Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-03-15

at hand, their position marked with
stakes. He cut holes in the ice, took
out his crop when the market was high
est and sold his oysters at Franklin for
81 30 barrel for the best. 1t was
Klondike. and it is most difficult to get
any information from the Worcester
county people about this industry. They
have very profitable monopoly and
they are perfectly willing to crafty the
Chesapeake oystermen by keeping it
and keeping them out of it.
The figures are not at hand to show
the extent of the Sinepuxent industry.
but it is said that as high as a thousand
barrels of oysters are shipped daily
during the season from Franklin to
New York. Philadelphia and other
Northern towns. None of the product
goes to Baltimore. All of these oysters,
of course, do not come from the Mary
land side of the line, but it is known
that the Maryland output is enormous.
oYsTERMAN's cATEcHIsM.
Conditions for profitable oyster plant
ing are far more favorable in the Ches-
apeake than in the Sinepuxent. If it is
found to be profitable to all and hurtful
to none i'll the Sinepuxent, why cannot
the same law be applied to the Chesa-
peake?
There is but one answer.
The politician will not permit it.
Why will not the politician permit it !:
The Democratic politician fears that
if he favors planting law the oyster
man will vote the Republican ticket or
will refuse TO vote for him personally.
The Republican is against planting be.
cause he fears the FISHERMAN will vote
the Democratic ticket. or ut least refuse
to vote for him personally if he favors
it. There is no greater coward than the
genuine small politician.
Why is it supposed that the oyster
Will tOlC aSdluot thG " nO
favors his best interests and the best in
terests of the State:
No man knows
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.
As to planting bills, the Democratic
politician and the Republican politician
are standing shoulder to shoulder against
the people-against the State. Each
one is willing to deny the people the
greatest of material blessings because
of the vague fear it may do him or some
of his political friends some political
harm. But there are men in this Leg
islature clear-headed enough to see that
by voting for good planting bill they
would be doing the State. the party and
themselves the greatest possible good.
These men are going to vote regardless
of the selfish aud ignorant clamor of the
small politician. II is more than likely
that such planting bill will be passed
before this session is over as will ut
least serve as another object lesson in
planting. Senator Moore and other
Senators who object to the Hannah bin
in its present form declare they will
vote for some planting bill which they
consider free from objection.
THE WORCESTER LAW.
Any citizen of Worcester county
under the act of 1883 may stake out for
planting as much as five acres in one
place But he must not infringe on the
natural beds If he does. through ig-
norance or mistake. however, he does
not lose his property, but is only re-
quired to pay just valuation of what
he has taken. Planted oysters are pro-
tected from spoilation. just as other
property is. Those working on planted
beds without authority are punished by
a fine of from SEQ to 500. instead Of I'M
prisonment. The removal of boundary
marks is also severely punished, and
the taking and carrying away of an.
other mans oysters is IA felony pun
ishable by imprisonment i'll the peni
tertiary up to two years. There is no
rental to the State for these beds. and
the license fee of 81 exacted from tong
ers is spent in putting seed oysters on
the natural bars. Oysters taken from
the Sinepuxent as from the Chesapeake
pay a tax of one cent a bushel to the
oyster fund.
PROSPEROUS PLANTERS.
\ correspondent of the SIM went over
the SinepuXent oyster plantations last
July with Mr.. Lemuel w. Onley. now a
member of the House of Delegates from
Worcester county, who is more largely
engaged in oyster planting than any
other citizen of Maryland. In "a letter
from Ocean City. published in the Sun
July s, 1901. the correspondent wrote
about Sinepuxent oyster planting as fol
lows:
Nowhere in the State of Maryland
are To be found more enterprising or in.
telligent watermen than in the bay sec
ton OF Worcester county The proof
of this is in the work they have done
and the command of capital which their
credit. based on their work, has secured
Tor them. In the first place. it is here
only in Maryland that the oyster plant