Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-07-12
c,.,z..,. R.p,y 10 Mr.. ma,,h,ws

Mr.. Editor:-Permit me 10 acknoWI-
edge the authorship of "Citizen's"
letter 10 recent issue of the ENTER
prise.n Mr.. Matthews, In his reply to
that letter, reflects in two particulars
upon the integrity Of the writer.
First, that it was the writer's purpose
to appeal to the prejudices and
arouse the passions of the people.
Citizens letter informed the people
of an existing condition, and warned
them of threatened danger, and
appealed to them to avert the one
and correct the other. II the pas
sions of the people are aroused the
person, or persons, who have created
the condition and projected the dan
ger are responsible, and the attempt
to shift the burden to other should
ers is too transparent to deceive the
least discerning. No doubt 1t would
please Mr. Matthews to have the peo-
pie remain as quiet while this law Is
being put in oper alton, as they were
in their ignorance OF its passage.
But, even though it is a little late to
clock the barn door after the horse
is stolen" the people intend to raise
their voice in condemnation of this
measure. Second, that Citizen had
not read Mr.. Matt hews' bill when he
wrote TIE letter. Space is valuable,
and for this reason / pass by the i'm
putation in the reflection. 1t is now
my purpose to criticise Mr.. Mat
thews' bill. When l have finished L
hope to have cleared myself of the
suspicion of not having read it. The
bill is based on assumptions. MI.
Matthews assumed that the people
of the seaside wanted this bill. On
this assumption he rushed the OIL
through the legislature. Ii he had
taken the trouble to consult his con-
stituency, he would have discovered,
what is now fact, that 90 per cent.
of the voters of the seaside are en-
phatically and Indignantly opposed
to it. Why should Mr.. Matthews as
sumo that Accomac wanted this Dill
The State had rejected bill con-
tanning similar provisions, ana
Northampton would have noth'
ing to DO with bill OF
like measures, and yet the gen.
tIeman proceeds, placidly and con-
tentedly, with entire satisfaction tt
himself. and to those who wish to
profit by such mistakes, to impose
on the people provisions that are re
voting to their every sense OF right
and Justice. To characterize this al
an assumption is indeed charitable
The preamble to this bill assert
that the natural rocks OF the Baylor
Survey are depleted to such an ex
tent as to be destroyed in thei
natural productiveness. This is al
assumption, pure and simple, an'
entirely gratuitous. 1t isan assump
ton in the first place, that the bed
are depleted. That they are les
productive than formerly is self-evl
dent. This fact is reserved for turtle
comment. The testimony OF oyster
men, aud the evidence from the rock
; dire city is overwhelmingly agalns
the assertion of destructive deple
ton. Oystermen are planting thel
, beds every year from these rocks
and testify to their productlveness
With proper protection they WI
continue to supply the demand 10
' seed oysters. But Mr.. Matthews as
: sumed their depletion, and wlJhou
Iconsulting the wishes OF the me
who make their bread from thes
rocks, straightway approprlates then
He claims that it is his purpose
protect the natural rocks. Ii no
can he Justify his act of condemnin
the beds and throwing them opeL I
the public on an assumptions
would seem that so valuable fraI
- chise, effecting the material wei
> hoine of so many men and the
y families, ought to have been tie su
- iact of the closest scrutiny, and u
& most rigid and impartial investig'
tion on the part of the peoples rel
It resentative, who, in particular al
J. hioher sense than other OF Acc
y mack,s citizens is the guardian
st her public rights, before allowli
IL these rights to be ttespasSed ups
IN in any degree. l submit, that Il
1t assertion of the exhaustive depletl'
Y. Of the natural rocks of the bayl
le Survey is Mr.. Matthews opinio
ID and not the evidence OF facts
of which the gentleman could have l
ar formed himself by the trouble OF as
ing. 1t is an assumption in the Sc
ond place, that because the natul
rocks are depleted they are nec'
sarily destroyed as spontaneous Sc
producing beds. Anyone who kno
ANYTHING about natural oyster 70
- is aware that it is sef-produclng a
> self-sustaining. This is the law Oh
life. 1t does not need cultivation
~ make it productive, and if prope
y pr 1tected will sustain its vlgor a
90 mower. There is no doubt that
oyster rocks of the Baylor Sur'
are less productive than in form
wears because of the constant rem
al of the refuse matter to which
spawn of the oyster adheres' I'M
mt an unavoidable consequence WI
ng the rocks have no protection.
wo is this q sufficient reason for CIV
rd these beds to private parties for
No vate user Mr.. Matthews Dill &
me that il is. Upon this dictum OF