we still sd-
here, though We regret that Capt. ChiIes
had just grounds Of complaint against rs
in the matter Of the warrant. II is the
duty Of the oyster police 10 make ar
rests whenever parties are found viola
ting The law, and il after srrest the law
fails 10 punish the offenders. then the
law alone. and not the police, is re.pon-
sibIe. Capt. ChiIes defends himself
from The charge Of neglect Of duty BY
saying, that "every law Of The land Is
violated" and asks ''Is the oyster law
exempt" therefrom. All lave are vIo-
lated, we grant. bat the criminals are
sometimes, nay, generally, punished,
but whilst the oyster law is, as Capt.
Chiles claims. not exempt from viola
ton, ITS offenders are singularly exempt
from punishment. Dredgers are con-
tinually at work in our bay. This is
positively in violation Of The law, yet
they are never arrested. Now where
does the blame lie Surely not on the
Law. for on this point il is explicit. 1t
must rest upon Capt. ChiIes. Capt.
ChIles further explains this state Of al
fairs BY saying that he cannot be in all
places at once. bis beat being over one
hundred miles. II effective work in the
way OF suppressing illicit dredging were
done anywhere, we might think that
Capt. ChIles is not to be blamed, but
throughout the whole extent Of our Po-
tomac tributary oyster territory is heard
the same complaint that no work is done
at oil. Again. II the boat is power
less 10 prevent, as experience seems TO
show, even in part, the infraction Of the
Law, why should The State expend the
large amount that she does in maintain
ing useless and expensive force Our
position is this that let the law be
what il may, with no effective effort to-
wards ITS enforcement, il is a nullity.
We claim that that effort is now what
is wanting. Let the police boat arrest
all offenders, and its duty is done. Then
the blame would lie at another's door,
il those offenders are not punished.
That the law, as il stands, is defective,
is beyond q question, since only the
Captains are liable TO punishment, the
crews and boats gong free. Our next
legislature has few more important du-
lies than 10 amend this law, so as 10
make boat, Captain and crew response
bic when caught dredging on forbidden
grounds. This is absolutely necessary
for The protection of the oysters, which
year after year are visibly diminishing,
as shown by the TACT that where sin
gle man could once load his boat in few
hours, il is now days work to catch a
bushel or two. Until some such law is
passed, and proper administration
thereof, is secured by having a compe-
tent police. the oystermen. whose daily
bread Is in the fast disappearing oyster
beds, will be justified in the course they
have inaugurated in some sections of
The county, taking the matter in their
own hands, and with arms and violence
driving from our waters the depredasors
who are rObbing them and their families
Of their means Of livelihood. II the
State cannot protect the rights Of all her
citizens. let them protect themselves
and adjust the matter as best they can.