The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-26

degrees this industry cana 90 bc regarded
as sufficiently Important 90 involve the
matter of taxation with e. view of increas-
ing the state revenue. d. was seen that
many people were making their living out
of the industry. and Cine State was fur
nishing Boo no small measure the direct
means of tnis revenue io individuals.
Steadily thc industry grew until now it So
one OF The largest and most profitable
being carried on in tho State.
70 give YOU some idea of The size and
importance ot thc oyster business lu Viz
ginia There are now about 10000 people
living n the Underwater section of the
state who are dependent IpOn che oyster
business for their living. This number of
course includes tho families of those who
farm and gather Che oysters and convey
them 90 the markets There are thirteen
counties in the State whore the oyster
Cuisines is an Important one. Take my
erection % the country over ON the Chesa-
peake bay. a large proportion of the
population oi the Eastern shore OF Nir-
g.nia are making their Twins out of this
industry
"You viii observe" continued Senator
lie Cato "that have said nothing about
the fishing and grabbing Industries These
while not % large as tine other. are exc
ceeoinsiy important. and could he made
inc means off large revenues 20 the state
OF Virginia
"Ihc larger part of Do the oysters and
nsn taken in my section of the State so
directly 90 Norfolk. Portsmouth. Rich
mond Baltimore and Washington
think th1t most OF the oysters and fish
rakcn .n Hampton Roads and James
river and l,s tributaries seek the Norfolk,
Portsmouth and Richmond markets.
Some OF the products OF those districts
70 20 Baltimore But over on the Chcsa-
peako BAY side of the Eastern Shore
where che oyster industry is tremendous
almost The entire product is marketed IN
Washington and Baltimore.
TO PROTECT THE INDU STRY.
"Now I have eivon YOU some idea OF the
importance of this industry" continued
Or LcCato. The question before us is to
devise some legislation that will protect
the interests OF the industry SO far as
possible. ana at the same time turn i'm
some revenue 90 the state Treasury Won
can see that any traffic upon which q
hundred thousand people are dep sndcot
for a living should Dee q matter of inn
portancc iu the system of taxation Of Fir-
ginia.
but there is o. serious d.multy in The
way 10 is this. There are thirteen coun-
ties Interested locally ir the oyster indus
ifAs WNl|N NNNf 'It'n'NtNAiN'n iH the
Legislature. These representatives are
constantly ON the lookout for their local
Interests. The result is that they cannot
agree even among themselves. for
IN some of the counties the tong
men predominant in others the
planters have the strongest influence
Then tho dredger comes in with his de-
mands. the boatman. and the man who
takes oysters from the natural rocks i'm
the State. Here. you see. there arc four
or i've different classes of oNstermen, and
their individual interests are in many case,
antaeonistlc. They cannot agree among
themselves and are continually lighting
each other Naturally enough. 30 is "a hard
matter for the several representatives,
from their respective districts 10 agree
upon any legislation which viii meet these
peoples approval
There 81 another difficulty which Is per-
hans greater stlL While the thirteen rep
resentauves from the oyster district are
constantly looking out for local interests
they naturally. 10 some extent. lose sight
OF The fact that the revenues Of the State
from this standpoint come IN for careful
consideration The question lies between
local Interests ON The one side as against
state interests on the other. and We all
know that the local Interests are usually
nearer and dcarcr 10 us than those OF the
general body or corporation az large
ANOTHER COMPLICATION.
- third complication 90 the solution of
what consider certainly one Of the most
important matters That viii be before the
Legislature this year Is the fact that the
slShy-seven representatives In the Legis-