Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-11
OYSTERS AND POLITICS.

The Cane Charles Light says mat whiie
| the present law of the State concerhihs
| the Board OF Fisheries Is not perfect IL
has accomplished more for 1ide"d'ei
Virginia than all previous legislation 'or
| the past twenty years, and that inc 'cNe-
nues from our oyster industries nave ne
come larger than even the most sahbu''e
had dreamed Of, and this. too, WITHOUT
| imposing any great hardship on those en-
| gagged In the business"
There are Virginians who THINK inc
oyster Industry could be made 10 pour
hundreds of thousands Of dollars into the
| state Treasury. These the present Ia"
does not satisfy. They have expectations
that will not down. yet are destined never
70 he realized. But inasmuch as the Ia"
NOW causes the oyster-grounds OF virginia
TO yield her a neat net revenue ana oe-
canse Of the general belief that these
revenues will gradually Increase, we thlhK
the LEGISLATURE will be little disposed to
reopen the question. But should the
main question be reopened at all, we feel
pretty sure the majority OF members
would favor policy looking to the States
getting more money than it now does
from her oyster property.
It appears to us to be better for all In
terests that the present law should be
allowed 10 stand. Some amendments may
be imperatively necessary; but. if so, we
trust they will be such as can be easily
understood So far as the foundation
stones Of the law are concerned, we doubt
If the Legislature will eyer choose better
ones. Likewise we doubt If another law
could be passed which would be more
acceptable to Tidewater Virginia.
SO we are Of the opinion that the ques-
ton would better not be reopened; put
If our oyster-country friends VIII nave
it reopened. they will find plenty of up
country men ready TO aid them to that
extent!
We learn from the Cape Charles Light
that
Judge Thomas f. Blakoly, Of Essex.
is quoted as saying: "The Board OF flsn-
cries act is working well, and the people
generally are satisfied with its operation,
though in one or two counties a few peo-
pie are fighting it vigorously
The Lights own view of the oyster ques-
ton is presented in the following para
graphs:
We are inclined TO the belief that much
Of the opposition TO the present law Is
attributable TO our peoples not fully UNI
derstanding the working Of the same,
while much Of the opposition comes, not
from the Oystermen themselves, but from
those who never caught an oyster in their
lives and care nothing about the poor
Oystermans interests, but are simply ar
raging themselves against the law for
political purposes and to gain mercenary
end 1t is against this class Of opposition
that we would warn our people our
oyster interests are too valuable to trust
them again to the political trickster and
huckster of legislation for political power
or profit.
1t is very important therefore, that the
Representatives from Tidewater should
be men who have a thorough knowledge
of the vast interests Of our oystermen.
The Dispatch does not adopt the
Lights Characterization of those who are
condemning the present Jaw; but We beg
to differ with them as 70 the wisdom of
reopening the oyster question this year.
We cannot see how Tidewater can hope
for better terms; it is far more likely to
get worse ones.