The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-08-03
vIReINIA's OYSTER LAWS.
Very Much Better Than Those OfMaryland.

The Baltimore Sun editorially prints
these remarks. which will be OF In
terest to Virginia people:
IL has often been contended the legisla-
ton regulating the oyster industry IN
Virginia il wiser than that in Maryland.
The continual increase in oyster planting
and in the production Of the bottoms in
our sister State seems to justify the con
tentiOn. The reason OF il il not haFd to
find. In Virginia so small proportion
of the State Legislature comes from the
Tidewater counties that the questions
concerning this great industry are dealt
with upon their merits and measurably
free from political complications. In
MARYLAND. on the other hand, | of the
20 Senator's and one third OF the House
of Delegates come from the oyster coun-
ties and are influenced or dominated by
the sentiments of the oyster men. In al
most all of the eleven counties represent
ed by these Senator's the oyster vote can
carry the election either way, and there
is so much political independence among
the Oystermen that they ordinarily vote
as they consider the interests Of their call
ing demand, without any care as to the
name of the party they vote with. This
vote is SO large that in the present close
division ofparties it can ordinarily decide
the political complexion of the Legisla
ture. can decide between congressman
and might hold the balance of power in
an election for Governor. Under such
conditions is was not unnatural that
neither political party should be willing
Il. g s1fn r lay
enacting any legislation affecting their
industry To which they were opposed.
There is an oyster planting law on the
statute book of Maryland, but it has n
vital defect which utilities it absolutely.
This law provides for planting oysters
upon barren bottoms but not upon nat
ural beds. Ii has been found 10y actual
experience that as soon as an oyster bed
is laid out and begins to produce oysters
fit for market there is no difficulty IN
proving that the bottom occupied was
at one time a natural bed This proved
by interested witnesses, the oysters are
declared public property, and the unior-
tunate planter loses all the capital and
labor which he has employed in the en-
terprise. These oyster plantations have
Utfl NNldAtu ~ lliiiN'hNia ~ Wv
courts that all efforts To plant oysters
under the existing law have been in effect
abandoned In Virginia better system
prevails and the oyster planters have a
reasonable protection in the enjoyment
of their property.
The great objection which the oyster
men have urged against oyster planting
laws and against leasing bottoms is that
they would afford opportunities Tor great
corporations to get possession OF the oys-
ter grounds, corner markets and reduce
independent and selireliant Oystermen
to a condition Of seridom as mere EN-
ployes OF a trust. Such result would.
of course. be calamity for which no
amount Of revenue to the State Treasury
could compensate But it would seem
TO be perfectly easy To frame the laws so
as to be a safeguard against any such
conditions. Planting laws could be so
framed AZ TO give every man now en-
gagged in longing or any other citizen un-
der proper conditions the opportunity To
stake off claim and have his own plan
tation protected by proper laws from all
marauders.