The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-28
Facts About Oyster Industry.

Edttor d 4 The ,rjmcs- Dispatch. 81
Bir-sinco my last letter to YOU. which
< appeared In your issue Of tho 4th In.
slant 1 have heard from other clerks
of{ooiintlcs, giving mo the names Of par
itIeg holding Planting ground ulld tho nu1n-
4 Der OF acres they lease, &C., and tho re-
Il suit Is equal 10 my last report III your
issue above referred TO- which showed
that tho Board OF Fisheries returns to
tho State for planting ground wero only
onc-fourth Of what 1t should BIO on plant
Ing ground, according to the report OF
the county clerks record, which i printed
IN the issue OF tho 4th, and also show
,ng that by the boards own figures they
returned about one-fifeenth Of the
amount for tax on planted shells and
oysters that should DO returned using
Essex county as 81 basis TO figure All
average acreage tax. have be fore Inc
now a list taken from tho records Vi
Lancaster county by Mr.. william Chill
ton, tile clerk Sof Lancaster county.
which shows 5,oa1 81 100 acres Of planting
ground recorded In the Lancaster clerks
office. while tho Board Of Fisherles' re-
mort for 1902 shows 1899 returned to the
State for rental OF Lancaster county
planting ground, thus showing n short
age OF $500 In the returns from Ian
caster county on planting ground rental.
4 and the same counly only pays to the
4 State t5.47gtax on planted shells and oys-..
Htcra for The whole 5.021 acres OF planting
ground whereas g If Lancaster paid tax
on planted shells and oysters IN proper
E ton To Essex county the State would
thus receive q. revenue, from tina t source
i OF ti,ss2.s7, instead or s5i7, thus showing.
4 shortage on those two sources OF rev.
cnue from Lancaster county TO be ,s5.5ls.4o,
which is more than four times as much
ay is returrcd to the State. Xxx -! 5stast
These facts wish to place before the
public, that they may be able TO know
what is needful TO multiply the revenue
40 the state OF Virginia from the oyster
district and to try to induce our repre-
sentstives to put forth some effort TO
bring about a change In the management
s5of the State revenues from our district.
or section OF the State. J. was told by
E one OF our Representatives. not long since
tina the General Assembly OF Virginia
was satisfied that the State should derive
greater revenues from the oyster district
under the existing taxable basis. But
that no one felt interested enough 70
make a step towards investigation OF the
matter Now wish to state that Mr..
Jordan was bold enough TO try 10 pass
IA bill to propagate litigation and paupers
and enrich boodlers) Under prete!xt 70 en-
4hance the propagation OF oysters. etc. ana
Mr., Jordan, does not fail to push his
cause al. would ask Of the Legislature
in Richmond to-day. and calling itself
s Democratic. will you pass this infamous
Jordan bill and also fail to make all nom
est Investigation Of the present conditlons
OF affairs 80 detrimental and Unjust 70
tho whole section Of TldeTater and Inc
State at large. and expect SIN 70 Cd, nc "
5,itled 10 be called Democrats :? Win You
build up In our. Old Dominion. an oyster
T 1r,Ist on tho blood and suffertngs Of your
own people and break up tho happiness
az thousands OF deserving families. de-:
fEtroying their homes. business ana prop =
crty In order to locate an oyster trust !
IN Underwater, rather thnn satisfy inc
STATE cry for revenue By close inves-s
tIgatLon OF the present resources? Shall
tho Democratic standard OF this Com & 4
1nonwealth be lowered for the consldera 6
Il ion OF n few, dollars which MIR. jordan
may promise his Ubiquitous bill VIII prlhs
into the treasury and for lack OF grit 70
Investigate thoroughly the present re-
q sources? II the State vii! spend one -hail
& he amount In Investigating thoroughly
4 he present sources OF revenue from the
oyster district OF Virginia, as was spent
on The Jordan summer cruise last year.
this increase in revenue would be greater
Than from renting three-fourths OF the
natural rocks.
Remember, Democrats. that the people
placed you there to protect your trust
sant. not TO betray 1t and that the people
are supreme yet and can bind and can
loosen a terrific agitation Is now sWeer'.
Ing over Tidewater and our people are
alive and well aroused and II disaster
come we'll know where to place the re-
fponsibility. So beware that their cries
do not have an echo in other sections.
Yours for the people OF Underwater,
w. w. MOODY.
Harmony Village, Va.
81