The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-03
OYSTER BOTTOMS.
The Rent Paid Should BE in fropor'ioh
to tho value Of Property.
To the Editor Of The Times:


To the Editor Of The Times:
sir.-In a recent communication ! call
ed attention 10 the importance OF pre-
serving the public bottoms on the Con,
rnonwealth-the natural oyster rocks
from further encroachment by planters,
and TO the great cost now being incurred
by the State I'm maintaining an unneces-
sarv navy. / now desire to call Afternoon
IN The present unreasonable and UNJUST
law. fixing the rate Of taxation on pant
ing bottoms There Is as great diversity
OF value in planting bottoms az in larm-
ing lands, ana yet the present law nNeS
the rate at the same per acre on an aiihe'
There should be some mode OF assessing
these bottoms, just as much so as pthei
property.
II will not do 10 distinguish this from
other taxation by saying it is not tax,
but a rent. charged by the State; FOR the
principle IS the same. whatever you term
II. What would be said Of law fequir-
ing the same rent per acre for al the
farming lands in the State. when some
are so poor that they Will scarcely re-
produce the seeds planted upon them
while others are very fertile ana VIII
yield large and profitable returns?
Some planting bottoms are hard, or
"gravelly," as oystermen term IL, and
be richly worth the present rate OF one
dollar per acre. but other bottoms are
soft. or muddy" or are 30 located as 10
have little or no current from the tides
flowing over them, or. for some other
cause. are almost worthless for planting
or growing oysters. The bottoms I'm many
creeks and iniets are almost entirely Of
this character, except in a few places
where a point or bar" makes out into
the current with hard bottom.
Upon some Of these soft bottoms there
should be no tax Tor 'rentD whatever,
Whine upon others the rate should be
very low. ranging from not more. that. p
cents per acre upward according 10 value.
Some Of these worthless bottoms can be
improved by depOsiting shells upon them.
or By other means. and made productive
after long and patient work and invest
ment Of money; and there should be in
ducement and encouragement offered by
the state 10 such Improvement, by OK
emption from taxation for sufficient
period OF time
What farm-Owner would not allow ten
ants the privilege Of grubbing. draining
and fertilzng his worthless lands. rent
free for a considerable number OF years?
And what tenant would desire 10 under
take such Improvement burthened with
heavy rent from the beginning? The
present taxation or rent upon worthless
bottoms prevents development, improve
ment, and increase of taxable values-it
is a penny wise and pound foolish"
policy.
If the individuals occupying bottoms
throughout the oyster section owned
them, and were 10 offer them for sale or
rent we would see a wide diversity OF
prices and values. The writer believes II
entirely conservative 10 say that some
would sell or rent for at least twenty
times as much as others, and probably
tho difference would be far greater than
this, while others still would not be de-
sired at any price. And yet our present
law puts rent OF one dollar per acre on
all alike. What monstrous absurdlty,
But IT must not be concluded from what
has been said that it would be a proper
policy Tor the State 10 put these bottoms
out 10 the highest bidder, as Gov. AfcKin-
ney and some others have advocated.
Such policy would be extremely harsh
and unjust TO those who are now occupy-
ing planting grounds. as II would be maxi
Ing them pay for their own improvements
In many Instances, where the bottoms
now occupied are valuable. they were
worthless when first taken up: and after
the occupants have by energy and the
investment Of capital made these grounds
valuable, IL would certainly be great in
justice 10 require them 10 bid against
others. And I'm nearly every case adven-
turers and spectators would be ready TO
bid for the fruit of another's honest thrift
and patient toll.
Assessment is the proper remedy, as
employed for ascertaining the correct
taxation upon other property. Whether
the law Itself I'm terms designate the rent
per acre for different kinds OF bottoms,
or whether local officers be required TO
assess. the proper rate to be paid or
whatever method be resorted 70. let the
rent paid the State for oyster bottoms be.
like the requirement OF the Constitution
as to taxation Of property, 'in proportion
10 its value" OBSERVER.
Mathews, Va, Feb. 9th. 1896.