Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-05
THAT JORDAN BILL.
EDITOR VIRGINIA CITIZEN:


EDITOR VIRGINIA CITIZEN:
have before me copy of the
new Jordan bill, entitled ga Bill tc
Propagate the Planting of Oysters,
etc.
If | were member of the Legis
lature | would propose that it's title
be amended to conform to it's true
meaning, and entitle it ga Bill tc
Propagate Litigation and Paupers
and Enrich Boodlers."
This bill proposes to resurvey
plot and mark by buoys, ETC., at the
expense of the State, all the ground
in the Baylor Survey; then it pro.
poses to rent out to the boodlers
who inspired the bill the oyster
grounds Of Tidewater. In effect il
asserts that Section 175 of the State
Constitution, which says that the
natural oyster rocks, beds and shoals
in the waters of this State shall not
be leased, rented or sold, but shall
be held in trust for the benefit of
the people of this State, is null, and
the bill plainly admits that it means
to trample the Constitution IN the
dust. for the bill provides that if
renter has in his plot under the
limit of five contiguous acres of
natural rock he can hold it.
! The poor tonger who will witness
the appropriation of his old oyster
grounds has just one remedy to
save a spot in a renters allotment.
IL he is satisfied that there is in
cluded in it more than 8 contiguous
acres of oyster rocks he has his Jor-
dan remedy all fixed up for him, but
so it will stand court proof he must
at his expense have it examined and
surveyed, and then, if he can find
25 registered voters in his county
who will 90 and make oath to the
facts, and commence an action in
Circuit Court and put up bonds
with the County Clerk, conditioned
to pay if unsuccessful all costs of
an examination and resurvey that
the planter can have a say In, why,
then, be can con mence business,
otherwise he can shut up. 1t might
be fair to presume that they will
leave the tonger at first few bits or
isolated spots which they well know
their synonymous terms-bsrren, de-
pleted and exhausted-will apply to.
A year hence, and then it's an easy
matter for the same power that now
reports 75 per cent. of the rocks
barren TO proclaim it all barren and
drive the last tonger out in less
than two years. time.
This bill provides that not less
than 10 nor more than $50 acres shall
be allotted to any one man, but it
contemplates assignors and assignees,
so it's all possible under this bill
that the whole. Rsppahannock or
elsewhere can and may be controlled
by syndicate of few men, or of
even one man.
OF the people of Tidewater / would
ask, What are you going to do about
this? Are you going to permit your
Constitutional rights to fishand take
oysters from the waters of this State
to be thus stolen from you? Are You
going to submit to see Tidewater's 8
main industry and chief support of
its people turned over to organized
greed? Are you going to allow your
family Of dependant ones to suffer
and starve that a rotten coterie of
Williams, with consciences as remorse-
hess as pirates, may debauch your
Legislature and drive you out of the
State or to the poor-house?
OF the Legislature sitting in Rich
mond today and calling itself Demo
cratic ask, Can you pass this iufa-
NOUS Jordan Bill and expect to be
still entitled to be called Democratic
But if you will pass this iniquitous
measure don't, for Gods sake, ever
open your mouths again to berate
the Republican party for the trusts
they made when you build an oyster
trust in your own State on the blood
and sufferings of your own people,
Had you rather thousands of your
good and deserving people should be
broken up in their homes, business
and property because a trust wants q
"seat" on Tidewater? Is the sum OF
one dollar per acre, to be paid by
this infant octopus, good and
sufficient consideration for the low.
ering of the Democratic standards OF
this Commonwealth? You should re.
member that. the people placed you
there TO protect your trust and moi
to betray it, and that they are su.
prsme yet and can bind and Gar
loosen.
A terrific agitation is sweeping
over Tidewater. Our people are NOV.
ing like swarns Of bees, and if dis.
aster comes well know where to fiji
the responsibility.
Beware that their cries do moi
have an echo in another quarter.
Yours for the people,