Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-01-08
MORE OYSTER NONSENSE.

NUKE Ol STEk NONSENSE.
Our vanity is somewhat punctured
by recent remarks of our Valley
friend, the Staunton Spectator, be-
cause we had flattered ourselves that
the Virginia CITIZEN was pretty
well digested weekly (not weakly
by our friend, and that our verbose
articles on the oyster had shed some
light on this dense subject IN that
land of oysterology darkness. We
have really regretted having to devote
so much space of late to this subject,
but to us il is one of existence, al
most while to our hilD-country
brethren it stood out for puncture
-as the boy pinning the fly, fun
for the boy but death to the fly.
Here comes the Spectator with this
old shot of generalities:
TIE STATE AGAIN LOSES REvsNuE.
The oyster question, which has been
the subject Of more talk and confusion
than any other In our Lee islature for
yesrs, has been up sgaiu, and again q
bill to rent the depleted beds Of the
State has failed. Nobody understands
the question up here, we hear. Every.
bod, admits the State has large territory
which could be- made valuable If prop
-rly planted, but fer sumo reason IN.
0n"~n the Tidews,er people defeat
~ measure thst has ever. been intro
- locking TO this end. II has been
=: -. 4 ;hat IL our oyster territory were
r.u;ed ii would pay the expenses Of the
State In few years, and we might be
practically free from taxation, but when
a bill comes up one man opposes it be-
cause he does not consider it constitu-
tioDal, another because the bill lacks
some essential element, and SO on, but
it Is believed that there Is some grave
persona! or political reason behind Il
all. There must be some fear that
legislator from the Tidewater section
Will lose his place IL he votes to farm
out the beds, because he has constitu.
ents who are living off the States do.
main, just as the cattle men OF the west
manage to get rich of the lands OF the
government, and of course do not want
them opened for settlement.
Ii does seem that a valuable asset 10
the State ought to be changed from a
purely worthless and unremunera,iye
thing into one Of value, but somehow
enough OF our representatives away
from the Tidewater section, either by
having the wool pulled over their ewes
or having some log rolling to do which
causes them TO need the votes of the
Tidewater people. have assisted In de-
priying the State OF revenue from this
inestimably valuable asset. VIII the
State be hoodwinked and impoverished
much longer by such vicious legislation
. We hope not.
10 think that men like Opie and
Garrett, and others, who stood by
the oyster people, are playing the
game of You tickle me and i
tickle you" IL quite absurd. Foolish
thoughts will sometimes come, and
sometimes they are writ on paper,
and often the exponent unconsci-
ously inhabits the land "wbere ipno-
rance is blIss," ETC., but wise men
are they who live and learn, and
truly great men are those who after
learning hold out for their conyic-
lions. Now the whole truth is that
the editor of the Spectator, if he |
were in the Virginia Legislature, |
would learn u few things for oysters, |
and We give him credit for enough
intellect and sincerity to align him
with the other great aud good men
who have changed their opinions
after learning. True, many hill
country legislators are of the opinion
OF the Spectators editor, bat that is
because they have not yet had their
eses opened. Some few, a very few.
may he Of the calibre the editor de-
piets log-rolling statesmen but
icy are rolling the log mountain
;. I'd and playing to the galleries
where are seated their constituents
When our friends up there learn
that not one-half of the planting
grounds allotted the planters is
utilized because they hope to get
slice of more fertile fields 1.-THE natu.
raj rocks) they may take another
tack--teli the planter TO improve
the barren wastes first, and then
there may be more demand for ara.
BILE areas.
WITH THE FRATERNITY.