Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-16
THAT OYSTER BILL.
Dr. Iocks, Of Onancoct, Is Opposed to
the Jones neasura
sAys IT Is CLASS LEGISLATION.
n Passed II WIZ Throw Hundreds
81 resscr. Out Of Employment and
VIII Practically Devnssats the
Eassern sbere.

have before me bill recently IN
PRODUCED In the Senate by DIR. Jones' OF
Highland, relative to the taking ana
plantins OF oysters. which. oy
reason sof. the exceptional favors granro
Mr.. 1cfnnger. OF Fox Island. has oecome
generally known as the H'"nsei o''
Tkls bill. while II contains some FEATURES
not altogether Objectionable, emoodies
others utterly repugnant to our sense OF
right and justice. and which. II enacted
into law by our Legislature. VIII work
great hardship upon those OF our people
vho are compelled, no matter how cold
or Indictment the weather. TO seek their
daily bread down upon the depleted
oyster rocks In our waters. IL places
additional burdens upon that class least
able to bear them. who are already stag
cering untuer their loads OF poverty and
misery. and which every consideration OF
humanity should prompt the state to
alleviate and remove. II possible. rather
than TO add to.
The first section of the bill requires
that every tonger shall before he takes
an oyster, register. He is then required
20 appear ON every Monday during
the season. before the County
Treasurer, and pay on the value of hts
catch OF oyster for the past week no
same rate OF tax as Is paid 20 the state
by Taxpayers on other property. and
shall In addition, appear before the
County Court once a month In the season,
and swear to the correctness, OF his
weekly returns made 60 the Treasurer.
Every one who Is in any sense acquainted
IL. H.. nt ~ n
d.tlons surrounding the ,ongers Of
our State knows that these exactions
are not only impractical. and impossible.
but tyrannical as well. and were only In
serted in the bill In order that the
onerous tax named below might be ex-
tcrted from the needy tonger the more
easily.
A PRIVILEGE. %
In lieu of the above-named require
ment. the tonger may, II he so elect
pay-before ne catches an oyster--to the
Treasurer OF the county. the sum OF
s. To say nothing of the exorbltance
of this sum TO a man who hasn't owned
q dollar for months and months. and
who has been living with his family on
the chart, Of his neighbors perhaps
since tn & .ose of the last oyster season
not a h,ur nor a day is allowed him In
this Ill In which TO make the money.
Shy X like. the authors Of this ILL
adv "a measure. would exact the penalty.
but 10; allow the poor victim an hour
nor 4 day in which 10 make 1t.
The bill closes the season for longing
on the 18th Of March. and opens 1t on
the list of September. The privision ope-
rates well for the planters only. The
early part of September IS so warm that
oysters can't be shipped TO distant mark
cts. but the longer. who Is sadly
in need Of little money. must sell. ana
hence the first and best fruits OF the
summers growth on the rocks passes
into the hands Of the Weather planters
at their own prices. Not an oyster
should be caught before the 18th of Sep
TENDER on the natural rocks for reason
given above.
The bill permits dredging in Pocomoke
sound. Tangier sound, and certain othel
waters In the state. TO those planters who
lease 100 or more contiguous acres Of
pianting-ground. If one should be only able
TO pay tax on and to plant seventy-nvt
acres. or ninety-nine acres even, he CAM
dredge an oyster. When he wants to mar.
ket his oysters he has got to hire tongers
at an expense OF 10 or 20 cents per bushe
TO take them up. while his competitor
owning 100 acres just alongside, Is merri
" winding his plants up with dredges al
the rate of hundreds of bushels per day
at an expense of not more than cents
per bushel.
NO CLASS LEGISLATION.
II there is anything in the world thai
yirginians love II Is fair play: that In
the passage Of laws Determinations shall
not be made in favor OF any class, anC
against other classes; that so far as the
making Of living is concerned the pool
shall be given an equal opportunity with
the rich. This Is Democracy; this is JUS
and right. and Virginians will tolerate no
thing short of this principle at the hands
OF their lawmakers.
The Jones bill grievously violates the
will OF our people in this respect. Il
gives all the advantage of cheap produc
ton TO the large planter, and withhold,
1t from the small planter. To be just ant
fair. TO all. every planter In the water.
named. no matter how small his holding
should be allowed to dredge his oysters
or else no one. no matter how great hi.
acreage. should be allowed the privilege
70 do otherwise will not meet the de
marids OF public sentiment, or measur'
up TO the public conception of right ant
Justice. Granting, then, this position 4
be the correct one In regard TO the mat
ter In question-and no one. 1 believe
will deny that II is--what win be the re
suit? Why this: II one planter dredges
all planters may dredge: IL all planters
dredge, then In twelve months hardly al
oyster will be left upon the natural-rocki
in the waters named. Why? Because
the planters leasing grounds near thes,
rocks will find both time and opportunit,
% get every oyster off them with theil
t1redge-boats. Anybody who understand
the disposition OF the average oystermar
toward public property as represented b,
oysters growing on natural-rocks will
not deny the correctness OF the above
proposition. Then what means have tbs
thousands OF tongmen-and their wives
and children dependent upon them--lef
OF support? Absolutely none In the sec
tfons. OF country in which they now live
Repatriation or starvation stares then
in the face. They viii become wander
ers on the face of the earth, and the hun
drcds OF hamIets that stud the shores OF
these waters will--then deserted-bear ST
lent testimony to the tender care % Of
Virginia for her laboring poor.
WILL THE END JUSTIFY THE
MEANS?
Will the gain 10 the State In few dol
lars more of rental. and to the planters
in decrease OF expense In harvesting
their oyster-crops. Justify the imposition
OF this sacrifice upon a people already
struggling for y hare existence? Let the
state lease the barren bettoms" In these
sounds and waters. II she will. but the
--ss:Sznent shat q dredge is legally thrown
therein. both the tongman and his calling
vanish forever.
This Jones bill allows the oysterman
% take Q per cent. Of ,culls. Any one ac-
quainted with oystermen knows that this
provisions practically destroys the Gull
law that has operated SO beneficialiy in
kstpins up the supply OF oysters on the
natural rocks. This law should remain as
Z & u.
The bill prohibits dredging altogether.
I IN exclusively Virginia waters. except 10
these who lease 100 acres or more OF
piapting ground. This feature. besides
bsins unjust to planters OF less than lvu
acres. practically coHiiscates our feet OF