Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1902-02-15
THE PRACTICAL SOLUTION OF THE
OYSTER QUESTION.
From Marrland RepnblIean

OYSTER QUESTION.
Prom Maryland Republican
For years, in fact, ever since the oyster
supply began TO grow less, caused by the
ever increasing demand, the different in
terests have been pitted one against the
other. Laws have been enacted from
time TO time TO keep one interest from in-
turing or running another and to give
the oyster temporary respite. But dur
ing all this time very little serious effort
has been made looking to helping nature
10 replenish what all engaged in the oys-
ter industry have seemingly been striving
with might and main TO destroy, bent
only on the profits OF the day and with
no care for the future. The RESULT what
was 10 have been expected and what
many serious students of the oyster fore
told and warned against. Aud when we
say serious students we do not mean
alone the scientific men, but many prac-
teal oystermen who, though they may
not have been able TO present learned
reasons and pages OF statistics, saw just
"a clearly and gave ~ certain warning.
And what il this RESULT The oyster has
become so scarce that no man who is de-
pendent on it for u livelihood feels any
very great confidence in the certainty and
security Of his livelihood. Yet with this
condition staring the oyster interests in
the face, the different interests seem more
inclined 10 battle one against the other
than TO unite for the good OF all. Des-
pite the fact that the great Baltimore
Sun has espoused the cause of one inter-
est and at the risk of its criticism, we are
constrained to say that we believe the
people who are advocating and who are
behind the leasing scheme are today more
in the way OF practical solution OF the
oyster question than any or all Others.
Our reason is that they propose a scheme
40 radical, that IL can only be fitly de-
scribed as revolutionary. Technically and
aud legally, IL may be that the State has
the right TO lease the bottoms of the
Chesapeake and its tributaries TO few
oi It's citizens and to secure them against
all others But has it equitably
and morally? Technically aud legally
the citizens OF Alleganey, Garrett
and Washington may be equally entitled
90 and equally interested in the waters
OF the bay as the citizens OF Anne Arun
del, Somerset and Dorchester. But are
they really2 We think not. Ii every oys-
ter in the bay and its tributaries We're
destroyed we doubt il that fact would
cause any Inconvenience TO any citizen OF
the westerncounties But thatiact would
be an appalling calamity TO the tide-wat-
or counties, acalamity much greater than
ii every coal mine in the western coun-
ties should suddenly give out And yet
we are told that the State ought not to
consider specially the interests OF these
tide-wate counties in the matter of oys-
Ger legislation, but that it ought ruth
lessly to destroy their heretofore COM
mon right of fishery in the waters OF the
bay and its tributaries and give no more
heed nor consideration to them than to
other citizens who dwell far away from
the oyster lands This is not the spirit
In which TO approach this eatquestion.
The special, direct and vital interests OF
tide-water counties should be considered
beyond the general, indireetand compara-
lively unimportant interests OF the other
counties, or OF the State as a whole. Ii
the question be approached in this latter
spirit Ivy all who are specially interested
in the oyster and by those who, though
not especially interested, see such a mine
OF wealth at the bottom of the bay and
it's tributaries, that their mouths fairly
water to get private ownership of it, we
believe the oyster can be made mine of
wealth a mine OF wealth for all the peo-
pie of the State. We, therefore, appeal to
all who have the interests of the oyster
industry at heart, TO all who believe that
the bay aud it's tributaries can be made
a source of great wealth TO the State, to
drop their selfish interests, toforego their
pride OF opinion, TO cease lighting each
other and destroying the oyster, and to
unite To secure wise legislation to make
this great water common the fertile and
productive field OF wealth which it ought
TO bc and which we believe it can be
made.