The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-10

be plain and as simple as possible; easily III
derstood and easily executed.
COULD NOT DE FOLD.
Some are of the opinion that the oyste
landsshould be sold by the State. and u Ia
levied according t. their value. o. other land
are taxed. do not think 30. We do no
know what their value is. as we know tn
value of the land above the water. Let VI
rent therefore. for ten years, aud ind on
what is their truo value before we offer thou
for sale. The farmer does not offer hi
beeyes for sale until they are fat, nor hli
horses until they are gated and their worti
known; nor does the merchant oler III
goods for sale while they are concealed IL
boxes-they take them out and examine
them, and ascertain their value. and then put
them upon the market TO sell when the
quality and value is unknown 10 to sacrifice
Nor should we now offer the oyster lands FOL
sale. when our records show that under
our present laws they annually an expense
and not source Of revenue. We prove then
worthless by our encouragement AMI then
| offer them for sale. Certainly this cannot be
good policy. BESIDES. if the State will derive
a better revenue by renting than by selling
| and | think II will, that IA all right, tor II
costs the State more 10 protect these lands
| than any other because they are more exposed
and costing the State more they ought 70
! Weld her the greater revenue, and she Will
then readily e1pend money TO protect that
| which IS TO her the most valuable. AZ they
| pay no revenue and are only an expense, 10
! may be said, we will abandon the oyster. beds
to their late and not tax the people nor their
| property for their protection any longer they
are worthless 10 the state.
LIcESsE-IAx.
To raise revenue there should be license
tax on the common tongs. the patent tongs.
and the dredges or on the vessels on which
ma 70 cl
toned according TO their cost and efficiency.
This can be Judged OF in part by the tonnage
OF the vessel. The dredge must be more et-
fectlve than the toms or those VINO use 1t
could not afford TO employ SO expensive
vessel.
The advantage Of the license tax is this it
is ca lily understood and easily collected. 10
should however. be uniform and not pro or
toned to the catch. II one man catches more
than another il is because he is more expert
ard Industrious 1t is Offering a reward 20 en-
ergy.
ais license tax should be required Of every
dredge and patent tong. though the owner
intend 10 use 1t on on his private ground.
Otherwise it would be difficult 10 enforce the
law Tor the guilty when captured Will escape
by saying that trey ARE for use on private
grounds and are therefore not txa le aud
they W Il in this way occasion cost and trouble
if they do not escape altogether They can
=
The catch should not be taxed for the rea-
sons before stated. II is difficult 10 find ut
wat II is and we cannot afford % pa the
officers necessary 10 make tie inv estigation.
So many are ignorant and could not keep the
count and exper ence shows that they viii
not do 10. and so many Will be tempted 20
make improper returns. Il is best and most
equitable to put the tax on the dredge or yes
gel and make 1t license tax.
Those who use the patent tong should be
required TO pay good license-tax also. 10 is
not protected from taxation by the Constitu-
ton in fact, it is not a tong at all. The name
is m snOmel. 10 is more a dredge than
tong and was introduced into the Virginia
waters n ISIS, long after the Constitution
was adopted. and could not have been refer
red 10 IN that instrument The tong referred
to in the Constitution is as different COM
pared T. the patent tong now used as the Old
scyihe is different nom the modern moving
machine.
CONSTITUTION TONGs.
Take two garden rakes. riyet the handles
together about two feet from the head, so
that they Will work Ike fire tongs and you
have the tong referred 10 in the Constitution.
At that time tongs with handles over sixteen
feet in length were not used or very little and
an abundance of oysters could be fOunu with |
out going into water yer that depth. 10 is
worked 10y one man IN a canoe or small boat. Z
oysters at a time.
The patent tong will pick up bushel at a |
time and can be worked IN any depth OF |
water. IL has no handles and IS managed /
with ropes 1t Is raised from the water by |
and it takes three men to work it
OF course a much larger boat is
re CURED when it Is used It's capacity Is
about eight times as great rs that of the old
tong, and IL should be taxed accordingly. A |
license should not be issued for less than
year at a time.
| have been endeayoring to find out how
many Of these tongs are used in Virginia
waters but we have no accurate way OF
doing So The record seems not 10 have
been kept. The inventor says that over
year ago he had sold a thousand PAIR TO work
back or Gwlnn's Island alone.
THE COMMON TosG.
/ would advise license on the common
.ong for small amount. in lieu of the tax on
'ales. which the Constitution allows. Tor
easons given abOye-yz. The difficulty of
Iscertaining the amount on which the tax is
% be paid. This. think, would give salts
action 10 the tOngers and would be better Tor
he State. If this license tax Is opposed by !
ongers. and they are sustained by the courts.
would advise that the Legislature at once
AXE steps To modify the second section of the
enth article of the Constitution IN this re-
ard.
The patent tongs cost SIC per pair. and
hey will catch with ease. when properly
andled. in one day. from S25 10 $50 worth OF
ysters. When the old tong IS used 10 to SIC
iOuld be considered "a good days work. says
very intelligent writer. Another writer !
avs: The difference OF the catch with the D
Id tongs and the patent tOngs IS astonishing. r
With the patent tongs from nifty TO one hun ,
red bushels per day are caught with the old
jngs eight TO twenty-five bushels per day is I
good catch. tax of 80 on the 4
atent tong would be "a light one one DAYS
ork pays for the privilege Of using the tOngs :
n the oyster beds Of the State for an entire n
JASON" q
The dredges are worth about $50. and be- u
g more efficient than the patent tong. and n
ore destructive 10 the Oy ter beds. should i
3 taxed about $50. or "a license tax Of % o
sr ton should be laid on tine vessel used for ~
rs purpose or for scraping. In 1883, the i
st enumeration we have been able 10 find n
ere were flg dredges IN Virginia. =
The common tong is worth about 80.
ould advise llcepse-ta1 10 be placed upon
of So If the tongers desire il. in lieu of the
x on the amount of the sales of oysters b
ken. In 1888 there were 1881 tongers in 81
rglnia waters. q
TAX or DREDGEs. a
This tax Of $50 on dredges OF 20 n ton on ~
Q vessels. $50 on patent tOngs and 6 on -,
mmon tongs. represents "A fair proportion \
cording TO their cost and efficiency The 10
edger do not think. will complain for IL "
a question whether or not the dredge should Ia
forbidden IN Virginia waters. but will not b.
~ !