Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-02-20


patch last week, published below, TO
an editorial article in the Roanoke
Times, will be read with great in
terest and pleasure by the people of
this section. The Dispatch believes
in Justice being done to every part
OF the State, and always stands ready
to defend every section from those
who ignorantly or maliciously mis-
represent them:
The Times does injustice to our
Underwater friends, but for many years
past most upcountry people have
had an exaggerated idea OF the value
of the States holdings i'll the oyster
beds.
While it may be true Though We
do not know that it Isl that the sum
of $2,500,000 is annually realized from
the sale of Virginia oysters, we must
take into consideration the fact that
a vast deal of labor and no little
capital is expended in producing the
oysters that yield this money. Oys-
ter planting, it should be known, is a
laborious industry, and is attended
by many Of the accidents and ills
that accompany the raising OF other
crops.
Nor is it fair to say that only $4,000
per annum comes into the State
Treasury as the profit Virginia from
her oyster properties. The Times
has entirely ignored the taxable
value of the boats, dredges, and
other implements OF the oystermau's
industry. So, too, ii omits to take
notice Of the fact that many lands
which would otherwise have no tax
able value become revenue produc-
ing by reason OF their proximity to
waters in which the oyster may
thrive. Furthermore. it my be noted
that few, very few oystermen acquire
wealth, no matter how hard they
may work, and, as a rule, they are
hard workers.
OF course, there are those who call
our oyster-planters ignorant and un.
progressive, but Virginia farmers,
who have themselves been stung
often by like accusations, will know
how to value these criticisms: the
criticisms, for the most part, OF men
who are theorists merely.
1t is very likely, indeed, that if an
individual owned the oyster-beds
that are in this State, lie would
realize from them much more than
the State does. So, too, ii an indi-
vidual owned one OF our large navi-
gable rivers, he could realize from it
more than the State does; but he
would profit at his neighbor's ex-
pense.
From the very first year of the
anding of European settlers upon
Virginia soil to this day, our natural
oyster beds have been free to all our
people, and we doubt not that that
policy will continue to the end OF
time. So far as the planting grounds
are concerned, these are III part
State property and in part private
property. AS to these, the State has
but just entered upon Il fixed policy.
1t is AS yet too early to determine
what will be the result of it, but we
believe it will prove profitable TO the
State and beneficial to the planter.
1t is a very great mistake, we sub
nit, for our up country friends to
think that the people OF the oyster
region are living upon the bounty of
Virginia. AS we have said, all this
grows out of the exaggerated ideas
spread abroad in the past as TO the
value of the States holdings in the
oyster country, and of the revenue
which those holdings are capable Of
producing.
Tidewater Virginia, or some parts
of 1t, we would better say, has u
natural advantage in her oyster beds,
Just as certain other sections have
natural advantages in water power.
in their beds Of iron ore, &c. But
upon the whole, we undertake to saw
that the Tidewater section pays, and
las always paid, into the State
Treasury, her fair share Of taxes, and
that she has been OF less expense to
the State than any other section
Little or none of our State debt was
created to build railways or turn
pixies in,the oyster country.
That the oyster legislation OF this
State has not always been wise we
are ready to admit. 1t may be that
we have not yet adopted system
that is the best in all respects; but
we have certainly made movement
in the right direction, and the Dis
patch has high hopes that our pres
ent laws will prove advantageous TO
the State and planter both. AT any
rate, let us give them a fair trial.
Let US, also, drop the exaggerated
notions that we have as to the value
of the oyster property, and concede
to the Underwater man credit for us
much honesty of purpose as we shall
find in the average man OF any other
section OF Virginia.