The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-20
DIR. OEMLER's OYSTER BILL.
he Makes a Statement Relative to
His Interest in It.

WILMINGTON ISLAND. Nov. 16.-Edttors
Morning Net0S: Not being thick skinned
enough to be callous to the public opinion
of my fellow, citizens, when l know my
motive is sincere desire to promote the
general welfare, feel naturally aggrieved
at the several Misrepresentation contained
in the interviews in your issues of Nov.
10 and II.
In the first place, have already dis
claimed any connection with the outrageous
oyster bill of the last session. In fact, when
| learned there was a bill before the legisla-
ture | wrote to Senator Dilworth, to inform
me of its provisions, and asked to be per
mitted TO share in it, construction, but was
told it was then too late and / might have
it amended. heard afterward it had been
vetoed in consequence of having contained
no provisions for its enforcement.
2 l am not seeking a monopoly for my
sons, and l should be at loss how to man
age such a scheme under the bill. but | am
seeking to insure a con inued and increased
supply, and thus to benefit the industry gen
orally and my sons incidentally. If by fair
dealing with the tongers, and from graft
tude for the passage of bill securing to
themselves and their children a support,
they should prefer to sell the fruits of their
labor to my sons, so much the better. 1t
would be no more than legitimate ac-
acknowledgement of benefits bestowed.
8. 1t is not true that bad weather inter
feres with the culling of oysters. 1t does
sometimes wi h the use of the long handled
tongs, the process being executed ia a
standing position. The tonger would be
glad TO rid his open boat of superfluous and
worthless weight in bad weather as quickly
as possible. If 1900 small boats can Gull
oysters over the beds in the more open
waters of Maryland, smaller number can
do so i'll the more land-locked creeks and
rivers Of Georgia. II the provision is wise
legislation in experienced Virginia, Mary
land and New York, it is also wise legisla-
ton in Georgia.
4. | do certainly oppose the free trade of
oysters in July and August, for sanitary
and economical reasons 1t is a sinful waste
of food stuff to open three bushels of shell
oysters to get gallon of unwholesome,
watery trash, whom in one or t:vo months
one bushel will yield gallon of good oys-
ters. 1t is also unjust to pay the same price
for threefold the labor of longing and open
ing the oysters. People on the coast never
consume oysters before September. 1t is
also untrue that the trade generally disap-
proves shortening of the season, Mr.. Paff
having consented to Nov. and Mr.. AmboS
to Oct, l as the opening day, each before a
witness.
5. Oyster dealers, who handle the fruit of
the tongmen's labor in town, know nothing
about the condition of the oyster beds, and
it is not true tEat they are soil productive
and not being rapidly exhausted.
| did not know who attended the meeting
at Thunderbolt, but | do know that had
only informed few white men at that date
of the provisions of my bill, and that was
personally told by a colored man in the
presence of Nessrs Sidney, Roberts and
Barbee, be had subscribed his money be-
cause l had sought to restrict the oyster
rights to those owning $4,000 worth of
property, | had previously heard similar
reports, and that the prejudice and hatred
of these people were being excited against
me by false representations
MIR. NJ. NJ. Sullivan has on several occa-
sions told me in the presence Of witnesses
| knew more about oysters than any man
in Georgia. am simply seeking to use
that knowledge for the public good. Hav-
ing explained the bill to few of the oyster
men at, and near Thunderbolt, | shall have
nothing more to say upon this subject until
| appear before the committee of the legis-
lature.
Should fail, all l shall ask of my fellow
citizens is that in years TO come, when
oysters have inevitably become scarce and
high-priced, land | am no longer among
them, they will remember l spent time and
money in vain to prevent such consumma-
ton under grievous misrepresentation,
while seeking to promote the public wei
fare. A. OEMLER.