Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-12-10
The OYSTER Question

Governor Mckinney yesterday sent q
long message 10 the legislature Cd the oye'
ter question. The Governor thinks the
hope OF tne oyeter In Virginia is In the
planter. The renter sho1!d be protected by
the Law. The title to The lands offered fol
rent ehould be made clear. The land
should be plated and divided into lots Of
convenient ETA, so tEataDy poor man may
have an opportunity 10 get what he wante,
and then be put up ct public auction. after
being advertised as not less than 81 psf
acre. Every body should be invited to rent
them. The term should be for ten yeare,
and they should be rented to whoever wants
them. No tx should be ezaoted from the
planter on what he makes. The renter
should be relied on to pay the revenue He
thinks the oyster lands should not be sold.
There should be license tax on the com.
mon tongs, the patent torgs and the dred-
ges, or on the vessels on which they are
used. Inspectors should be appointed 10
each county, II necessary. The Governor
says the production of oyetsys ia rapidly
decreasing every year. So great hes been
the falling off that 1t would not be sxtrava-
CANT to cay that the number of persons now
Engaged In the business Ia not half go large
as it was in the year 1850, and the number
OF bushels caught ard sold are about half as
many. The price has been increased 10
proportion to their scarcity uatil this most
delightful food, which should be 30 o1eep
tkat ell might erjoy 1t, has become 60 desr
as to be beyond the reach OF the poor.
Many of the oyster.beds which have been
productive tste now barren and worthless
from the ir jadlcious and and reckless man.
ner In which they have been used by those
who have done nothing to recuperate them
and all they could do TO exhaust them.
Some OF our best natural beds have been
destroyed-all OF them greatly impaired.
The 500 000 acres which should pay to the
outivators $500 ,000 600 In aross, and to the
State revenue of IS, 000C coo. cost the State
In 1890 the cum OF S6.644.21. and in 1891
$6,787.42 over and above the revenue de-
rived from their taxation, being under cur
present system of laws 3 positive expense
rather than q source ct relief to our tag
burdened people.
The Governor offers some suggestions as The
basis for proper bill, which provides for the
selection Of shell fish commission, selected from
different sections of the State, with moderate sa-
airy q survey Of all the oyster lands, United
States officer to make tho survey shell-fsh COM
mission 10 have control over the natural be- and
oyster beds not disposed Of fishing for oysters on
tho natural beds abould not be allowed from the
LIST Of April to the LIST Of October of each year,
upon any public oyster lands of Virginia, nor on
suntay, nor before sunrise, nor after sun'et at
any seascn of the yesr; carrying away Of seed
oysters from Virginia waters is forbidden; cult
Ing law should be inforced. Governor Mckinney
says the Legislature shoula not PASS any law which
violates the compact entered into by the States Of
Maryland and Virginia on the 2S.h of March.
1876, or any existing laws Of either States, but
If, on confederation, the Legislature deem it best
that any OF the agreement, existing between the
ststes should DO repealed or modified, there
should b. conference asked, ard such action
should be taken as will be best for the nteress Of
both States"