Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-06
IMPORTANT LAWS.
CREATING FISHERIES BOARD AND
MAKING RAILWAYS FENCE.
THE OYSTER INDUSTRY DISCUSSED.
Senator LeCato Talks of Ills Mca-
sure aud of the oyster Beds Of
virsinia-The Great Fight OF Mr..
Saunders.
Saunders.


Two Of the most important bills which
have been enacted into laws by the pres
ent General Assembly were passed last
week
The measures referred 20 are the
LeCato board of fisheries bill and tho
Saunders railway fence bill.
Regarding the formsr measure. Sena-
tor Lecato. probably the best informed
authority In Virginia on every edible
which comes out Of salt water. said:
II believe the passage OF the board Of
fisheries bill is the most important leeis-
latIon enacted, so far. during the session.
For fifty years oyster legislation has
furnished the most unsatisfactory and
vexatious subject with which the As
sembly has had to deal. Tidewater rep
resentatives have been always more or
less divided among themselves by reason
OF certain local antagonisms growing out
of the several subdivisions OF OYSTER
men. such as the tonger. the dredger, and
the planter. The up-country people have
been more or less united in their demand
for state revenue, but confessedly igno-
rant of the local conditions and the
means for attaining their object.
'Tt is easy TO understand that any fair
adjustment OF the situation on terms
satisfactory 10 the local interests IN
volved. or the equities Of the State. has
been practically impossible. The result
has been miserable patchwork of oyster
legislation, that does no favor or credit
10 the Tfdewater interests, or the State
at large To complicate the situation
further. there are yet other Tidewater
| industries. Of growing Importance. that
! will soon demand State recognition, and
| equally unsatisfactory legislation--ths
| fishing. Grabbing. and claiming indus
| tries can foresee no graver
! mistake than TO leave all these state IN
terests TO take their chances for future
management I'm the haphazard contest
| between local interest on the one hand,
| ana 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 I'm it's local interests and In It's rese-
nues.
"Rut more than a hundred thousand
citizens of Virginia are dependent, both
| for employment and support, on these
| several industries. To damage them IL
| 60 strike out about one-third OF the TAX.
| able values Of thirteen counties tnSks
| State. This then, is not the psnt ana
trivial question 1t appears TO r.any ies's'
lators away from Tidew~-tor. FOR u is
| absolutely true-though oftep over
| looked--that nearly one-third or the rove
nues derived from the taxable proper
ties of these thirteen counties comes In
directly from the oyster industry. though
not nominaly credited 10 tho oyster
fund. The fisheries OF Virginia have de-
veloped many masterpieces In ner ter
ritorv. which. but for these industries
would be practically valueless. Barren
islands have been covered by populous
villages. that but for the oyster-bea:
and planting-grounds OF the state "ouio
he mere sandy or marshy wastes. III
equally true that the advantages thus
proyided by the State should. In return
WELD hack a fair revenve TO her urea
surv. speak for the Tidewater people
as n class when ] say they reoognizs
the obligation. and accept Il In good
faith. Aside from a certain nonoescrip'
contingent indigenous 10 no particuiat
section of the State. they are willing 10
meet their responsibilities fairly, oniy
asking for a proper appreciation OF their
rights OF citizenship. and their pro'ec-
ton in their lawful pursuits.
",rhis being the situation, the passage OK
this bill is the first attempt on the part
I az the State to recognize the oyster IN
| ,IuStrv as a State business. the nrst at
tenpt ever made to apply business prin'
cinles 10 its management. IL Is an ef-
fort 10 redeem the fisheries or virginia
from the domain of politics; to make
these industries q State question, instead
of a mere bone OF sectional contention
and slipshod legislation; TO deal Win
them on their merits, and not as a mere
foot ot-ball in the arena Of chance, or pre-
JUDGED, legislation.
RICHEST IN THE WORLD.
Virginia has the largest and richest
oyster-beds in the world. such boun-
tiful gift from the hand OF Providei.ee
brings with It a serious responsipih.y
to use this gift wisely, but 10 uai'snil'
IL without impoverishment TO our pos
terity The State may claim "lso, tno
largest oyster population in the world
the rights and the protection OF these
citizens are in the keeping or her law
givers. In dealing with these questiohs'
there is no room for nar-ow-minded pre-
fudices or sectional unfaaness.
at have every confidence In the wisuom'
s,dgnant and serious earDestness OF the
Executive in measuring up TO tne re-
snonsibilities imposed upon him by tne
az, believe that the men appolntsa
. hv him to make up the personnei OF tho
hoard. whether from Tidewater or eise-
where will be men Of intelligence. cha-
racter and general fitness; men OF SUM-
cient breadth OF mental scope TO take
in the full merits OF the local sitnations
ond natriotism enough 10 develop tnese
! Industries into sources OF State we4i0i
and state pride With such manage
ment we may hope. at last, Tor a 'onS
peace ON the vexed oyster question Ia
tbe nolltics and legislation or virginia
The RaiIwny-Fence Dill.
Mr. saunders's bill to compel the rail-
wav companies 10 pay for the STOCK
l,tiea bv them has passed both branches
~ the General Assembly. IL the House.
tho vote was something like 81 10 3. IN
,he senate the vote in favor or tho Dill
was also very large. This successful re-
sult IL the last act IN a vigorous hsnt
which Mr.. Saunders has been conducting
for some years in the General Assembly.
1.ach session he has brought into the con-
test the experience and knowledge cameo
"a former sessions, and pressed MS
measure with untlring diligence.
Tbe hattie opened on the first Gay OF
,ho present session by n change In tho
, ~uIes 30 as 10 provide against ohstructive
tactics by the opposition. lmmeui-
otsiv following the change IN the rules
cama the introduction OF the stock Dill
- was reported adversely from the cora
mlttee but al no time was the result y"
doubt IN the House.