Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-01-17

tons Durthen, and utterly unilt lot Cne
purpose for which il was built. 1t has
wastefully, ignorantly and without pos
sibe excuse, practically thrown away
nearly five-sixths OF the money (grudg-
ingly given for the protection of vast
interest. 1t is has done more to ruin
the oyster interest of Virginia, both
that of the State and individual, than all
other causes combined in the last twen
ty years. 1t could have readily pur-
chased steamer at very far less cost
and infinitely better suited for the work
intended than the yacht Of the Com
mander-in. chief of the Naval forces of
the State imposed upon us for no rea-
son we cannot possibly conceive save
the desire to pay a high price for use
less article to feed the vanity of al am
ateur Board of admiralty. Throughout
all that has been done bears the impress
Of inanity and incompetence. 1t has
traDspired that two vessels have been
chartered OH the Eastern Shore to COM
plete in some measure the proper work
of these incompetent and faithless Off
GERS. Still we lind the work is incom-
plete because Of failure to carry out the
law in It's spirit. and the result is prac-
tical prohibition of work for the dredg-
ers. The outcome of all this is tyrannous,
brutal and unfaithiul toward the oys-
termen, for section 4Sprovides that only
''when the po!.cc force established in this
bills fully equipped and in operation, J"
or when in thejudgment of the Board,
said police force is sufficient to protect
the grounds in which dredging is pro-
h;1ited, the Board may authorize any
resident Of the State to take and catch
oysters with dredges." So only can our
men whose capital and labor are involved
whose bread, and meat, and clothing,
and house, and fuel, and that of their
wives and children depend on their
daily labor, have the means OF living
They have been left to the mercy of a
Board ignorant and incompetent in ev-
ers lue and possible circumstance in
connection with oysters, or any point,
parcel. OF method connected with an
oyster police force, and now are to fur.
ther suffer because this Board which
has either refused to seek knowledge, or
seeking it has preferred tobe governed
by dense ignorance ard incompetency,
instead of intelligence and experience,
and has deprived them, because of this,
O. legitimate means of work. This
Board has failed to do it's duty in pro-
viding the police force, and because of
its own failure, our people are proh;bi
ted under penalty of contiscation of YES
sells and material. and fine or imprison-
mentor all-:rom seeking support
where but for this unfaithful Board it
could be had under protection of law
1t IS time to call IL bat. Under the reg
ime of the Maboneite-R Republican Gov
ec2Or, and the Democratic auditor and
treasurer, our oyster interest and our
oyStermen are suffering violent wrong.
Not ouly are our people being deprived
by the incompetency of this Board of a
means of livelihood, but our interest
must suffer when another general as
sembly shall be asked for further aid, as
it must be, inevitably, to make, under
existing Circumstances, the oyster po-
lice force worth anything to the State,
Individual or the oyster interest. Our
people have submitted to much wrong,
and for the peace and general prosperity
of the people at large. are willing to
yield much. But patience ceases to
be avirtue. They are sick and tired of
such wrongs. An end must be put to
this continued wrong and injury. We
shall, if our people are true to them
selves, get rid next fall, utterly and en-
ti:ely, OF the Mahone-Republican junk
et'ng Governor, and we absolutely in
tend to rid ourselves of the ncompe-
tents who are with him for evil on this
Board for the destruction of oysters
and oyster interests" and in addition
every man who may sustain them by
vote or confidence. Kegotank.
January 18th, 1885.