Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-01-31
Coz respondonce.

col rfHpOndonce.
Mr.. EDIToR:-I,h have read the pro.
ceedings OF the meeting on the oys
ter subject, held in Messongo Neck
and what was said of myiletter to the
Dispatch. I do not see that there is
much difference between us, but my
position has been misunderstood; and
for those who have done SO, will re-
peat it to them.
In my letter referred to above,
said, "mark off, stake out, survey and
record the plats Of the natural oys-
ter beds in the respective counties
in which they are located (here will
be some work for the Oyster Navy
then grant to the oystermen the bare
grounds under the water, atthesam
price and on the same terms that all
the other lands of the Commonwealth
have been granted" Those are my
views and stand by them. I did
not say what was a natural oyster
bed, I did not say how they should
be defined, did not say anything
about patches of oysters between
thcm-this comes from the resolu-
tinns of the meeting, not from me.
did say that the natural beds should
be defined, and known from the bare
grounds. l did not say that the ma
'ural grounds or patches should be
granted to anyone. The natural oys-
ter bc.'. cover possibly n one hun
dredth part of the bottoms of salt
water Virginia; these should be held
for the free use and benefit of the
oysterlnnn of this State; the other
ninety-nine parts, waste lands, should
be granted in fee simn'e, to the oys-
ter people for planting and cultiva-
ting oysters, if they wish to do it.
The meeting in Messongo Ecck has
acca, ted my views, made known in
the Hampton Convention for the
proper way for the State to derive
revenue from the oysters; and that
is the Constitutional tax on the prop
ertv that the business c~eates, such
as increased value in real and persona
property. l do not hold with them,
that there should b. license taS;
labor espe tally SHOULD not be taxed
Salt water people in Vrginia are the
only ones who ever asked to be taxed
yet they have no Representatives
in the management of the business
this is done for them by the Govern
or from Prince Edward county, the
auditor from Fairfax, and the treas,
urer from Augusta-no one from the
oyster country.
mean no reflection whatever on
these gentlemen, but I do say, we
ought to have Democratic home rule,
and this business should be in the
hands of salt water people.
Mr.. Editor, regret very much that
the meeting in Messongo Neck, should
have taken issue with me, when in
fact there is little or none-I would
have been too glad to have gone to
their meeting and made any explana.
ton asked for-I say regret this be,
cause am sure the oyster interest
will never be advanced, if even ap-
parent differences are presented to
the upper country part of the State
The people living above salt water
are interested in this oyster question,
for immediate and direct revenue to
the State, which the Treasury does
not receive and the statements made
of the flourshing condition and val
ne of the oyster beds in the vicinity
of Messongo, will lead them to be-
lieve, that man who can make from
So to $16.25 a day with pair of tongs
should pay o heavy license or give
way and let the dredger in, who will
pay for the privilege. 1 do not want
to see the oysterman SO taxed, it is
not right that he should be taxed fol
enjoying the blessings placed within
his reach, when the people of the
mountains pay nothing for the coal
iron and other metals, that are max
ing them rich, and for which salt
water Virginia receives no benefit by
license or any specific tax. The
mountain people do not ask to be
taxed for enjoying the natural gifts
at their hands, and salt water people
should not be taxed, though some
may assert their willingness to pay
If the oyster business near Messon
go is in flourishing condition, it is
an exception to the general state Of
affairs of the Chesapeake and its
tributaries both in Maryland and
NlrSlIl1d.
The magnificent feet of sail yes
sells, that made money dredging is
gone-or nearly SO, this taxable prop
erty is not here The oyster packing
in both Norfolk and Crisfeld, has
dwindled into insignificance, and both
places and Baltimore are seeking .te
supply their trade by leaving the
Chesapeake and going to North Caro-
lima. Twenty years ago the Chesa
peake supplied oysters for the whole
country-her oyster beds were de
pleted, and now Connecticut and
North Carolina are doing great dea
of business once done in Virginia.
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