Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-25
The Oyster Problem
(For the Dlspatch.l

The basal principle Of the Go. arnor's
oyster message is all right. The .Dad TO
revenue for tho State from tho oyster
grounds is straight road running TO and
from the planters pockets. There must
be great system of oyster culture before
the S,ate can derive n great revenue from
the oyster industry. All eHCits TO
make the oyster grounds. profitable
in any other way have failed, and
have kept on falling. Now. let us
try an encouragement Of Oyster-plant-
ing, with the purpose OF taxing tho oyster
product as other products are taxed, aud
in from three to five years the State Irea-
sury will be richly reinforced troll that
source. 1t is not the land but tie pro-
ducts Of the land from which we expect
the wealth 10 come. And in this respect
the ground under the water ls Ike the
ground above the water. SO the Governor
Is right radically risht-in taydring a
policy for the encouragement OF invest
ments 10 oyster planting, in the csltlva-
fion Of the soil beneath the water. 10 do
this successfully the State must C1er TO
lease the planting grounds tor fifteen
wears at least and ut a rental acceptable -
planters who will be willing to maze the
investments. take the risks, and incur the
expense. the watcniu.ness. and the waiting
lnseparably incident oplantlug oysters be-
lore Tie Illlt tbI CDtAN ANA Si-I Aibb w w
harvested. for the young oysters TO nave
crown into marketable sizes and cOndI-
tious. And sufticielcy OF acreage, TOO,
must be allowed TO justify the adventure.
Virginia has tens OF th0usau.s Ot
acres OF good ground for OYSTER
planting, and the way To induce .uter-
prising men 20 rent these groundsis Is y gave
them the privilege Of renting "a many
acres as they want. But let none except
the citizens OF Virginia have the pnYllege
of renting even single acre. Inv Is our
State. and all that IS within tie State
should be utilized for the beneht Of our
own people alone.
The natural rocks should be made unap-
proaehable by the planter except for the
sale of the seed oysters taken therctrom
by the tonger to be sold when lie Chooses
10 sell them 10 the planter. l asSuUte tnat
il is not, cannot be, intended by aEsoody
either in the Legislature or out OF II 10 hint
even at the adyisabillty OF disturbing the
present pre-emptive occupancy or plant
ing-grounds by men who have already,
made investments under the authority anu
guarantee of existing laws, they OF course
eonformine TO any addition TO the present
rental that any new law may impose.
As 10 riparian owners, they should un-
ouestiopsbly have the privilege or reiusai
in ell dispositions of the contiguous plant
ing-grounds. which have from time I'M
memorial made their farms, Their ZONES,
their holdings on shore desirable ana
valuable mostly on account OF the salt
water advantages so near TO them,
OF course the oyster navy should DO sup
ported by the oyster people. :,
This oyster question Is peryasivs ana
vital question in sixteen Tidewater conn
ties. IL is interviewer one way and an
other with the welfare of all thespeople
of those counties. 1t involves jsamedi-
ately the very sustenance OF thoutands OF
men, women, and children. and II lpuss DO
lively. az there will DO wailing cn.she wa
ters down here.
Nature makes laws as we'll as mao. Pre-
scription gives rights a. well as leg. slatlve
enactmepts. The customs and ussges of