The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-08-28
OUR OYSTER INDUSTR

must have made many people III MARY
land open their eyes with astonish-
ment. Here is State which owns
100000 acres of oyster grounds and
has a worldwide reputation for the
quality of it's product actually import
ing oysters from New York. This is
far more extraordinary than carrying
Goals to Newcastle. Instead of i'm
porting oysters for its packing indus
try Maryland should be able to supply
from its own waters the demands OF
the packers in this State and should
have surplus to sell to other States
In "The Sun" of today are presented
other statements, pro and con, which
indicate difference of opinion on the
subject, but which leave the question
at issue where it was left by the last
and several previous Legislatures.
That the efforts which have been
made in the last few years to save
Maryland's oyster industry from de-
struction have met with failure is GER
tainly reflection upon the intelligence
and the devotion to public interests of
those who were responsible for the de-
feat of oyster legislation. While Ma
ryland has been neglecting it's oppor-
tunities other States, whose legislators
are more enlig htentd and apparently
more anxious to promote the welfare
of their constituents, are growing rich
by improving oyster beds that are in
ferior to those of Maryland. Thus it
happens that great food supply IN
this State is disappearing; that oyster
canneries are either importing supplies
from other States or moving to States
where a supply can lie procured.
Many people in Maryland are losing a
profitable employment, because, for
various reasons, none of which is valid
and conclusive, the majority of the
men elected TO past Legislatures have
refused to sanction scientific system
Of oyster planting and culture. The
last Legislature had under considcra-
ton a measure (the Haman bill) which
would have established the oyster in
dustry on a solid and lasting founda-
ton. Thai measure was defeated, de-
spite the fact that it was liberal in its
provisions that it embodied the re-
suits of thorough investigation of
the subject; that it was improved by
planting. 1t proposed to utilize the
barren oyster beds for the restoration
of the industry and devote such reve-
nue. as might be derived from rentals
to the improvement of county roads.
Notwithstanding the unanswerable al
guments which we're presented in ia
vor Of its passage it was defeated by
the same influences which have always
been arrayed against any proposition
to save a great Maryland industry
from destruction by wise aad practi'
cal system of oyster culture.
Mr.. Shriver expresses the belief that
sit is not yet too late to recover the
oyster trade if the Legislature to be
elected in the fall does its duty" II
the people of Maryland awaken to a
sense of their own interests they will
see to it that the next Legislature is
composed of men who will make the
necessary provision for preserving an
industry that is threatened with de-
struction because Of the shortsighted
ness or the selfish opposition Of the
majority Of the members Of the Gen
eral Assembly in past years. This Is
matter in which those who want i'm
proved county roads and those who
desire to place the oyster industry OF
a solid basis have common interest
1t is for the people Of Maryland, who
will be the chief benefciaries OF com
prehensive plan of oyster culture, tt
decide whether those influence which
have been chiefly responsible for thu
decline of the oyster industry shall
dominate the next Legislature, o.
whether that body shall be composed
of men who, when lgislating on Thu
oyster question, will consider public
interests and the general welfare 0
paramount Importance. That is tn
issue in a nutshell. If TIM people o
MARYLAND desire to restore their oys
ter industry they will make their in
fluence felt in the selection Of candi
dates fou the Legislature.-Boutmor
Sun.
The Democratic State Convention
of Ohio, nominated Tom L. johnson
for Governor by reclamation and in
dorsed the Kansas City platform. III
Nebraska Democratic State Conven
ton also reaflirmed the Kansas Git.
platform.