The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-03-28
Unduly Excited.


The Queen Anne's Adroeate is so much
excited over the recent meeting OF oyster
hackers in Baltimore, that it seems to need a
sedative to quiet its nerves. Hear 1t;
These propositions to sell the oyster grounds so
alarming even TO contemplate, met with much iayor
by the audience. We say in all candor wlthoutany
disDOsition to alarm any one, there is crisis upon
us in regard to this great industry that leeds houses
and clothes so many Of our good and worthy people
of this and the other tide water counties. Ths great
interest is the life blood of the communities in
which it exists. Sell it and you place it in the
hands of capitalists that will form syndieaes ana
trusts fix the price of labor and the price of oysters,
work their oyster farms with strangers, nosty
foreigners that they will bring from the cities anu
among our people when on shore VIII prove Dan
gerous TO property, peace and happiness: me Ie-
graded of our own and OF foreign countries VIII PC
emptcd at our very doors, work for almost moth
ing the 4earess oyster lords and barons, Whilst
and crime want and suffering, will be introduced
where now peace plenty and happiness abounu'
The stores in the oyster sections will be without pa
irons without money, the pastors of the churches
will be unpaid and without congregations properly
now owned by the tongmen, their homes and their
canoes and ongs without val ne, or greatly depreci-
ated What is all this to be done for? Because the
educated and the wealthy who have no practical
knowledge of what they talk and write ABOUT say
it ought to be done.
The editor is in the densest mental log on
the oyster question. The proposed sale or
lease of the oyster grounds in lots of from
five to twenty acres, is the only hope of the
preservation of our vast oyster interests.
None of the evils apprehended by the Adco-
cate have resulted in waters where this sys-
TEN has been adopted. None such will
happen in the waters of Maryland. On the
contrary the leasing or sale of lots by the
State, and the judicious planting Of them
with oysters, will give largely increased
! supply of this favorite article of food, and IN
| creased labor and profits to tongmen, dredg-
ers, packers, aud all who are in any way
connected with the business. Maintain the
present system, and in ten years there will
scarcely be an oyster apiece for the inhabl'
tants of the State. The lease or sale of the
oyster grounds of the Chesapeake, is not only
a matter of expediency, but OF absolute ne
cessity To maintain that these beds are open
by right TO the public, or to whoever will
take them, is to maintain a fallacy. The
right of eminent domain over the soil OF
MARYLAND is in the State, as well that portion
covered by water as that which is not. The
right to every acre of farming land was de-
rived from the State. The title thereto is
preserved among the archives of the State.
The same rule should be observed as to the
land under water, the State holding an equal
right to it. That it has not hitherto asserted
and practiced this right, is no argument why
, it should not do so in the future. Wisdom
and sound policy call loudly for such a
course; scientific research sanctions it; neces'
sity compels it. So that we must either
t adopt this policy or go without oysters
altogether, and the State lose large revenue
that would release farming lands. Which
course should we take? Every rational man
should answer this question at once, by in
tuition, for reason is scarcely necessary to
determine so plain thing.
The 1drocate'S apprehensions of syndi'
Gates of heartless oyster barons, OF the de-
probation of property, the loss OF population
and the closing of churches, are preposler-
GUS 1t is to be hoped that the oystermen
will not be misled by such fallacious reason
ing, and will have intelligence enough to
discriminate between true craftsmanship and
its opposite, between the preservation and
the ruination Of the oyster interest. The
views of our Queen Anne's contemporary are
calculated to mislead the oystermeu and
beget an unreasoning excitement among
them. But they will not be long in finding
out that unless the proposed remedies are
adopted Othello's occupation will be gone