Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-26
CCommunicsted.l
AUNTY SPEC PUNCTURES TIE
POTOMAC PROGRESS.
(Communicated.D
EDITOR CITIZEN

L have before me a copy of the
Potomac Progress of February 18th,
in which there is an editorial farce
of nearly two columns beratiug the
"Oystermeu's Protective Associs-
tion," az the writer calls our
"Union." / have been undecided
for some time whether to reply to il
or not. The Progress is paper not
often seen in this part of the world,
and L am not so sure that it is
exactly the proper thing for me,
representing the Oystermen's Protec.
tive Union, $500 strong, to bring
the Progress before the public by
giving attention to her illusions.
/ would have sent ttis article tc
the Progress, but felt sure that il
would not have been published
therein. And, moreover, had il
been published in those columns il
would not, in sll probability, have
been read any further than Curio.
man Bay, with the exception of Q
few exchanges. However, | will give
the Progress a few facts, as che
seems to be minus that article which
goes to make up reliable news,
paper. The Mr.. Editor begins his
editorial beautifully by announcing
that che had no quarrel with us, >
saying We are class of citizens that
are doing what We think best for ouI
interest ;also that we are entitled to
credit for purity of motive, honesty
of purpose and patriotic aims" etc
Now that's nice. We can't kick
about that part.
The Progress also acknowledges
that she and her crowd, with our
selves, are common citizens of our
Commonwealth" Well, we won't
get mad at that; because if a man
says that we are common and &C.
knowledges that he is common, too,
Why it is no use to fly off the handle
about it. Mr.. Editor, therein is
found the taffy and soft soap of the
article. Now comes the other part,
where the Progress refutes the
above generous sentiments aud says:
'We do not charge the organization
with responsibility for the shooting
Of Winston Morris, one of the best
citizens of Lancaster county," etc.
"We do not lay at their door respon-
sibility for the threats to boycott
DR.. w. +. Lewis as a physician, T" etc.
And, again: ave regret that any
one should have laid this charge at
their door, or that they should be
called upon in the early morning of
their existence to disown it." If my
readers will refer to the above Quota
ton they can make a pretty shrewd
calculation about how well the Prog
ress editor is informed on the sub
ject he attempted to write about.
Let me enlighten him. In the first
place, it is Austin Morris, not Win
ston Morris; DR.. +. w. Lewis, not
w. F.; and it's a great pity that
when your friends at Wheaton
poked this rot on you about the
Union that they did not inform you
that DIR. Lewis had stopped the ac-
tive practice of medicine and moved
to Wheaton for the purpose of en-
gaging in that common business
called the oyster business. Further
more, the editor says that he differs
with us fundamentally; that we
brought the English law with us
when we crossed the ditch; aud, fur
thermore, that the bottoms of Eng
lish waters are not productive of
oysters, etc. How about the city
officials of London not allowing the
oysters Of the lower Thames to be
used on account of typhoid germs
that they contain, etc? However, go
ahead and keep your fundamen tai
disagreement, "brer" editor, if YOU
wish, and your English law, too. /
thought we threw that in Boston
harbor, put up in tea chests, some
years ago. I
But now he gets down to bedrock.
Listen: "Virginia's bottoms, on the
other hand, are very valuy ble." That's
the stuff. Ourrioman Bay, for in
stance. Guess you have had it long
enough now to know that it is very
valua6ls. But, pray, to whom is it,
valuable? To the State? / think
not. Listen to this little morsel
taken from the report of the Board
of Fisheries for the year 1902 ;;
"Westmoreland county, l,62I acres
OF planting ground; $4.6I paid on
planted oysters and shells" Very
valuable, Indeed! Again, this is
nicer: Report of the Board of Fish
cries for 1908: "Westmoreland coun-
ty, number of acres of planting
ground, 1,996.3S. Tax paid on
planted oysters and shells, 1875"
Great Scott! that ia valuable, in
deed. To whom? Looks pretty bad
that after the big fight was made in
Richmond last year and the oyster.
men were knocked ont of these bot.
toms that this fine planting ground
should become depleted-yea, barren.
For Heavens sake don't let Jordan
get on to this-Currioman Bay. any,
way. That is what call propagat.
ing oysters with vengeance.
Hearken to this: sin the DAYS of
reconstruction that august assembly
known as the Underwood Constitn- |
tlonal Convention saw in the oyster
bottoms of the State an ideal feed. |
ing ground for the newly emapci-
pated and decreed that NO tax should |
De placed on the privilege" =
The negro is gregarious by nature
-as are most of the lower order of |
animals for that matter. They were
delighted and descended like crows
On corn field" "Manv
white people, toe, awaited themselves
1t the privilege and a business of |
magnitude was built up
IN the oyster commons. Stores were
at convenient points, and
We do not fear contradiction when
We say that for eyerv f;ftv cants,