The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-12-05
LEGISLATURE.
PASSES JORDAN BILL
The Houss Votes To Open Oyster
Beds To PIsntsrs-17o, 900 Acres
Are involved.

T..
strong appeal 20 the house not TO adopt
the Jordan bill which he said, would
sap the very vitality of the people Of
Tidewater Virginia by taking from them
the blessing which God In His love and
mercy had seen tit to bestow upon them.
Me. Whitehead, Of Norfolk, followed in a
speech in advocacy of the bill, which, he
said, was in line with the industrial and
commercial progress Of the time.
/ Mr. Cardwell offered substitute Tor
the Jordan bill. which, he said, was a re-
draft of that measure and did not change
its principles. This provoked a warm
discussion, Mr. Baker cOntending that
it was unfair TO ask the house to vote
on a different proposition when the hour
had been fixed TO vote on the Jordan Dill
Before this discussion was ended the
chair was vacated.
In the House in the discussion OF the
bill creating the office OF police justice Tor
all cities. Mr.. Bland. of Portsmouth, LED
"a successful fight against the measure, IA
il stood, and secured the adoption of an
amendment leaving the matter OF hav-
ing such an officer to majority OF the
council OF each city.
Senator Mann offered an amendment
to the primary election bill incorporat
ing a provision that voters shall write
their names on their ballot.
The house committee on roads decided
unanimously on an adverse report on
the bill offered 10y Delegate Folses, oil
Richmond, requiring railway companies
TO maintain all their general offices wnere
their headquarters ncminally are. The
measure was designed to make the
Southern Railway bring the offices oil its
president. general manager, and other
general offices from Washington TO Rich
mond. where by the charter their head
quarters must be located. Mr.. Thorn, Oi
Norfolk, appeared before the committee
for the railway company. Maj. A. T..
Andrews, vice president Of the Southern,
was in attendance, as well as other OIL
Ulcers OF the Southern.
The senate and house finance commit
tees heard argument in opposition TO
the Cumming bill, putting social clubs in
same class as barrooms and in favor Of
crushing out the mushroom clubs that
have sprung up all over the state. The
Leading social clubs OF Richmond and
Norfolk had representatives present TO
protest against requiring them TO take
out bsrroom licenses. Senator Shack
eliord offered two amendments, which
the senate finance committee will report
They are as follows
First. That no social club chartered
after April -, 1903, when such clubs is
located in any town, county, city, or dis
trict in which local option or the dispen-
sary law prevails, orin which license to
sell LIQUOR has been refused under section
ll3 OF the Mann law, shall keep or sell
spiritu ous liquors OF any sort
Second. That hereafter no social club
shall be granted charter except upon
the certificate OF the Judge OF the county
or corporation court in which such CLUB
is TO be located that the granting ofsueh
charter will be in accordance with sound
public policy.
The greatest fight OF the present session
of the House OF Delegates ended Thursday.
At that time what is known az the Jor-
dan bill, which breaks the Baylor oyster
survey and authorizes the State TO lease
barren and depleted oyster areas, was
passed by avOte OF AZ to 80. The meas
ure now goes TO the Senate for action.
IL is believed that the Senate will pass
the BILL as the house has, though II may
meet with some amendment in the upper
body.
This bill involves the opening OF prob
ably 1000 acres OF bottoms to oyster
planters.
The active eight over leasing the oyster
beds, which began nearly year ago with
the introduction OF the Jordan bill In the
House, appears TO be about to end In a
defeat for the oystermen and their friends
The bill OF Mr.. Jordan provides Tor the
breaking OF the Baylor survey, which
vas made several years ago aud which
at that time included all the natural Oys-
ter beds in Virginia. Advocates OF the
bill declared that many Of these beds ba1
been depleted and were now barren. IL
is these barren oyster beds that the Jor-
dan bill proposes TO lease TO planters
upon the payment of q certain rental to
the State.
Oystermen bitterly opposed the break
ing OF the Baylor survey, as they regard
ed it as the bulwsrk OF the man who
catches oysters for living. They claim
that IL the survey is once broken the
wealthy planters will not stop until they
have acquired all the natural oyster
beds. They have alleged that there wss
danger OF syndicates getting the entire
oyster industry in their handle, and the
present oysterman who catches on his
own account would then become mere
employe OF the syndicate.
The legislature last spring appointed a
..I 90 via ha nv
raising sections Of the State, inspect the
beds in the survey and report whether
there are any available for leasing This
commission had q turbulent tour through |
the autumn, the planters and oystermen /
in most places dissgreeiDg radically az
TO the barrenness OF the beds. The com
mission made its report to the legislature !
on It's reassembliDg In November, and /
the breaking OF the Baylor
survey.
The commissions report stated that
there are 225,0 acres OF oyster bot
toms within the Baylor survey; that 70
Der cent. are worthless or 30 depleted by
overworking that they will not re.seed
themselves within three years, and some
not at all under present conditions. The
commission declared that practically all
the depleted land is valuable for plant
ing purposes except some 10000 acres
on the seaside OF Accomac and North
ampton counties The report states that
sll the depleted beds and bottoms can be
leased to planters without in any way
the profitable natural oys-
ter rocks within the survey. The report
recommended the appointment OF com
mission to lease out the depleted bottoms.
This report was signed by Chairman
W. d. Gard well, A. ID. Watkins, Julian
Bryant and E. C. Jordan. DR. s. wilkins
Mathews later presented minority re-
port, giving in an exhaustive manner the
,ide OF the oystermen, and strongly pro-
testing against the passage OF the Jor-
Ian bill.
Petitions against the bill poured In
rom the tidewater counties, and many
delegations from the counties appeared
before the Legislative committees to
protest against breaking the survey.
The House Committee on the Cheea
1eske and Its Tributaries and the Sen
ate Committee on Fish and Oysters,
which are composed largely OF members
rom Tidew8ter Virginia reported the
Jordan Bill unfavorably.
Mr.. Jordan and its advocates made
lard fight for the measure on the floor
)f the House and won.
Now the opponents OF the bill Will
make strenuous efforts to deieatit In the
Senate.
Tha ooD, pn;saion m leaae oveter bot