Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-30
Written for the D,spatch.)

.
This effort will be to show the fallacS
and inexpedicncy of the present policy
OF the State in the management OF her
natural oyster bcds-if I were TO say the
mismanagemept it would suit the case
bettcr-for if chaos ever reigned supreme.
II mas done so on our common ground
IN the Chesapeake and its tributaries.
land and mountain representatives of the
Virginia Legislature. Being noun
taineer I would not think of addressing
a communication on the oyster subject
to my Tidewater colleagues, who believe
they are the only people in the state
that know anything about the oyster.
or are susceptible TO the knowledge OF
that product on our own common prop
erty.
We inland and mountain folks don't
claim to know. much about the oyster
We have not had their opportunities to see
the working of the great farm under the
bay as our Tidewater associates nave,
hut we do know from what we read and
hear from the Tidewater people them
selves, and others. that it is wonder
fully rich and productive property. and
that other States with one tenth the
resources OF Virginia. in this respect,
have left her so far in the rear that IL
will strain all her energies to line up with
her sister States in the march OF progress
and the use of public domain
The idea of q mountaineer knowing
ANYTHING about oysters is scorned by the
average Tidewater man. l was taunted
no longer than yesterday. with a sar'
castle remark. bearing out this state
ment II we don't know anything about
the business generally we can calculate
some. and know when the balance is
On the right side Of the ledger. and every
body that knows anything at all about
he business OF the natural oyster beds
knows that the balance has been on the
wrong side from start to finish.
DEPLETED BEDS.
The Tidewater folks say that things
get mixed down there sometimes but
hold that they know all about the oys-
ter business. Well. if destroying the nat
ural beds. and bringing the State in debt,
is evidence of oyster knowledge they
have 1t. sure Under their stewardship
the wealth of this rich common property
has drifted into other commercial chan
,1els enriching aliens, while the citizens
If Virginia nave been powerless to avail
themselves of birthright-
The people of the State are forced to
support an oyster navy to keep the bene-
ticiaries from destroying the property
they get all the proceeds from. This is
most unnatural state of affairs. No law
or laws are observed by our oystermen,
and the great subterranean plantation
under the Chesapeake and its tributaries
IS being daily converted into barren
waste.
The public working of oyster beds with
unrestricted fishing means to TINS STATE
what it has meant to all others, that
sooner or later she must succumb to the
inevitable destruction that has visited
all other countries that have worked the
beds as We are doing. History plainly
tells us. without a single exception. that
our system only needs time to work de-
struction, and the barren and depleted
area Of our territory plainly shows the
work as advancing rapidly. l have no
quarrel with any class of our TideWater
people they are Influenced by the con-
dition. traditions, and practices OF that
section OF the country for three centuries,
and il is hard for them to get out OF
the old ruts / don't believe they ever
will without strong aid from their inland
partners in the business. They have
failed utterly to meet the necessiles OIL
the times in this case. and ] think new
material should be introduced in the man
agement Of this mutual plantation that
is free from local environments There
is one thing certain, il the mountain
people did take a hand in the manage
ment Of it. j can conceive of no manage
,neDt that could be worse than the pres
ent Their ways are the ways of destuc-
lion. the same as practiced 1000 years
ago. Suppose we would try to raise farm
crops by the process of>a thousand years
ago, what would be the result? Could
our great trucking farmers cope with
the truckers of other sections without the
scientific and modern methods and APP
pliances of the age? Scientific oyster
culture has made the same strides and
progress as scientific agriculture.
The Chesapeake and its tributaries have
escaped that total destruction that Wis
tied most all the other beds Of this coun-
try SO far, but all our natural beds are
greatly reduced by everlasting and lack
Of compliance with the laws. and thous-
ands OF acres are completely exhausted
and will never produce again without the
aid and genius OF man. The reason our
beds have not totally failed as in other
States and countries is because of the
vast area they occupy, aided by the kind
est and most generous gifts Of nature for
the propagation of the oyster: The food,
climate, temperature of the water. and
Jack Of myriads of enemies common in
pther water have stood by us in this
emergency, but the work of destruction