Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-02-12
Important Laws.

Important Laws.
Two of the most important bills
which have been enacted into laws
by the present General Assembly
We're passed last week.
The measures referred to are the
LeCato board of fisheries bill and the
Saunders railway fence bill.
Regarding the former measure,
Senator LeCato. probably the best
Informed authority in Virginia on
every edible which comes out of salt
water, said:
81 believe the passage of the board
of fisheries bill is the most important
legislation enacted, SO far, during the
session. For fifty years oyster legis.
lation has furnished the most IN
satisfactory and vexatious subject
with which th Assembly has had to
deal. Tidewater representatives have
been always more or less divided
among themselves by reason of GER
tain local antagonisms growing out
of the several subdivisions of oys-
termen, such as the tonger, the
country people have more or less
|
revenue, but confessedly ignorant of
for attaining their object.
ut is easy to understand that any
fair adjustment Of the situation on
terms satisfactory to the local inter-
ests involved, or the equities of the
State, has been practically impossi-
BILE. The result has been miserable
patchwork of oyster legislation, that
does no favor or credit to the Tide
water interests, or the State at large.
To complicate the situation further,
there are yet other Tidewater in
dustrieS, of growing Importance, that
will soon demand State recognition,
and equally unsatisfactory legislation
the fishing. grabbing, and claiming
| industries can foresee no graver
mistake than to leave all these State
interests to take their chances for
future management in the haphazard
contest between local interest on tie
one hand, and the ill-considered
demand for State revenue on the
other. From such mis- management
it must be simply expected that the
| State will continue to suffer, both in
| its local interests and in its revenues.
A GREAT INDUSTRY.
but more than hundred thous-
and citizens of Virginia are Deepen
dent, both for employment and sup
port, on these several industries To
damage them is to strike out about
one third of the taxable values of
thirteen counties in the State. This,
then. is not the light and trivial
question it appears to many legis-
lators away from Tidewater For it
is absolutely true-though often over
looked-that nearly one third of the
revenues derived from the taxable
properties of these thirteen counties
comes Indirectly from the oyster in
dustry, though not nominally credit
ed to the oyster fund. The fisheries
of Virginia have developed many
waste places in her territory, which,
but for these industries, would be
practically valueless. Barren islands
have been covered by populous
villages, that but for the oyster beds
and planting grounds of the State
would be mere sandy or marshy
wastes. 1t is equally true that the
advantages thus provided by the
State should. in return, yield back a
fair revenue to her treasury. speak
for the Tidewater people as a class
when l say they recognize the obliga-
ton. and accept it in good faith.
Aside from a certain nondescript
contingent, indigenous to no particu
lar section OF the State, they are will
ing to meet their responsibilities
fairly, only asking for a proper ap.
probation of their rights of citizen
ship, and their protection in their
lawful pursuits.
This being the situation, the pas
sage of this bill is the first attempt
on the part of the State to recognize
the oyster industry as State bust
ness, the first attempt ever made to
apply business principles to its man.
agement. 1t is an effort to redeem
the fisheries of Virginia from the do
main of politics; to make these
industries a State question, instead
of a mere bone of sectional conten-
ton and slipshod legislation; to deal
with them on their merits, and not
as a mere foot ball in the arena Of
chance, or preJudiced legislation.
RICHEST IN THE WORLD.
Virginia has the largest and rich
est oyster. beds in the world. Such q
bountiful gift from the hand OF Prov
! idence brings with it a serious respon-
sibiiity not only to use this gift wisely
/ but to transmit it without impover-
!, ish1nent to our posterity. The State
may claim, also, the largest oyster
population in the world. The rights
and the protection Of these citizens
are in the keeping Of her lawgivers.
In dealing with these questions,
there is no room for narrow minded
preiudices or sectional unfairness.
Il have every confidence in the
wisdom, Judgment, and serious
earnestness of the Executive in mes
uring up to the responsibilities i'm
posed upon him by the act. l believe
that the men appointed by him to
make up the personnel of the board,
whether from Tidewater or elsewhere
will be men of intelligence, character
and general fitness; men Of sufficient
breadth of mental scope to take in
the full merits of the local situation,
and patriotism enough to develop
4 these industries into sources Of State
wealth and State pride. With such
management. we may hope, at last,
for long peace on the vexed oyster
question in the politics and legisla-
ton of Virginia"
The Rai,way.Fence Bill.
Mr.. Saunders's bill to compel the
railway companies to pay for the
stock killed by them has passed both
branches of the General Assembly.
In the House, the vote was something
like IS to 3. In the Senate the vote
in favor of the bill was also very
large. This successful result is the
last act in a vigorous fight which Mr.
Saunders has been conducting for