The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-13
THE OIsrhR INDUsTRY.



RICHMOND. W.. Feb. 70, 1892.
The keynote was sounded on the oyster
question when the first writer advocated lens.
ing the now unproductiyo oyster beds of our
State. The plan. go my mind. seems 500 ul.ir
SO proper and So advantageous that [ olI,
w ndor that u has ara opponent in
legislature. Every one is ready 20 afu.
that the lands are practically bundless
any calculations OF occupancy tor fle ra.-
future. thgt their value is counted bv
million dollars. that they are aow of ltt,
profit % anybody. q care aua yeNat.0u t0f.a
State and a tax on the people rs,-
than % burden litter. es they should
be. YET % lease of even % slall portion .o.
tie uuoccupied lands would produce a
revenue and raise % lOgI from o.-
0yertaxed people that would fs
hailed as "a heaven sent boon. WHY
stick 90 old methods taat
wearing out themselves ~ tao tryi.- are a..
dep eung the oyster beds. Why o.atarl
wlat we Know 90 be % suicidal laie. - .n
there az least seems tO be au opening I.rfI.
trial oe some other plan. THE representa- r.s
% tie people need only Oh look al this matter
from "a common business stan point. raa
rUre to say that amy one 0t them would ..tIg
lease these lands lf they were the 0H as
and rDal the benefit OF % rich income tom
MIAN ~ AN|M MA |NI"'AA"I WHN MNA|NNNANNn H "
ton. What has the State 90 lose in ts
lease system and why not give 10 % tl,r tr4.
other States have tired DO and are grown.
rich from beds that are being seeded from ts
u~0n-taApayiug natural beds oil .r
own waters. say 10 Is o tray..,y
on political economy % spend leari
ion trying 10 make @ success
OLD methods that right under our eyes
have caused "a rapid decline lu the lr0i.'
ton. % wholesale decrease ln the force enc
ployed. and now threatens the destruction ..
the most valuable property occupying sn
equal space anywhere ln the known world.
While We look 0u at this killing oft the COOS,
which laid the golden egg other States. with
waters scarcely adapted o. the propagation Of
the oyster at all. are renting their heretofore
worthless grounds at % splendid revenue and
laying waste tine beds of the Chesapeake for
shells and seed oysters % stock them with.
lie Is d wise mar who profits hy the export
ence of his neighbOr. Virginia has every
thing 20 gain and nothing t. lose Dy uHv
methods. a trial of - new plan cam 90 ra
harm. Let the State lease such ground. l.
the authorities deem best. aud If not o. ...
cess the State Will bee nO loser. but 0n fHe
other hand let there be q large increase iu tla
revenues. - there surely viii lo. aud who
Will not applaud. The most cousorFatf
calculatOrs estimate that Virginia should
reap several millions 0f 0.
annually from THIS source and yet 10 ie H I.I.
den on our treasury. Why listen longer f.
optimistic plans that have uo results t9
after years of trial. when Rhode Island ....1
plainly marked the path Co wealth for poverty.
stricken Virginia. The lease plau wl o.,
for good in every way. 10 viii 0ru.H|
revenue 20 the State. md Boy ua,
men the custodians of their S. I.a
will relieve tho Stnte of all eE...e
and @vexation in enforcing the law. lt n
crease the population anG encourage .t. I-
dustries. lt will bring into Use lands Oe.t-
fore useless and foster the oyster busiuc-. ..
an extent heyond any precedent 0f the na...
est days of the Chesapeake. 10 is % one.sl
question. and the people of Virginia f..
that they are being hurdenel Wit
taxes when there is IN our grasp
money, and to spare. f0r al oNr
needs. because our lawmakers perAHIs
70 sustain a semi-neiari.us business OF q .maII
constituency. take from the people NJ nwho.o
State % source of revenue chat would soon ra.
the expenses Of the government AID buug IH
It's wake am era Of pr sperity never before en.
joyed ma this Commonwealth. / hope tIo
Legislature of Virginia will meet the issue
fairly aud s%Quarely and 'cut 70 the lino. .ei
tho chips fall where they may
A SgrFERFn.