Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-07


or at some convenient point on the sea-
coast. A bond with proper security should
be taken from him, similar to those exact
ed from the other officers OF the state,
and he should be allowed to appoint MS
own assistants or deputies, who shouid
be responsible to him for the manner
In which they perform their duties. ana
he should be responsible for them to the
State. The rent money and all other
moneys belonging to the state should De
promptly collected by him and paid over
TO the Auditor as quickly as possible.
and he should be required to settle with
the Auditor Just as the treasurers or
the counties are required to do.
WHAT REVENUE MAY BE EXPECT
ED.
The survey of the oyster-grounds Of the
Chesappake and its tributaries has been
recently completed This important work
has been done with but little cost to the
state IL should have been done years
ago. IL shows the greatness OF our unde-
veloped resources. and must strengthen
our credit and increase the value or our
bonds. We have 10000 acres OF natural
bed or rocks which are OF inestmaDie
value: they should be held for the bese-
fit of the people OF Virginia, ana no
dredge or scrape should be allowed on
Chesapeake Bay proper, suitable for
planting which can be rented by the citi-
zens of the State at 81 per acre. This
estimate does not embrace the OYSTER
grounds on the ocean side OF the counties
OF Accomac and Northampton, which are
large in acreage and very valuable. Inc
marsh lands have not been considered'
these I'm due time will be made as vaiua-
bic as the grounds now used Tor pant
ing. Experts say they Will be more GER
tain TO produce uniform crops under I'M
proved cultivation. l think IL wouid pe
safe to estimate the number OF acres
suitable for oyster cultivation at about
ona million. Rent these at dollar per
| acre. and what royal revenue 1t VIII
bring TO the state. II may be SAID thal
you cannot find renters. Then fepeat tne
| law which restricts renting TO the ciu-
| zon after n reasonable time Is given
| them to secure the grounds, and invite
foreign capital 20 come In, and 1t VIII
| not he long before we Will be able TO dls-
| nose OF every acre. Many or the new
corners will bring their families ana erect
| homes along the shores; the large ana I'M
| cultivated farms will be divided ana 500;
nev, IDEAS and methods will be introduced
| among our people, and soon prosperity
| v,iu take the place Of the business stag
nation which has so long existed. me
trucker on the shore and the FISHERMAN on
| the water. the products of the land Vying
| with the products Of the water-what
| source of undeveloped wealth; what IN
ducements they offer to the world.
NEEDED CHANGES POINTED OUT.
But this is not all. You have 10000
| tongers and dredgers and others engaged
| in the fish and oyster Industry, who'
| when properly taxed. Will add largely 10
| the revenues of the State II ehcleht
means are used i'm the assessment anu
| collection. Nothing but the worst man
| agement can prevent large revenues from
| those sources-larger than we now have
from railroads. or from licenses. or from
| personal property, or from any other
| snurce except real estate. Is not TINS
| sufficient TO direct the constant and ear
nest efforts Of the General Assembly OF
| Virginia 10 this important subject? Let
me sum up these suggestions:
1st We should abolish the Board or
the Chesapeake.
sioner whose office should be IN NOT
| folk or some convenient place on the
coast.
| 81. We should have a fleet of steam yes
| sells under the control of the Fish Com
| missioner. we'll armed and equipped.
eth. The fish I'm the inland waters
| should be an object of interest to the
| Legislature. and should be protected and
| their growth encouraged.
| 5th The Commissioner should be re-
| CURED TO report in writing to the Gov
| ernor on the 1st Of October In each year,
with recommendations. and give such in
formation as will enable the Legislature
! 10 render the law more effective and the
protection more complete.
9Th Such lands as are not legally oc-
| cupied by citizens within a reasonable
time should be rented out by the Com
| missioner to any persons who will take
| them, whether citizens or not. but the
| Commissioner shall in no case rent them
| al less sum than one dollar per acre.
LCNATIC ASYLUMS
| In my regular message 70 the General
| Assembly in December. 1891. | called at
tention TO the great increase from year
| 20 year I'm the number Of lunatics con-
| fined in the State asylums and the add-
| tiOnal appropriations which would be ne
| cessaTy to support these Institutions.
| A statute was enacted by the last Legis-
ature iustructlng the Governor 10 appoint
n commission, 10 BE- composed OF three
| learned AMI expert physicians, to examine
| and inquirc whether or not any different
system OF laws ought to be enacted as
TO the admission Of patients into the va
| rious asylums of the Commonwealth, and
| also whether there are patients in said
| asyums who should not be- confined
| therein as insane persons" In obedience
10 this statute | appointed n commission.
| composed of Dir. Parker. Of Richmond:
| DIR. Wiley. OF Salem, and Dr. McIwaine.
! of Petersburg, 10 make an examination
and report the result Of their investiga-
tons. These gentlemen have made a
careful examination OF the asylums and
| have prepared an able report Of the facts
| ascertained by them. a copy of which
| will accompany this message, with various
| suggestions to remedy the evils which
they have discovered. They find all of
| the asylums well managed and the
bodily health Of the patients remark
able" or the whole number 2.0ii. not
| more than 20 were found i'm bed The
commission speaks in terms Of admiration
Of the organization and management Of
each Of the asylums.
EXAMINATION OF LUNATICS.
In my message above referred to, I
! commented upon certain defects In the
present law and the evil results connect
ed with 1t. and advised a change In this
! view the committee and all of the su-
| perntendents concur. | will examine the
| law "a IL now exists and point out some
of its defects.
The Code Of Virginia. Section 1869, de-
| clareS thaL Wnen any justice VINO SuS-
poets any person in his county or corpora
ton to be lunatic shall issue his war
rant ordering such person To be brought
before him. He and two other justices
shall inquire whether such person be a
lunatic. and for that purpose summon
his physician az any and any other wit
nesses." All this takes place in the coun-
" or city, and may be In private. and no
doubt 1t is in general. and there Is no
record kept OF the proceedings The num-
Der Of witnesses necessary 10 convict a
party Of lunacy and what evidence Is re-
qured. the law does not declare. Sup
pose the party has no physician, the sta
tute does not require one to be sent fer
or to be present, nor does II require that
there should necessarily be any witness
present. The statute then says that these
three justices shall inquire whether such
a person may be a lunatic. There is no
demand that any witnesses shall be pres
/ ent at the time Of examination, or If
present that they shall be sworn, or that
they shall be examined after they are
sworn. Suppose the evidence shows that
the party is not a lunatic, but an IDIOT;