Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-11
TALK OF OYSTER TAX
DISCUSSED ny COMMITTEE on
cuEsApEAKE AND TRrnurARIEs.
BILL TO INCLUDE NATURlL BEDS
After Warm Discussion the Com
msttcc Postponcs Action-The Em-
pioycrs' Liability bili 20 TIC "e
ported Favornbly.


10 have the natural oyster-oeds' ro'Ns'
and shoals surveyed, which were oh's'''"
IN the xeodetic survey under the ac Oh
1sch,uarv - 1872 The measure, at'eF
nc,ry discussed for two hours and hait,
was mon motion OF its patron. passed.
nv without action belng taken
Mr.. Stubs opened the discussion ana
IN tho course OF his remarks said ne was
no, oppos,nS obtaining revenue from the
states oyster-beds. but ne ola "o'
20 see injustice done.
Mr.. Craig thought the state wouio SCI
much more revenue from leaving CUT VI
the survey natural oyster-beds ho' ho"
Included in the same than could be oO-
tanned from the beds II surveyed.
Ar siuhbs thought Il was the ou'y 10
encourage toneers as well as planters
s-.o~o nas for some time been a great
A., Of obiection by tOngers because Oh
the encroachruent of planters -,
s-.e~ 20 Air. CTaig's question ne tl'ue"'
az. S,s.e would greatly profit by having
thc patural rocks included IN the geo
detlc survey. -,
WANTED EQUALIZATION VI 49,
~ cralr argued at some length that
-, ,ne natural rocks outside inciuocu
1rithin the survey the state woulo re-
COVE far less revenue ina"
,oresc,, He warned the coIDinlt
fee that the mountain people w.
aroused. ana unless the oyster uS nv, ~
brought In greater revenue II 80 ..N,,,,le
rnade 20 suffer. The mountain pSolno
had IL in their power 10 tax II 10 us huIr
o,d no vvos afraid they would do so uhie's
there was a greater Willingness OH '"'
mart of those interested IN the oys'0l
industry 10 bear their share OF ''N"'o."
Mt Craig was very earnest ia us
marks. -, ,,o,,, On
x,irrsS nm over the trading-stamp hill ior
e. ,,ast two weeks he had not had time
90 investigate the subject very iu'y' pu'
rom what he had been able TO learn ue
Thought the thing 90 do was 10 ehlo''e
ne Dresent laws regarding oyster TAXA
ton. No. ,.,.y,rr
Mr. Bland. of Portsmouth. said mem
hers from other sections OF the state hau
been led 10 believe by those VINO hhe"
la-s of the subject than themselves mat
liz state Government should derive
e,,ouqh revenue from the oyster Industry
g. rim the government, and pay the state
government. He alluded in strong terms
10 the threat he said had been mace py
Mr. Craig that the mountain peop'e OF
the State would make the oysternen pay
more taxes. He thought the Piedmohl
reopla and those Of the Valley ana SOUTH
west paid no more taxes IN proportion 10
wealth than the 0ystermen. There was
no reason why natural rocks lett out Oh
the Eeodetic survey should not De IN
Guided. IL was not so much question
OF revenue that the Legislature had 70
face. but rather OF the economical aaInln-
istration of government, and the iailh-
ful carrying out of laws already on 1i7
statute books. The oystermeh were III
continual danger of being made td suffer
from legislation put through by the ma
iority from other sections of the state
In response to questions from Mr. Muir
nhv. he said the State had received IN
round numbers $4,000 of revenue from her
-oyster-beds last year. and had paid out
FOR their protection over S2s,VvJ leaNlns
net income of about 500. If the proposition
were made 10 tax the minerals in the
mountains Of the State in the same pro-
portion as the oyster-beds were taxed
such a howl would go UP as had seldom
been heard before
AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS.
Mr.. Murphy said that as he was from
Richmond. neither mountain nor Tide
water. he could speak impartially. lie
thought II a great mistake 10 suppose
Virginia would ever get a great revenue
from the oyster industry. il the present
laws were enforced the amount would be
greatly increased, but il would never be
great There was great difficulty IN pro-
tecting oyster farms. Men could come
out in dredges and steal mans oysters
right before his eyes, and he could not
prevent it.
.sWby don't he shoot" asked Mr.. Jor-
dan. a member from the mountains
eYou don't know oyster pirates" said
Mr.. Murphy. pityngly, "or you Wouldn I
talk about shooting. They come chiefly
from BaltimOre jails.'
.sWeu. it's mighty funny TO me-" said
Mr.. Gwynn, Of Smyth. Il can always
shoot 10 protect my watermelon-patch.
Mr.. Gwynn stated that well-known
authority had said the State should re-
ceive 10000 annually from the oyster IN
dustry. .,....
Mr.. Stubs said the gentleman to whom
Mr.. Gwvnn alluded was born near Char
lottesville. and had never been IN Tide
water. perhaps. until he had made sur
xev there for the State. The Underwater
senatorial district which the speaker
formerly represented. paid more taxes IN
proportion 20 population than any other
in the state, and could not stand in
creased taxation The state had spent
millions in other sections of the State,
making public improvements, while Tide
water had received nothing, yet his peo-
ole did not kick They only wanted JUS
tice.
In the course Of his remarks. Mr.
Stubs said that the oysters were prac-
tically worthless, owing TO the green
ellis lie had never seen such hard
fines among the oystermen, though he
had lived on York river Tor fifth-eight
years. .,~,,,,,,
MI Jordan said he thought it would be
GOOD thing TO rent out the natural
rocks outside the survey.
"Oh Well" said Mr.. Stubs, If you
want TO XIII the goose that lays the
golden egg. ali right"
but we don't get the egg called Mr..
Gywnn. AMID laughter.
Mr. Bland OF King and Queen, said the
people OF Tidewater were perfectly willing
10 pay "a fair share Of taxes. but wanted
no imposition.
A BAD SPIRIT.
AIr. Matthews thought that some Of The
legislators were acting in bad spirit III
thought Mr.. Craig simply wished to DC
what was right IN regard TO the question
lie said this In justice 10 that gentleman
The best thing that could be done 10 en-
tighten the members OF the Legislature
would be TO secure some one 10 deliver
lecture before the body ana fully explain
the oyster industry. The oyster industr'
was not god mine, By any means