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


there are 1900 tongmcn I'm the Tidewater
district. II the required tax Of s. per an
mum each were paid the State would re-
cove S30Oa per annum from this source
alone. Ns matter OF fact the amount
turned into the treasury Is about SSV~.
Inc constitution provides that ciuzen
cannot be taxed FOR taking oysters from
che natural rocks. But We get AROUND
this by imposing q license tax OF forty
cents upon tho one hundred dollars worth
OF sales This ought 90 bring in large
revenue to the STATE. But % does not
sWhy? We shall sec later
THE charges FOR planting grounds ~
tho state not already leased are 81 per
acre bv the year. As a matter Of fact
hundreds and thousands OF acres or
planning grounds are muse. ! think some
81 90 per annum should come 10 The
state from. this source. But the
actual receipts are astOnishingly small.
so far have not said much about the
fishing and Grabbing industries. BW each
of these could DO made n source OF much
revenue to the state. At present small
amount is collected from the license on
the Gsh industry az applied to those used
for the manufacture OF fertilizers. and
little revenue s. also obtained from the
tax on certain kinds Of hsh-nsts. My bill
provides that there be collected not only
a license upon every fsh-uet in IideWatcr
Virginia. but that tax be imposed on an
the Grabbing boats. BY this means
snug revenue could be obtained from the
fish and Grabbing industry
THE TAXES EVADED.
"The bin seeks 10 bring about such COM
ditions IN the way OF taxation upon these
industries as TO settle in great measure
the fractional differences existing through
ont the oyster district 1 have known FOR
"A long time that the taxes which are due
the State from the oyster and ilan lhduS-
tries were largely evadcd, and that
something would have to' bc done lest
this source of revenue be cut down 10
still smaller figures. The State is under
heavy expense in keeping zap her oyster
navy for the protection against Maryland
ovstermcn and other outsiders OF the
very mon who are cvlding in ono way OR
another the laws bearing on this industry
The result is that the revenues from this
source scarcely moro than cover the $i9.-
O0J annual expenditure required 20 Keep
mp the oyster navy. This ought NOT 80 Doe.
Tie revenues should be from two to three
times as large as they actually are with
out working ary hardship whatever upoh
those engaged in the industry.
"If my bin becomes a law ] will guar
autee to the Legislature that within
twelve months after its passage the rev
enues to The state from The oyster indus
try viii Doe az least twice so large as al
present. and that they Will steadily in-
crease 10 larger extent stu.
with the present State OF affairs a very
serious difficulty. indeed the principal DIFF
fculty. lies I'm the fact that there no
responsible head 10 this great industry.
We have the Board ON the Chesapeake
composed Of the Governor, the Treasurer
and the Auditor All OF these arc worthy
gentlemen. and thoroughly conscientious
fin the performance of their duties. Still
an OF them live i'm Richmond, nearly
hundred miles away from the oyster dis
irict. They have duties 10 perform here
ana have practically no time 20 devote 20
the study and interests of the oyster In
duetrv. The result is that they are abb
solutely ignorant Of the question, and
know nothing Of the conditions prevailing
I'm that district. Once or twice year
,hey take "a trip Of "a day or two through
tho oyster district 10 inspect matters.
Their coming IS heralded far ana wide
throughout the oyster district. Everybody
rules up and gets prepared for them ana
they 20 home with the belief that every-
thing IS IN good shape and working Well,
though they have learned nothing about
year and reports are turned in from the
inspectors and fled That is the last OF
them-a kind OF routine performance.
A FISH COMMISSION.
"Tlds should be changed or there viii
never be any financial improvement ln
the revenues from this source. How are
we going 10 do it2 There is only one
remedy Tor the trouble. III Is TINS as
rroyldad ian the bin. Appoint board OF
Fish Commissioners. consisting OF I'VE
members so be chosen By the Governor
and ratified by the Legislature. lhese
must be intelligent men VINO can give
their time and study To the oyster ana
fish Industries with view TO improving
the same. and also increasing the IeNe-
nues from that source. nv OH pro
Nides that two or the members oi 'Ii'7
board shall be residents OF the uueNalet
district and shan be experts on the oys-
ter and fish industries. The other ihice
members of the board shall come from
the finland district but shall DE mlelh-
gent practical men.
ITSELF i'm close touch with the oyster ana
tsh industries from every Standpoint
and inform itself of all the conditions pre-,
Nailing The board ShdH nave niodu
mowers. and shall be responsible only 10
Ia. Governor and to the Legislature. 1T
shall have the power 10 appoint an lhe
oyster Inspectors in the state VINO ln
furn shall be directly responsible 10 ana
shall report TO the board. This VIII be
a great advantage. such an arrange
ment has long been needed
According 10 the present system Whlch
is about the worst that could be ia opera
tion The inspectors are appointed in the
various districts by the county Judges.
The inspectors qualify and that IS about
the last heard of many or thcn- nut ior
some routine reports which are turned lh
and filed at the Auditors Office. These
INSPECTORS are responsible directly 10 no
one. After they qualify the judges VINO
appoint them have done tAer part ana
DO not concern themselves luIlher'
True, they have the power 10 remove the
inspectors when the latter fan 10 perform
their duties. But who viii decide about
The Judges do not make any particular
inquiries into these matters. and people
engaged in private oyster interests say u
is no business Of theirs 60 NEEDLE with
the duties and affairs Of the inspectors.
What b. the resultY Why. that thou
sands OF acres of oyster planting ground
belonging 10 the State are in use without
supplying any revenue whatever
NOT PAYING UP.
Furthermore thousands of dollars worth
of oysters are being handled weekly with
out turning intO the treasury the license
on sales Hundreds of tongmen are car
rying on their business from month -
month without paying the required tax.
"How can This be remedied? YOU ask.
nv making AN these inspectors directly
RESPONSIBLE TO the Board OF Fish Commits
sioners The Board shall see then that
the tongmcn pay their taxes.
Another important thing D. this. The
oyster navy of the state Is now under The
control OF the board on the Chesapeake
to which an reports have 20 Dee made. \
provision in the bill which ! have pre-
pared will change this so as TO bring tho
oyster navy under the control OF the pio-
posed Board OF Fish Commissioners who
shalt make all appointments Tor the
same. This would make the navy far
NOR. effective