The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-24
They REPLY /; !. !.
TO.MATHEWS
Answer Of tic Majority Of tic TIC
Joint Committee on Oyster
Legislation.
THE REToRTs MADE BY THEM
Say Mr.. Mathews Was Absent
a Part Of Time and Does Not
Know Just What Was Done.

. 4. y @ II
Hons. w D. cardwell, II. e. Jordan.
"A. 3. Watkins and Julian Bryant, the
majority OF tho legislative Joint Commits
tee .on Oyster Legislation, have prepared
statement in the nature OF an answer
to tho minority report filed by Hon. 81
Wilkins Mathews, n member of the corn
mttee, In the course Of which they an.
swer In some detail tho assertions and
arguments Of Mr.. Mathews and defend
tho accuracy Of their report It Is a
typewrittcn document OF more than Six
pages, and therefore too long to print In
full.
Tliu committee denies that It examined
only ten lior cent Of the aren embraced.
within thY Baylor survey. They say IN
reply that forty per cent. OF tho states
oyster rock Is situated In Accomac and
Northampton counties, and that they ex-
anlned practically all this They deny
that they only spent u small portion Of
tho time In examination. They declare
tlat they worked all the seventy-seven
days except In storms, and even then
talked to the people. They retort that Mr..
Mathews himself was with the committee
4 but portion OF the time. and could not
tell what the majority actually did, The
examined without Mr. Mathews ac-
REPLY TO CHARGE. s
AS TO the charge that they. picked the
rocks TO examine at the suggestion Of
packers and planters, actuated by self
interest. they reply that It could not be
expected that any save those desiring to
lease rock would take the trouble to show
the committee where the barren or de-.
11lcted portion was. Accompanying the
committee we're twenty times as many
tongers as planters, and the tongers
were represented whenever they examined
rock. 5
The committee then quotes Mr.. Ma
thews against himself, printing the pre-
Amble Of bill Offered last year by him
In the House and enncttd into law, as
follows:
Whereas, there are within the limits. OF
the Baylor survey, on the eastern or
ocean side OF Accomac county. many
acres designated as natural oyster rock
which are not now ma ural oyster rock.
much or which said ground woS included
IN said survey by misrepresentation, and
much OF which has been depleted since
said survey was made to such an extent
that there Is no hard substance left upon
which oysters can catch; and
Whereas this condition exists on the
eastern or ocean side OF said county to
an extent far more serious than in any
ttller counties Of the State. Il great, neccs-
stty exists for an immediate remedy; and
Whereas the State at this time receives
no revenue from the said ground, etc. a
Tho act has since been repealed, but
TIC facts recited therein BY Mr.. Mathews.
tho committee aver. have not changed.
There arc other counties In which a more
E6rious condition exists than in Acco-
mac.
SAFEGUARD PRODUCTIVE ROCK,
The majority promise 10 rigidly safe.
guard the productive rocks from any dam
ger as a. result Of leasing out barren or
depleted rock. The committee cannot
Fec how tho lease of depleted rock can
pauperize so many, as Mr. Mathews al
lcges It Will. They contend that on the
contrary employment will be furnished
those now eking out n livelihood and at
more remnuera ton. Ten acres, they con-
tend when planted will furnish more en-
nloymcnt and better returns than 100
barren acres, as now. II
The committee deny that there Is any
thing In the j ordan bill that will injure
The claiming Industry. This class catch
CLANS uncertlieir oyster liconse, No extra
tax is exacted therefor. Working OF clam
beds In oyster spawning season. the COM
mittee contends. tends to the destruction
OF the oyster beds.
The com51ittce answers the charge that
negroes will be enlisted as employees BY
planters by asserting that a large majority
Of the tongers are negroes. 'the commit
tee denies that the Jordan bill will "break
ur'' or In any way affect the Grabbing In
tustry, as Mr.. Mathews charges would
result. The amount collected from crab
bcrs last year was but $50.
The committe express amazemcnt Mt
Mr.. Mathews charge that there has been
no dimnution OF the quantity OF seed
oysters. Every tonger who appeared, they
reply, admitted that the quantity OF both
seed and marketable oysters on the nat
,ral rocks is decreasing year by year the
increase In the business Is attributed to
planted beds. and it is thus that tho COM
1ni,tec bill hopes to foster the Industry
and increase tho States revenue. The
answer OF the committee quotes statis-
tics showing how the Industry has grown
in other States and countries by tho very
plan they propose, viz: Lease and culti-
walton OF tho barren or depleted rock.
ST, MARY'S BAZAAR.