The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-17
MR.. GARRETT ON ROADS and OYSTERS

The Republicans held a well attended mass
meeting at Beckleysville, 9Th district on satur-
day night last at which speeches were made by
Mr.. Jas. Z. Ingram, Jr. and Mr.. Robert Garrett,
of the legislative ticket, and Mr.. John s. Ensor,
nominee for States Attorney. Mr.. Garrett,
who devoted his attention almost entirely to
the road question, said in part:
lone of the chief questions of Importance to
the voters of this State and of county in this
election is the improvement of our roads, the
highways and byways, upon which we are so de-
pendent. Many of us become so accustomed to
dumping along day by day as we drive from
errand that we forget the disagreeable features
of the road-the ruts, the puddes, the stones
and we hardly realize the advantages that would
be gained by each and every one of us in the
county by the proper improvement of our road
system as whole. TApplause.l /.
Let me recall to your minds one or two of the
advantages that are to be gained by it.
You will agree with me, feel sure, that the
comfort of travelling on road that is made and
maintained in a state approaching smoothness-
that of city asphalted Streets we'll worth ex-
periencing. This is perfectly true, too, whether
we ride in a buggy, a cart or a hay wagon or
travel on foot for we meet with the same dust,
loose stones and, after ralnstorm, an ample
supply of mud. But this is minor dsadvan-
tage. A more important one and one that per-
haps we do not often consider is the cost of re-
pairs to the owner of a wagon of any sort. A
good, smooth macadamiZed surface on our high
ways and lanes would reduce the cost of repairs
at least by half, and our pockets would be that
much more comfortable.
"A more important consideration STILL how
ever, is the effect of good roads on the expense
account of the man who is dependent upon
horses and mules. think it is fair to state that
one draft animal can haul one-third or one-half
more weight on a smooth road than one full of
ruts and covered with mud or, looking at the
question from another point of view, two horses
on a good road can do the work that it takes
three or, maybe even four to do on a bad road.
Think of the unnecessary expense the farmer or
1rrrlr oNfo h.Nrc
is put to in the original cost of the animal he
should not need and in the cost of the feed he
has to giveit. So much for the actual advantage
of improved roads.
"Now do you my friends, realize that you can
have these good roads in the near future and
VIII Gap f6f tkat Great
dollar? shall try to explain to you how this
can be done although probably many of you are
fully aware of the method. In word, it can be
done through the development of the oyster cul-
ture in the Chesapeake bay.
II shall take the liberty of quoting to you a
few striking statements published by DR.. Will
liam N. Brooks, of the Johns Hopkins Universi-
ty, one of the greatest authorities on this sub
ject, and which are to be found in his book en-
titled The Oyster He says: Our oyster beds
are our greatest source of wealth and upon them
more than upon our commerce, our manufac-
lures or our farming land the future wealth and
prosperity and population of our State depend.
Everyone who is interested in Maryland, all bus
mess men who will be benefited by an increase
in wealth and population, all farmers who pay
taxes to the State and all persons who own prop
greatest source of wealth is almost absolutely
undeveloped. The wealth which is within the
reach OF our people and their descendants from
the oyster grounds of the State is great almost
beyond expression, and it is not too much to af-
firm that the money value of the grounds under
the water is equal to that of the dry land.
"'Our method of managing the oyster indus
try so far has been failure; it has had thor
ough trial, extending through many years and
here are the results. 1t has yielded on the av-
erage some 10, 100000 bushels of oysters annually
from grounds which are capable of yielding
ruin of some of our finest beds and to the very
great injury of all of them, while other states
have greatly increased the value of their beds
at the same time that they have enlarged and
extended their fisheries instead of restricting
them. 1t has given a precarious employment
for few months in each year to about $4,000
oystermen, while our grounds should give pro-
fitabe employment the year around to 100000
"These are startling facts, and the whole State
should arise to remedy this distressing situation.
These statements l have quoted were written
some years ago, and the conditions are even
worse today. The annual production of oysters
is diminishing rapidly. and only short time ago
the press announced that our State is importing
a large quantity of oysters from other States.
Now the relation of this subject to that of i'm
proved roads in Maryland is simply this: 1t is
conservatively estimated that under an ade-
quate law regulating the oyster industry the
Sta State viii receive annually no less than $780,
bic of judging the question that the annual rev.
enue will be nearer 81 600 900 in few ye9rs than
100000 The expenses incidental to the carry
ing out of such a law will be small, and the re-
mainder of the receipts can be applied to any
other purpose the State may see fit. 1t is pro-
posed to introduce in the Legislature, after an
Oyster law is passed, bill calling for the appli-
cation of this money to the betterment of the
roads throughout the State. This would give
Baltimore county a road fund approximately
amounting to between 100000 and $4,000. This,
in addition to the present appropriation for road
purposes.
"fhis is a result that we should strive for with
zeal, and if you elect me to the Legislature
you can rely upon me to work earnestly to-
ward that end. / can promise you, too, the sup
port of all the candidates of the Republican
party for any measure that will bring about the
result have outlined and which at the same
time will not injure any. person in the State
the oystermen, those who depend indirectly
upon the oyster industry for livelihood, or any
one else that may be involved in the matter"