The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-12
ort Of not exceeding two to three and

You can the better appreciate the con-
| dfflon Of our oyster planters and those
engaged In culthating oysters, N you VIII
| think OF the situation OF farmer VINO
would have TO pay from Ave TO ten cents
| nor hushcl more TO thresh or freight his
wheat than his neighbor. and he compen-
cd to cut hundred acre field with the
| old-fashioned scythe instead OF the I'M
| proved reaper. for the comparison In the
work between the oyster tongs and the
dredge or scrape Is about analogous 10
| the difference between the scythe and the
| modern reaper
! DR. Charles Smith OF Northampton. the
| efficient chairman OF the Committee on
| the Chesapeake and ITS Tributaries, mas
| introduced bill completely covering TINS
defect in our present law and giving 70
our planters the sanction OF the law 10
| use the drcdge or scrape at their option.
| however he has generously ana wisely
| made his bill an important factor in rais-
ing revenue from this source by requir-
4 ing those who use dredges or scrapes 10
| nav fifty cents per acre 20 tho oyster
| Inspector Of his district before using the
| same. and this. In addition 10 the dollar
! per acre the same planters now pay 10
/ the State for the rent Of each acre. Now.
| this writer having fun knowledge OF the
| acreage and what is under cultivation
| and OF those who will avail themselves
| of this law II passed. believes that the
| revenues Of tho State will be increased AT
| least five thousand dollars by this bill
| alone. and most probably double that
| amount within a few years.
TO INCREASE REVENUE.
The House and Senate can do no more
| effective work towards raising revenue
| than TO get these bills engraftod as
| mart OF the OYSTER laws OF Virginia as
soon as possible.
Captain BAYLOR. who assisted in our
| very expensive geOdetic survey ana from
whom a letter appeared I'm the Dlspatch
on January 9TH on this subject IS not
exactly fair In his deductions, when atter
! having stated that "S20.60 was paid INTO
| the state Treasury from rentals of plant
| ed grounds I'm 1895 at 81 per acre in say
| ing i'm another part Of the same letter. !
| write from personal knowledge. when l
| state that were the t1Yes on her (Nir-
| ginia's) agricultural lands. as poorly col
| leCtcd as are her oyster taxes virginia
! would not have sufficient revenue 10 meet
/ the necessary expenses OF state govern
ment. much less the interest on her pub
lie debt" In controversion Of this state
| ment. / unhesitatingly make the asser-
| ton. that no other twenty thousand acres
| of ground be IL upland or richest anu
| vial bottom. whether used for cultivation
| or grazing. approximate paying any such
enormous tax into the Golfers OF our state
| as do these twenty thousand acres al
| ready staked in and paid on. annually by
| the oyster planters Of Tidowatcr Virginia.
| And remember. too this is not all.
| They also pay forty cents on the 500 on
| every 800 worth Of oysters or shells they
| buy 10 plant and cultivate on these acres.
on which they are already paving 81 per
| acre rental. equivalent 10 valuation ~
| $3.50 per acre from the very day the in
! spectOr assigns II 20 them. and once on
! the inspectors books there is no lodging
| this tax. and the state surely gets II, a.
| proven by the record at the Auditor
| office open 10 all for inspection. OBJ
| viously. then, II is the duty Of The Gen
| eral Assembly TO do whatever may he
done by law 20 foster and encourage
| our planters n take MP stake off and
| cultivate as many acres as possible. Tn
| der proper management with proper en-
| cOuragement by disseminating the best
| literature in condensed form on this sub
| iect among our oystermen and those liv-
| ing adjacent 10 our planting grounds I
| am confident from five thousand 10 ten
| thousand acres per year additional TO
what is now under cultivation, will be
taken up and made profitable TO the own
or and productive Of revenue to the State.
TO the extent Of five or ten thousand
| tOIldT@ Der year more imam We are now
| receiving: and this increase. al this ra-
ito. should go on under proper manage
ment for al least five or more years and
| il is the simplest arithmetic TO see that
we would be- in a rational way. enriching
our citizens engaged in these arduOus and
risky enterprises. and encouraging the
| development OF our barren planting
| grounds TO the increment Of the revenue
of the State without placing any addi-
"a lnr IN
ing to the state. willingly and unmur-
muringly $4,000 dollars annually on so
small an area. which but for their thrift.
energy, pluck and money would not DE
worth 10 the state the paper on which
the oyster law is printed Handicapped
as they are. with a law compelling them
10 use obsolete machinery. and debarred
of all capital except what they can find
| among themselves. IN Is simply wonderful
that they are financially alive
NOT FROM THE TONGERS.
| As TO the remainder of such oyster tax
as We should get. and which We do not
get. / can assure the members of the
| General Assembly we will never get it
| by attempting 20 collect il from the tong
men while allowing them to give IN an
account II their catch and taxing them
forty cents on the one hundred dollars in
| accordance with their statement. and il
/ o. tire ifl-ill Oh lOllA. Win our past tA-
| per'Cnce. not TO change tne Constitution.
| article Y section .. in regard thereto
and place before the whole State
| statute which We can submit 10 the peo-
pie and easily have ratified taxing each
boat g for license TO oyster. and II the
boat IL over twenty feet long ten cents
per foot fo- each and every foot over
twenty feet. This. I'm the opinion Of the
writer. would be- fair and just. could be
easily collected. and from the $1,000 oy-
stcrmen would yield the state $4,000 an
nually.
| This. OF course will take nearly four
years TO become "a law. but il we will
have patience and preserve our health
time will surely bring MS the fruiuon Of
our hopes before any increase of the i'm
tcrest on our outstanding bonds becomes
due.
Then we are all aware that each mem
her OF the present board OF the Chesa-
peake and Its Tributaries. while gentle
men Of large experience and most emil
nently fitted for and honoring the high Of
fees TO which We have chosen them. are
OF necessity too much engrossod and too
busily engaged with the immediate du-
ties OF their respective positions 10 give
such time and thought 10 the management
OF this important industry as il requires.
for t demands more administrative
| ability. more nursing and encourage
| mont. more activity in looking after all
| the details now than II IL had been con-
| Quoted for wears under the management