Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-23
AFTER TIE OYSTER WEN.


AFTER THE OySTERMEN.
A few weeks ago the Salem ssntinei
published an editorial article. in which 1T
maintained that II Nirsinia's oyster-beds
were the subjects OF proper iegislatlon'
enough revenue could be gotten from them
TO pay THE bulk" of or states expenses.
We called its attention TO the fact that
the value OF the oysters raised from tae
waie.s and beds OF Virginia was only
about s., 800. O'J per annum. whilst The ex-
nenses IN question amounted to over 3d.
ooo.Oe). but our statement seems TO have
made 10 great impression upon the Senti-
noi.
Now we have an article upon The oyster
question from the Roanoke Times, whose
editor. we believe, was member OF the
last LEGISLATURE. The Times does not
20 as far as the Sentinel did, but 1t holds
that by careful, and intelligent handling
Of the oyster property, the state could
within few years raise funds to meet
the necessary demands on the public trea-
sury without laying a tax on real es-
tate"
we take It for granted that the oyster
men want TO read what is said about
them aud the present oyster revenue sys-
TEN. and wo therefore give the Times
editorial ia full, as follows:
1t seems shameful that the oyster bust
ness does not pay more than lew cents
uer acre. but will the Times kindly show
rs why il is, and wiz it also show US
howl the natural rocks and planting
Grounds can be made to pay more? DOCS
the Times know how much it costs 10
rlant one acre with oysters 10 keep guard
on the ground. TO gather the product 20
omen il. and to place it on the market
and will II also tell us how many enc
mics besides thieves, the oyster has; ana
TO conclude. about how much proht tEere
is 10 the oyster FAINTER as a sure tLins =
Montgomery Messenger.
The solution Of this matter is not SO
perpeXing as the Messenger seems 10
mink ard the oyster politician would have
us believe: nevertheless, 1t requires STUDY
and Investigation 10 arrive at clear I'M
derstandine of the conditions rs they now
exist. The State owns 10000 acres OF
natural oyster grounds, and 10000 acres
of planting ground. or grounds capable
of producing oysters under proper Guilt
walton. There are three classes engaged
I'm the oyster business the planter, TIE
dredger. and the tongman. There are
less than five thousand planters ana
dredgers and about thirty thousand tong
men. The planters operations are con-
fined TO the grounds he leases from the
state; the dredger is confined 10 the
waters too deep for successful longing,
while the tongman is a sort OF free-lance'
whose operations are unlimited by Ia"
within the 10000 acres of natural oyster
grounds. For the privilege OF longing Tor
oysters in the natural oyster territory
of the State (as much the property OF the
editor of tho Messenger as any one man
I'm NirginiO, the tongman is taxed the
insignificant license OF two dollars year.
If this license were collected II Would
turn into the public treasury $5o,VV) an
nually. For the year 1876 the aclual
amount turned in was less than $500.
Ask a Underwater politician TO explain
this discrepancy, and he will look over
Tour shoulder and tell you the tongmen
are the poorest men in the world. that
they all vote one way, that they hold the
balance of power in the Tidewater dis
tricts. and that they had better not be
disturbed. The State receives but little
revenue from the planter, for the reason
that The high rental one dollar per acre
for the barren ground. acts as sort OF
pyobibitive tariff, and operates against
The business of oyster IGanting-the very
object aimed at by the tongmans at
torpey. the Tidewater politician. The OBJ
iect of the tOngmen is TO Kill the coInpe-
tition offered by the planter ana dredser'
and. holding the balance OF power they
mil the strings and the Tidewater mem
bers of the Legislature dance 10 their
music.
The planting grounds can he made 10
nav by putting the rental at fifty or sixty
cents an acre. and offering ample pro-
tectiop TO those who engage IN the busl-
ness Of planting. The natural oyster
rocks can be made TO produce morc-per-
hans $500, 0o0-net annual revenue by
e,.etenn Of leases under proper restrictions
and conditions a. to care or beds II
the editor of the Messenger owned 10000
ocres If natural oyster grounds, producing
an animal gross income of S2,O90Oo. with
M other expense attached than that OF
gathering and marketing the oysters. ana
81 N returning to him net profit of only
q 600. he would not long remain casual
observer of such condition of his bust
ness affairs.
Thus it Will be seen that the
Times holds that by careful ana
intelligent handling Of the oyster property
of the state. and by proper legislation in
the levy Of license taxes ana personal
property and per capita taxation the
state could. within few years. raise
fonds to meet the necessary demands on
the public treasury without laying a tax
on real estate.
What think the oystermen OF thdl T.
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