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

penHea. again rtcomn1enu.
/. That we pay attorneys for the Son,
monwealth fixed salaries and that All
criminal expenses be apportioned between
! the cities and counties and the State, ac-
cording to wealth and population.
2. Make the party who causes neea-
less prosecution pay the costs.
3. Require the Superintendent OF the
Penitentary to send for convicts.
4. Enlarge the jurisdiction OF justices.
| as soon as the new amendments TO the
| Constitution are adopted.
THEIR INTERESTS ANTAGoNlsTiC.
The reasons for these recommendations
! you will find In former message. IL II
! bad policy 10 enact laws which make
| the interests OF officials antagonistic 10
those Of the State. When the interests
| OF an individual are antagonstic TO tnose
| orthe State II IL folly 10 believe that ne
( will make his own interests subordinate.
| This truth accords with the maxims OF
the law and IL IS conformable TO the
| common experience Of mankind. IL is 10
the interest Of the State that prosesi-
| lions should be as few as possible; II Is
| to the interest of the officers Of the law
| that they should be az numerous az pos
sibIe. because they are paid by the num-
| Der of prosecutions; hence needless IN
| dictments are instituted and innocent par
| ties are often tried, subjected to great
| ANNOYANCE and heavy costs. and are
honOrably acquitted by the jurics. | have
| endeavored TO get the exact number or
such cases from the clerks Of the county
| and corporation courts. So far as they
| have responded the report shows that
| greater part Of the indictments found are
| unnecessary which Is established by the
| findings Of the juries. The States money
! Is used TO prosecute innocent people. This
1 should not be SO; II only the guilty were
| indicted and tried the criminal expenses
would be reduced to an amount equal to
/ that paid by the State in lS70-viZ., 49,
1 766 e. or perhaps might be reduced to
| S77ssi, the same as IT was in 1850. Two
| thirds OF those indicted for felOnies are
| acquitted. and If the criminal expenses
were reduced I'm the same proportion
| they should be less than they were In
| 1860 or 1870 4 circular letter was adj
| dressed to the clerk OF every county and
| city IN the State making enquiry as TO the
| number Of prosecutions In their respective
counties and cities. Eighty-seyen counties
| and six cities have responded to the en-
| quiry, and the reports show that for the
| fiscal year beginning October |, 1891, and
| ending October ]. 1882. there We're 1.2f3
| indictments for felony and only 4I3 con-
! victions; the number of indictments for
misdemeanors was 2,lli and the number
| OF convictions for miS1emeanors l23A
! conclusively showing the large number OF
| improper prosecutions and the impro-
| priety Of the present policy Of paying
| officers by the case to prosecute the citi-
| zen. whether guilty or innocent. instead OF
allowing a fixed salary.
| OUR OYSTER INTERESTS.
| The people Of the State are taking n
| deeper interest in this great industry
! than formerly, and the local prejudice
| against legislation on the subject is wear
| ing out l trust 1t will not be long be-
fore we will be able so to amend the
| present law in the line OF progress that
ii will meet with the approval of all.
! 10 Is fast becoming a conceded question
that the oyster industry must be pro-
tectcd and the States interests looked
! after. or there will be such a destruction
Of the natural beds that they will soon
| become worthless; whereas If our peO-
pie are protected by wise laws rlgidly
| enforced this product will I'm a brief
| period exceed i'm value the estimate Of
the most sangulne. and Tidewater will
attain such prosperity as she has never
| before known.
1t is useless TO expect. however, that
this interest will receive at the hands OF
| the Legislature efficient protection, UNI
less those VINO are engaged in it are
willing TO bear a reasonable proportion
| Of the expenses necessary 10 secure 1t,
and the old idea that the property OF
the people Of the whole State alone is
to be taxed TO give protection TO those
who are engaged in this business, will
| be deemed unreasonable.
RENTING TAXES.
We create a prejudice on the subject
Of renting out this property to raise
| money for IT'S protection and other
| equitable purposes by calling IL n tax.
This is a misnomer These are the facts:
| We have n large area Of oyster land
| which belongs 10 the State; II is ours In
\ fee simple; its great extent and value Is
| conceded; we propose TO rent this land
! 70 the citizens OF Virginia al the low price
OF 81 per acre. We compel no man TO
take il, and If the citizen rents this land
at a stipulated price he does it at his
own free will, and can I'm no proper
sense be called taxpayer. 1t IS not
taxes he is paying to the State; IL Is rent
| money; he does II voluntarily, and he has
no right To complain and alege that this
Increases the tax he owes 10 the State
on the other hand, 1t would be mis-
/ use Of its powers for the state TO tax
| every kind Of property belonging To the
citizen, according to its value, In order
/ 10 raise the nc. 'ssary amount TO meet
the demands upon the Treasury, and
fail to utilize such vast amounts OF
valuable property as she owns In her
oyster lands ana allow II to go to waste
or to be seized by those who use and
1
an equitable division of the profits. but
all the other property OF the citizen is
| taxed thousands of dollars to pro-
| tect them in their unlawful hold
! ings. IL cannot be justi-
fed. That the Legislature should use all
available property and resources which
the State owns before 1t has right To
take by taxation. any OF the resources OF
of the private citizen for public uses Is
a proposition which will not be disputed.
The Indifference manifested heretofore by
the people Of the whole State is a surprise
to every thinking man. IL II the result
Of want of knowledge on this subject.
| No one better understood this question
than Governor Wise He was born and
reared among the people Of that section;
he was devoted to their interests, and was
esteemed and beloved by them. and no
one has been more enthusiastic in de-
claring its great value. He was the hrst
to suggest that large revenue could be
derived from it. and urged it,
LEGISLATION NECESSARY.
The time has come when it is necessary
for us to have efficient legislation on the
| subject. The necessities OF the State re-
auire 1t and the oyster interests demand
IT, Week after week the year round COM
plant comes 10 the Capitol that we are
being visited by strange vessels which are
| plundering our oyster-ground5 and rob
bling our rivers, and begging that pro-
lection should be given To them" How
can you get the protection? The deVasta-
ton which the strangers are committing
is in the Virginia waters and the grounds
they are trespassing on are the oyster
| lands of Virginia What should be done?
| think vigorous measures should at once
be adopted: the cry of the people should
be answered. Virginia ought to assert her
rights. This cannot be done without ex-
pense. To raise money to enable us to DO
this these lands should be rented, and
when this Is done IL will at once become
the imperative duty of the State to grant
the protection which is so greatly needed
bv her citizens. and as much Of the money
as is necessary for this purpose should
he taken and devoted To the defence of
the property which Virginia has tenn
| porarily conceded TO its occupant. Lay
aside prejudice and look fairly at the
question. Is II right that property all
over the State should be taxed TO protect
the oyster interest. while the oyster
ha 81 N