The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-03-11
The oyster.

/
There Is another class, more loud-mouthed
than all the rest-the demagogues- 1t Is
surprising how little common sense and
sound reason enter into the deliverauees,
oral or written, upon this subject. 1t Is
because selfishness and cupidity too often
prevail in the minds Of those who attempt
to consider the subject, instead Of an intel
ligent comprehension and understanding OF
it. and a true devotion to the public welfare
/ We have been led TO these reflections, re-
Gently, by the reading Of letter from Col.
William Henry Legg, of Queen Annes
county, published in the Baltimore An'eri-
lean. We make two extracts from Col
Leggs letter, promising that he ought to
understand his subject thoroughly, as he
belongs to a section of the State where oys-
tiers abound. and he brings to the consider
alton Of the subject degree Of intelligence
fully competent to master it in all its de-
tails. But unfortunately that intelligence
is turned aside from its legitimate function
BY prejudice and superficial view of the
matter in hand Col. Legg is not singular,
in this respect, but like nearly all gentle
men surrounded by the ideas and influences
which prevail in the oyster region, his mind
is preoccupied by these ideas, and swayed
by these influences, which disqualify him
for dispassionate and disinterested con-
sideration Of the matter. Here is one Of
the extracts Speaking of the proposition
to lease the bed or bottom of the Chesa-
peake. he draws upon his fervid imagina-
tion for the following over-wrought picture
st will destroy the value of millions OF
property. depopulate many heurishing sections
OF our State, and bring want and poverty to
thousands of families now well-to do and hap
py. In the name ofcommonJustlce we should
net stand idly by and see this great wrong
committed"
Had Col. Legg been a candidate for the
Legislature and been addressing "A few hun
dreds of oystermen in bis section, this would
have been a splendid peroration that would
probably have insured him the vote Of
every oysterman present. But let ms look
at it in the light of sober reason. There is
neither wrong nor injustice in the PROPOSE
ton. nor would it destroy the value of prop
erty nor depopulate any portion of our State.
On the contrary it would increase the value
of property, and add to the population OF
those portions of the State engaged in the
oyster industry. 1t would increase the
oyster supply and create demand for
more labor than the present system requires,
while the revenue derived to the State
would make taxation unnecessary. 1t
would work no injustice to anyone. The
broad acres of the Chesapeake, as the land
did primarily, belong to the State. The
right of eminent domain rests in her. She
conferred, for consideration, the titles to
all the lands upon the original holders,
She has the same right to dispose, by lease,
of the beds of the Chesapeake. But the
oystermen have so long despoiled this por-
ton of the public domain Of its produce
and appropriated it to their own use, that
they deem it robbery that the State
should now step in and reclaim its own.
They have robbed the State so long that
they think they now have a prescriptive
right to the fruits of that robbery, and raise
the false cry of wrong and injustice when
the State proposes to put stop TO 1t, and
lease this portion of her domain for the
benefit of the whole people instead of the
few who now wrongfully appropriate its
products to their own behoOf. As well
might they claim the right to squat upon
any portion of the land found vacant within
our State boundaries No, no. Because
these ovstermen have votes it does not
Justify SUCH impassioned expressions as we
find in the foregoing extract, nor will such
utterances stihe the sense Of justice which
has too long slumbered, but which happily
is about To awake and assert itself for the
benefit of the whole people instead of the
few who without right have in a measure,
appropriated this wealth to their own ben
eft.
Another quotation from Col. Leggs
letter cannot be permitted to pass unchai=
lenged. He says:
I'm the deep and broad waters in our State,
they 1.-THE oystersl are absolutely indestrueti-
hle.'
Such is his assertion. Now for the proof
of its incorrectness. Why have stringent
laws been enacted by the Legislature to pEo-
tect the failing oysters from utter destruc
tion2 Was there 40 necessity for such
legislation ? Col. Legg knows to the con-
trary. He knows, and every dredger and
packer knows, that the oyster supply is
rapidly failing. The writer of this article
had occular demonstration Of the fact, some
years since, when invited by the commander
of the U. S. Steamer Fishawk to witness the
result of deep water dredging. After using
the dredge for several hours, in deep water
below Annapolis. the result was some
twenty or thirty bushels of shells. but not
oysters enough to give couple of hungry
men meal So much for Col Legg's
assertion that in the deep waters Of our
State the oysters are absolutely indestructi-
BILE. They are destructible, and if the
present state OF things continues few years
longer, the dredgers, the packers, and all
now engaged in the business, will find their
occupation gone, for there will be no oysters
to dredge or pack. Will common sense