Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-25
More About an Extra Session.

More About an Extra session.
10 the Editor of the Dispatch:
To the reasons already so we'll stated
by the Dispatch and by the Speaker OF
the House of Delegates why there should
be on extra session OF the General As
sembly in the winter or early spring OF
1891 l would like to add one or two
others, though it seems to me that the
intent and meaning of the constitutional
provision for redistrictlng the State and
the gross injustice done.the growing Sec
tons of the State by excluding them
from the representation to which they
are fairly entitled until 1923 is so clear as
TO be conclusive to any ordinary mind.
think the Dispatch in one
of its editorials. which is not
now before me. assigned among other
reasons the wish to secure charters Tor
towns and business enterprises. coupled
with privileges which can only be grant
ed by the General Assembly, which will
bring new capital into the State and'con'
tribute to its development and growth in
wealth aud population; but If not |
throw out the suggestion here.
Another reason for the Legislature
being convened, which has not been al
luded to, is to be found in the fact that
in more than one OF the booming coun-
ties of the State the public buildings,
the court-houses or clerks offices, which
we're sufficiently commodious TO meet
the wants OF sparsely-settled communi-
ties when business was dull and the
transfers of property were few, are now
entirely inadequate aud fail to af-
ford the necessary facilities for
attending to and providing for
the volume of business produced
by the establishment of one or more
prosperous and growing towns within
| their limits. The counties have on hand
no fund to apply to the erection OF suit
able buildings, and the only feasible
method Of obtaining them is by an act OF
the Legislature authorizing the Boards
of Supervisors to Issue bonds for this
purpose 10 run for fifteen or twenty
years or longer period, tho interest 70
be met and sinking fund provided fol
their payment from the annual levies de-
rived from the enhanced value OF pro
perty. These improvements IN some
cases are needed now, but ii the Legisla
ture is not convened they must DO post
poned until 1892.
Lastly tho General Assembly should
be convened TO settle definitely and
finally the vexed oyster question.
The present law is such as virtually tc
throttle the oyster industry and complete
its destruction. Capital which would be
employed 10 building up this industry,
increasing taxable values in Eastern Nir'
gina, and restoring To the State hel
rightful share in this profitable trade, Ii
being drawn to other States which invite
it by more liberal and intelligent legisla'
ton.
We learned from the newspapers last
summer that our genial Executive had
determined to thoroughly master tin;
whole subject and when the Legislature
assembled send in a message embOdylnp
the conclusions he had reached, and
about the same time from the same
source we learned that the waters GOV
ering the Oyster-grounds, or part o
them, had been traversed by the princi
pal vessel of our oyster navy bearing
his Excellency and some Of the mem
bers of the legislative committee, onl]
one OF whom in the House Of Delegate
represented a county which has squar
foot of natural rock or planting grount
within its limits, and some OK whom
venture to affirm without any reflection
upon their intelligence before they wer,
enlightened on this occult subject 10y th,
experience acquired on that voyage
could not have distinguished between aI
oyster and clam or a mussel. Some o
US foar that If this subject is deferred
until gentlemen from Piedmont, tin
Valley, and the Southwest have tho
roughly mastered it in all its details
economic aud political-when there ex
lists a great diversity Of views among in
telligent gentlemen who have been ia
miliar with it from their childhood.
amounts to an indefinite postponernent
On one point all who are informed oil
the subject are agreed. It is that tn
idea of raising large revenue by taxa
ton on tongers or dredgers, or from tn
rental of the planting grounds is who'll.
chimerical, as baseless as the fabric 0
dream" IL has been tried for years il
various forms and has been fully demon
strated to be utterly futile, and in thu
mean time this industry has beer
dwarted and has dwIndled to insigniii
cant proportions.
There are two elements which mus
enter into any practical legislation 70
the restoration OF this industry first
efficient protection of the natural rock
from the depredations OF marauders, ma
tive and foreign second, protection 4
the planter who embarks his labor ant
capital in oyster-culture.
If the State can realize enough reye
nue. from the taxation OF the industry b
equip and support . sufficient nava
force to accomplish the first and b,
proper legislation afford the second W
will be in fair way 10 make perma
nent settlement of this question, but on
friends III other sections not blessed 70
cursed) with the presence OF this succu
lent bivalye must be content to wait IN
til the general prosperity brought to Tide
water Virginia and the consequent en-
hancement of taxable values afford
them some compensation for the anxiou
thought occasioned them in their annua
lucubrations on the subject OF How L
Make Public Bonanza OF the Oyster.
The subject is one which demands
speedy settlement and is In itself OF sufii
Gent Importance to justify the Genera
Assembly being convened IN extra SEES
sion. a. r. NJ.