The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-03-11
THE HANNAH BILLS AS
BUSINESS PROPOSITION.

AS practical business proposition the
plan to lease the unproductive bottoms OF
the Chesapeake bay and its tributaries for
oyster planting must commend itself t"
every man of sound judgment and pub
lie spirit. There is nothing vague or
abstruse about it-nothing that a person
of ordinary intelligence cannot under
stand
In various froms the question of arti
fetal oyster production has been before
the people of Maryland for number Of
years. Men who have Investigated and
studied the subject from the standpoint
of the scientist have concluded, after
thorough research that the salvation Of the
industry in Maryland depends upon the
utilization of the barren bottoms of the
Chesapeake for artificial production of
oysters Men who have had practical
experience in the industry as oystermen
have reached the same conclusion. Mean
time, while the Maryland industry has
been steadily diminishing in Importance,
other States have adopted system of
oyster planting with substantial results.
While in Maryland our legislators have
been satisfied in the past with academic
discussion, Virginia. Delaware and other
States have been "doing things" not
talking. Consequently they have estab-
lished their industry on a solid basis,
Job ifn Ia If
time for Maryland to take its place in the
column of these enlightened and pro-
gressive States? Is it sensible and bust
nesslike to wait until the natural beds
in the Chesapeake are exhausted and the
oyster industry of Maryland is on the
verge of destruction before entering upon
the work of developing the barren bot
toms of the Chesapeake?
The closer the plan of oy ster produc
ton embodied in the Haman bill is scruti-
nized the more it commends itself to the
judgment of thoughtful and practical men.
In the waters within the limits of the
State of Maryland there is an area, esti-
mated approximately at between 100000
and 100000 acres, which, by scientific
methods of planting and culture, could be
made to produce enormous quantities of
oysters These barren bottoms in their
present unproductive state are of no use
or value to oystermen. Their energies
are devoted exclusively to taking oysters
from the natural beds-taking them in
such quantities, year after year, that it
is only a question of time when the
natural beds will be depleted and the
supply from this source exhausted. What
is the proposition contained in the Ha-
man bill ? 1t is simply that the unpro
ductive bottoms, which are of no value,
SO far as the oyster industry is concerned,
to anybody, should be taken in by the
State, leased in lots ranging from 80 to
100 acres to citizens of Maryland who de-
sire to engage in oyster planting and
cultivation, and thus be made source of
wealth to the whole State. Then, when
the natural beds have been depleted, if
they are not saved from destruction by
adequate protective measures in the fu-
ture, there will be al unfailing supply of
oysters in the area once unproductive, but
made productive by systematic and
comprehensive plan of cultivation by
Maryland enterprise and skill.
What sound and reasonable objection
can be offered to this proposition? Is
there any citizen of Maryland, wholly
uninduenced by selfish or local consider
ations, who wants the people of Mary
land debarred from the privilege of in
vesting their money by employing their
energy in converting the unproductive
bottoms of the Chesapeake into oyster
producing areas? Is it wise and sensible
for State to tie the hands of its citizens
and prevent them engaging in occupa-
tions which increase the wealth of the
State while multiplying the opportunities
for employment for industrious and en-
terprising citizens? Who will suffer from
an increased production of oysters in the
waters of Maryland? The consumers of
this incompatible article of food have no
reason to dread the establishment of
system of private cultivation which will
assure an abundant supply of oysters for
their tables. The packers will not suffer
if they are relieved of the necessity of
drawing their supplies from other States
and in many instances of removing
their establishments to other States.
Those citizens of Maryland who work in
the packing establis hments will not suf
fer if the barren bottoms of the Chesa-
peake can be made to yield oysters in
sufficient quantities to give them steady
employment and to provide work for ad-
ditional thousands of industrious toilers.
The dredgers will not be compelled to
face the prospect of having fleets of
W orthless vessels tied up and rotting at
the wharves if the unproductive bottoms
of the Chesapeake have been made pro-
ductive by system of private planting
and cultivation, whatever may be the fate
ultimately of the natural beds. There re-
n ain, then, the tongers. How can they
suffer from the leasing of an area which
is of no value 10 them in its present bar
rem con dition? They do not and cannot
get oysters from this source now. So far
as they are concerned, for all purposes of
profit and occupation, the unproductive
bottoms of the Chesapeake might be hun
dreds of miles away. They have the nat