Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-09-26
AUNTY-SPEC VS.. ANTITRUST
The Old Lady Takes Up for The
Commercial Fisherman as Against
The Kid Glove Sport.

EDITOR CITIZEN:
My attention was called a few
days ago to an editorial and letter in
the Norfolk Dispatch headed "Fish
getting scarce" Ye editor launches
forth with the statement that "beef
is becoming as hard to obtain as
diamonds, owing to the prices maiG-
tanned by the packers trust"-I sup
pose about one hundred dollars per
carat. Presumably corn fed beef is
considered of the ''first water" Beef
must be pretty steep in Norfolk.
The editor thinks that we will have
to go back to vegetarianism; or, in
other words, become Nebuchadnez-
Ears and eat grass. i think that it
would be more appropriate for a
great many, by the tone of his edi-
torial and the letter, to go back to
the prodigal and feed on swine food.
But the purrort Of the combination
writing looks somewhat like the old
fable of the dog in the manger.
After his prelude on the beef
trust he proceeds to tell how the
people of TIdewater laughed and got
gay and fat over the beef trust, be-
cause they thought they had lots of
fish. And so far as the bones in
fish were concerned, they did not
mind them at all; says they don't
even notice "sueh little inconven-
iences." / take it that the people
in this progressive age are built on
the plan of the patent corn ma
chine-cut down, strip fodder, shuck
corn, etc, all at one time; no trouble
at all-good plan; wish that | had
been constructed by that set of
specifications. Then ye editor gets
serious and states emphatically "that
fish are growing scarcer in these
waters" That years ago (he don't
state how many, or whether before
the Hood or afiri) q man could go
out with hook and line and bring
home hundred, and it was actually
unnecessary to lie about how many
got away and how many he could
not bring home.
Now, Mr.. Editor, this is serious.
i don't know when l ever had any,
thing to hurt me as badly as to
know that We patriotic Virginians
slip in our back doors and lie about
how many fish we caught 1t is
terrible-not the lying SO much. but
the necessity of lying. We all know
that away back before ye editor OF
this scribe had been waited to this
beautiful Tidewater by the gentle
stork Solomon made the startling
announcement that all men were
liars; and that Annanias and his
better-half were taken out feet fore
most and consigned to mother earth
for lying; and 1 have been taught,
and SO observed, that most of us will
lie if We get in tight place.
So much for the prelude of the
He then proceeds to give
the cause for this scarcity of fish
the same old throat-sore, dog-in- the
cry-pound-nets and purse
nets. Says the meshes are so fine
that nothing can get out but the
water. lie then states that the
should make stringent
laws; says the meshes should be reg
ulated by law. Mr.. Dispatch, how
would it do for the Legislature to
make law that the meshes be so
regulated that any fish could get
through but whale or man-of-
war? That would solve the ques-
ton of our coast defences, too, In
time of war. We could stretch a
net across the Capes, and, behold,
the people of Norfolk could rest in
peace. In addition, put penalty
on all who violate said law. Let
the penalty read on this wise: For
the first offepse ninety-nire years in
the penitentiary, second offense i'm
prisonment for life, third offense
hanging. Now, this is the only
reasonable way that 1 can see to
carry out what the Dispatch wants.
The Dispatch editor claims that those
thoughts were Matched out in the
great incubator of his top-not by
the letter which / will annex here
for the benefit of the CITIZEN readers
and to comment on briefly:
"Mr. Editor:
For many years the fish which our
waters supplied In lavish profuslon were
not only source of revenue to large
number of people, but gave delightful
food at moderate price. So cheap we're
they that Chesapeake Bay was called
the poor mans larder. 1t was not un-
usual for some of our seines to land 500
bushels OF fine fish in a single haul.
Large, TAT spots were sold as low as ten
cents a peck, while thousands were
salted down for winter use. Other va
rieties were to be had almost for the
asking. Today spots sell for 75c. per
dozen. Hog fish are as scarce as the
proverbial hens teeth while all kinds
are difficult to obtain. The poor mans
cheap food is gone, adding another item
to the now terrible problem of how 10
live. Much has been written on the
subject and our Legislature has dis
cussed the pros and cons at each session.
Last fall they did pass bill forbidding
pound nets at Ocean View. But not
only has this not been enforced, but such
legislation was entirely too limited.
"An along the shores OF Chesapeake
Bay, On each side. at short Intervals, are
these denominations, reaching far out
into deep water, making It we'll nigh
impossible for any fish to escape the
snare set for them. The meshes OF the
net are so small that the tiniest young
are gathered In with the rest, only to die
and be cast aside as being worthless
thus destroying the prospect of the mex,
seasons supply.
Navigation is impeded for all craft
that have occasion to come near the
shore, in controversion of all law-State
and Federal. Each year new pounds
are constructed, until two or three are
seen on every mile of shore. Old meth
DDS of catching fish have almost been
abandoned, for instead of 500 bushels
at one haul, the seine that lands 15(
bushels is lucky.
"Hook and line fishing has lost much
Of its attractions for the sportsman
while those who make their living IN
that way have hard time keeping body