The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-12-19
AN INTERESTING MEETING.
The Haman Oyster Planting and Good
Roads Bills.

Roads Bills.
r Odd Fellows Hall, this city, containe,
a representative audience on Thursday af
ternoon, though the weather was cold an(
travelling disagreeable. Most of the audenc,
was made up of persons from out of town
including Senator Beasman and Delegates
Fuss, Ourser and Haines, Dr. NJ. NJ. Norris
Or. j. j. Weaver Ex-Sheriff Crawford Elk
Judge Jordan. Thomas Smith, George A
Lester. Elk Judge l.. P. Siingluff. n. H
Bale, John H. Taylor, Wade H. d. Warfed
Charles Jones, Ex-Judge Bond, George W
: F. Neal Parke, Col. Samuel K. Herr, James
E. Smith, David Stoner, NJ E. Walsh, Dr.
). Howell Bllingslea and others.
| b. f. Grouse called the meeting to order,
and proposed T. Herbert Shriver for Presi
dent of the meeting, and he was unanimously
chosen. At the end of an instructive and
interesting speech on his two bills to lease
the unproductive oyster bottoms of the Chesa-
peake bay and its tributaries, and apply the
proceeds to making good roads. DR.. j. Howell
Blllngslea moved vote of thanks to Mr..
Hannah and suggested that the Senator and
Delegates from Carroll support the Hannah bill
Quite debate sprung up. DIR. j. j. Weaver
| seconded the motion but wanted the Senator
he thought the motion represented the sent.
ment OF the county, but opposed Instructions
| Mr.. Hannah said he was not welded 10 his
| bills, but to the principles involved i'll them.
Ex-Judge Bond spoke of the decline of the
| oysters in the great Patuxent; of how the
| people in the bordering counties opposed any
leasing of oyster land fifteen years ago, but
upon recent visit to his old home in Calvert
he found some of the more enlightened people
| were awakening to their own interest on the
| leasing of unproductive bottoms.
DR.. Weaver withdrew his amendment as to
instructions, and NJ E. Walsh renewed it.
Senator Beasman said he had voted for the
Hannah bills which showed his sentiment on
the principles of the bills, but he did not want
to be bound to support any measures, as some
important amendments mi ght be proposed or
new bills more nearly meeting public senti
ments might be introduced. JOS l.. Haines
participated in the discussion and went beyond
the point at issue. DR.. Bilingslea said he
did not wish to bind the Senator and Dele
gates and offered the following in writing,
which was unanimously approved:
The Resolutions.
ResoLued That the thanks of this meeting are ex-
tended to B. Howard Haman for his very able and
instructive address
ResoIued, That this meeting approves the princi-
pie of the Hannah Oyster and Road Bills, and it is
the of this meeting that these bills should be
enacted into laws as soon may be practicable by
the Legislature of Maryland which is about to con
vene, and that earnestly request Senator
and Delegates to assist in the passage of these bills
or any bills that preserve their principles.
MIR. Haman's Address.
1t may now be truthfully stated as it has 2reto-
fore been falsely assumed. that representa- power
full syndicate The members of this combination
are the farmers of Maryland. have received in
structions from these clients to write BILL which,
if enacted into law, will aid the reestabishment
of the greatest industry of State, and will cause
the proud old commonwealth to rank i'll wealth
and material prosperity with the first states of the
Union. The farmers want even more than this.
may be derived from the operation of the of the
legislature shall be used TO supply their greatest
need. This is not all the ambitious farmers want.
They desire the benefits 1 have mentioned to be
conferred upon the State and upon themselves
without adding to the burdens of the tax payers,
causing injury to single citizen OF Maryland The
marvel is, that the plans OF the farmers may be car
red out, and their ideas practically realized.
The farmers ! have referred to are what may
call the "dry farmers of the State,-that is, the
people who cultivate the soil to raise crops of corn
wheat and oats. These grain farms are owned by
individuals. The State of Maryland has farm of
its own, vast public demain, lying beneath the
waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries,
which has never been improved by he hand of man.
A great scholar, Doctor Brooks, of the Johns Hop
kins University, long ago showed US The resources
wealth lie first told what the States land
might produce if oyster farming were permitted by
Brooks i'll mastery paper: and then, through press
of work. left the subject proposed in 1898, at the
request of the Deer Creek Farmers Club OF Hartford
County, the plan which the Baltimore sun i'm
medately approved, to lease out to individual citi
zens of Maryland the barren and unproductive part
of the State submarine property. for the benefit of
its farmers of dry lands Brooks has told that
of the barren bottoms of the Chesapeake
BAY might be made Immediately productive l
went to Rhode Island and Connecticut and saw the
oyster farms in actual operation. 1t was clear the
proposition had not been over stated. then pre-
pared two bills One of them provided for the eaS-
ing of the parts of the bay where oysterm Il
works, to individuals, and the other distributed the
rentals to he derived from such leases among the
counties of Maryland for the building and repairing
OF the highways The oyster bill carefully provided
against monopoly and the road bii as scrupuiously
arranged for the scientific building OF the roads
undo, the inspection of trained men, and avoided
have been presented to the legislature of Maryland
to time, and two years ago the oyster bill
failed of passage i'll the Senate for the lack of sin
gle vote, and i'll the House of Delegates 1t wanted
but five votes The principal champions of this
legislation i'll the last Senate were Senators Robin
SON of Hartford and Noses of Baltimore City. The
leaders of the movement in the House of Delegates
were MeSsrs Strauss and Grason. Senator John +.
Beasman, of Carroll county was one OF the advo-
Gates of the bill, and Mr. Mark o. Shriver native
of this county, has been ut all times, i'll fair and
foul weat her. the earnest and strenuous friend OF
oyster culture.
The same two bills have referred to, with certain
amendments of the oyster bill made in the interest
of the tdewater counties, will be offered for the ap
prevail of the legislature about to convene
One would think that a proposition, such as has
been stated above, to build the highways OF state
through the introduction of all industry which
would injure none and would add greatly TO the
prosperity of the entire State, would meet with no
beeIieVe the idea to be Simply the chimerica dream
of a fanatic. 1t is finally admitted by ALL except
the "inviucibly ignorant" that the plan proposed
is emnently practical; that the revenues that may
he derived from oyster culture from the barren bot
toms of the bay and its tributaries. would be very
great if the law properly administered Yet there
is still opposition. | shall not take up your time,
entIemen of Carroll county in discussing the ques-
fiou whether you want good roads, or in arguing
that Maryland, and especially Baltimore City at the
present time, needs all the new industries Whch
Eunr Vlan
sneak for me on subject of the vital need of i'm
proved highways. The urgent demand for an in
ased oyster supply need not be enforced by any
words of mine The advocates ola revolution in
the oyster business numbered by the tens OF
thousands They are the muithug 81 it geo
state; the immense number of. people in the State
who cannot get delicious and nutritious food on
account of its scarcity and dearness, and finally
thousands of small craft throughout the Day when
have become almost worthless For the truth OF
this last statement, see the masts oil IDLE boats IN
Winans Cove, in Canton Hollow and below the
Federal Hill Flats. ,-
They are every year dwindling i'll number but their
protests still fill the air, especially The political at
mosphere, prior to an election Inc only oPpoetS
the dredgers. What are the grounds of the opposl-
ton? They are three fold 49,, ,o.,ue 8. e.o,
The sentiment of liberty, the desire for free
dom This is feeling can thoroughly symplthlze
with The boatman is his own master, and while
cruises about in his large or small boat with the
sailors feeling that the sea is free for all The
IS,
like to be free The same inspiration is in the heart
of every American citizen. We are, however, sur
rounded in this world by the bonds of innumerable
duties and responsibilities We cannot get rid of
natural laws, which working around us. and
which closely hem us in. Even the sailor the
champion of the old order, cannot prevent the
movement of the world 1t is as vain and hopeless
for him try to do it was for the Graders and
binders to fight against the mower and the reaper,
or for the spnners and weavers to kick inst the
loom The best that can be done for the sailor is to
introduce the new order, which is coming surely
as the sun shines, in mild and just way as to
interfere in the slightest possible degree with the
freedom and the rights of the sailor men. This has
been done in the bill which bears my name. have
never posed as the friend of the oystermen, but
confess have the greatest sympathy with the men
who are struggling with an old WORKOUT system
against the Inevitable laws of trade, and l have
tried to give them every benefit of possible advan-
tage under this new law
2 The next ground of the oystermen's opposition
is an unworthy one and cannot, for moment, be
considered by the citizens of Maryland. 1t is that
oysters are now and high, and ii o! ser cul-
tllre were introduced they would become plentiful
and cheap. This is the argument OF the monopo-