The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-09
THE STATES OYSTER BEDS.


The attention of the readers of The
Times is directed to an article in another
column from the Washington Post relat-
ing to the oyster business and possessions
of Virginia. When the Post states that
the State realizes $2,500,000 annually
from its oyster properties it makes mis-
leading statement. 1t is true thet the
oysters taken from the Virginia beds
bring to those engaged in the business
the stupendous sum of 50, 500, 900 annu-
ally. But what does Virginia gets The
oyster beds of the State, the finest and
richest held by any State in the Union
and recognized as the best in the world,
bring to the State treasury the paltry
sum of SO, 200 annually. If an individual!
of ordinary business sense owned the
oyster grounds of Virginia he would Ell.
joy net income of at least $500, 900 an
nually.
The State of Virginia is the undisputed
aud absolute owner of this vast and val
uable property and each individual tax
payer, whether he resides in the noun
tains of Patrick or the Valley of the Shen-
andoah, has the same right and interest
in these beds rs the .lone fisherman and
the schemlng politician of the tidewatrr
1t costs the taxpayers of Virginia So
900, 600 annually to conduct the affairs of
the State and pay the interest on the pub
lie debt While the property of thousands
of the people of Virginia is sold every
year at tax sales on account of their ina.
bility to pay TIE levy for State expenses,
the most valuable property the State
owns. more valuable than any single prop
| erty held by any State in the Union, p~o-
ducing the magnificent sum of 50, 800 600
annually, turns into the State treasury
the tritling'amount of So, 200, while 50 900, :
600 90 into the pockets of the people who
hold II club over the. heads of the Office
holders and politicians of Eastern Viz
ginia.
No constitutional change is necessary
to prevent this wholesale rape and rob
berry of the taxpayers of Virginia. The
legislature of the State isH.vested with all
'iic stubHOiItN utcuctt 10 ntIlUlt IlllS SDieu-
did property to the best advantage. \
bill was introduced in the Senate last
winter to empower the proper State au-
thortics to enter into negotiations with
proper safeguards, to lease the oyster
beds OF the State. Straightway the Scna-
tors from tidewater lifted mp their voices
and with one unanimous, mighty,..howl
tional, but later when learned iurist of
| Virginia, resident OF tidewater, had the
courage to face the committee on fisheries
AMI say that the legislature had all the
necessary powers and that such ii bill was
clearly constitutional, the ..tidewater SEN
ators abruptly adjourned the meeting and
refused to allow further consideration of
the matter. One of the tidewater solons
with more clnder than caution remarked:
| Constitutional or Unconstitutional that
is a dangerous bill and if put liz effect bv
Il Democratic legislature will Kill the
party in Eastern Virginia. 1t is not
necessary to say that this man is i'm Office.
holding partisan. lie was thinking frs,
of himself, second of his party and last of
his state His clan is numerous
The Virginia oyster beds should now be
producing IA net revenue of quarter of
"A million dollars npnunll,- o,I ,Io,,, 4, .,