The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-09-03
SEPTEMBER 3, 1901.
Weather forecast for Fred
erickS6urg and Vicinity.
PGTtiV cloudy 10 RiQht light
ohGngeG6le aoiRdSs
PROTECT OUR SEED OYSTERS.

PROTECT OUR SEED OYSTERS.
Under this CAPTION the Cape Charles
Light recently had a lengthy edito-
rial. thegi of which may besummed
up in the following e. tract:
1T has been a moOted question in COM
mercial circles whether protection or free
trade is best for the industries O, the
country, but the time is now at hand
when the natural resources of the Eastern
Shore need protection in its Il uest sense.
The seed oysters of Northampton county.
especially on the seaside. are one of the
greatest sources of Industry we have, fur
nishing, as they do, a basis of supply for
the planteran shipper of these delicacies
- Ii is a well-known fact that while the
natural rocks on the seaside are very pro-
life, yet, year after year, boats from the
bayside and from the seaside of AccOmac
county comprise the majority of those
engaged in taking oysters from North
amptoL waters TO the almost depletion
of our natural rocks. From the first OF
the oyster season until about Christmas
the bayside boats flock to the Potomac
river in search of natural growth oysters
for market, and take out license for that
purpose, which is separata and distinct
from the seaside license. Having long
ago depleted the natural beds ON the
bayside OF Accomac these boats are COM
PEELED TO seek the WesteIn Shore and the
Potomac river as a basis of supply for
marketable oysters. MJer Christmas they
return home and are fitted up for the
seaside.
In advocating better protection
to Virginia's seed oysters our Cape
Charles contemporary but echoes the
sentiment which seems to pei wade all
Tidewater. How to do it effectually
is a question which has conf 'Onted
many IT 1ds, and which is as yet an
unsolved p-ob'em. Another point is
also here drawn o, that has long
been a subjt of interest to certain
localities ;ch is, How to prevent
rowing bands of oyster men from
working upon rocks distant from
their abodes and the 'Jcalities where
they license The oystc laws permit
any citizen of the State to catch Oys-
ters from the natural rC,Es wherever
found within our limits. For this
purpose reg istration andlcense must
be obtained from some Inspector.
Doubtless there are manyNno dOnOt
comply with the license provision,
and escape Punishment. InfractiOns
occur often among the migratory
class composed mostly of negroes.
The complaint touched on by our
contemporary is OF mu, b moment to
the oyster people o. the Potomac,
Rappahar Ock. James and other riv-
ers of the State. Whole colonies of
oysterme1-mostly cOlored, as stated
move ION one Oy steF ground to
another, according TO The advantages
offered, alter having depleted the
rocks in TIE verify of their homes.
For instance, hundreds OF "IOrk riv-
ermen WI be found living in boats
or rudely cor str acted shanties on the
shores OF the Kappa haauOck, where
they havegone to work, and occasion
ally a miniature war RACES between
them and the RappahannOck people.
The Potomac and James river people
in turn complain OfcOlOnies from the
Rappahan1ock and Eastern Shore
during certain seasons "depredat-
ing" as they view it, upon eirIght-
ful possessions.
Many of these predatory peOplepay
no Tense, WI 'e those that do are
reported from the inspector and dis
trict where they reside. There is some
excuse, then, in the resident oyster
man objectiHg TO this infiu-, com
posed for the greater part as it is OF
a shiftless class, While the resident
Taxpayer has to be satisfied with
what is left by the human locust For
the most part the stationary oyster
man is man OF fam y and oftentimes
a heavy taxpayer to the State
Though often agitated there seems
little solution for the trouble. The
onlyfeasible suggestion is one that is
always stunned by the legislator, for
it is as much as bis political scalp is
worth to deal with it. The idea has
been presented that the law should be
changed so as to prohibit an oyster
anfrom working in any other than
the district IN Which he resides and is
licensed. This would solve the ques-
ton, though its hardships would bear
upon large class of people, for the
most part colored tongmen.
THERE is a feeling OF distrust in the
hearts of Americans that the yacht