Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-01-08
COMMUNICATIONS
To THE OYsTERMEN OF TrpEwATER;

the oystermen OF Tidewster. Man
are inclined to think that the victor
has been won and we can now r,
pose on downy beds of ease. But
knowing the status Of the oyste
question as do, feel it my duty q
President of the Oystermen's Unio
to sound the warning signal of wha
Is to come and what is to be don
by the oystermen of Tidewater, for
see great danger shead-danger tha
is threatening nearly every citizen O
Tidewater.
First, the Jordan bill came in il
sweeping force and limits, and w,
barely were prepared to meet it, ant
but for its Wholesale butchery fact
OF the bill against the interest OF
Underwater we never could have
aroused the people to as great ac-
tivlty to oppose and defeat the bill
But Mr.. Jordan and his associates
are good judges of human nature,
and they well know that after q
man has been active in a davis
work ne will likely sleep soundly
at night.
And now as we we're active TO
defeat Mr.. Jordan's first attack. !
warn you against becoming inactive
and indulgiDg in absolute rest when
we have noun tains of trouble ahead
to overcome.
Even We begin to hear our own
people = members of the Union
saying that we. will have to put our
heads together and formulate some
plan to give more revenue to the
State, and some have suggested an
increase of tax on the tongers, and
some have suggested to break into
the Baylor survey by placing suthor-
ity In the courts rulings, etc., and
various plans have been suggested,
thus demonstrating the danger that
Is ahead of us. When Jordan learns
that our people are entertaining such
thoughts of compromise he will re-
loice and proclaim the victory is
his, for all he wants is to make
one break into the Baylor survey
and they will do the rest, regardless
OF legislation. All Of the oystermen
of Tidewater ought to know that a
poor man never could battle against
a s'capitalist in courts or any other
way except by strict unity of thou
sands of poor individuals.
Now it is a matter of fact the
State will expect greater revenue
from Tidewater than it now re-
ceiyes. But it is not necessary to
lay heavier tax on the tonger, nor
is it necessary to break into the
Baylor survey to rent out more
planting ground. ALI we do want
is to see that the present laws are
honestly carried out. and / will
vouchsafe that the State of Vir-
ginia will be perfectly satisfied with
the revenue from Tidewater. For
instance, | am reliably informed
that there are recorded in the vari-
GUS clerks offices of the various
counties of Tidewater one hundred
and sixty thousand Geo, ,OOO) acres
of planting ground leased out to
planters already, and the Board of
Fisheries report shows less than
forty thousand (4000O) acres paid
for by the planters. Now what be.
comes of the other one hundred and
twenty thousand ($l20, ,OOO) dollars?
Where is the tax on all the planted
oysters and shells of DR.. Lewis and
other planters of Lancaster, as the
whole county of Lancaster only
paid $5.4T last year on planted
shells and oysters, and Mr.. Arm
strong, who also testified before the
committee in Richmond November
Gath that he planted from fifty to
eighty thousand bushels of oysters
annually and had 1900 acres of
planting ground ald asking for
morel Yet his county pays nothing
on planted oysters and shells.
Those are points to be looked
after, and when they are attended
to and the present laws carried out
honestly We can well satisfy the
State for revenue.
Now l will ask that every oyster
man in Underwater see that he Joins
the 0ystermen's Protective Union,
thereby giving his support to the
cause to the extent Of one dollar fee
to join, and adding one more to
our numbers, thus increasing our
strength, and can then see to pro-
gressing along this line of inyestlga-
tion and enhance the interest of the
oyster industry and protect the oys-
termen from an unjust taxation in
order to protect the planters from
paying their taxes.
The whole Of Tidewater must ]
unite in one grand union aud not
depend on local unions. Local unions
cannot meet the requirements now
before Us. / hope to gee all stations
aliye and complying with the rules
and regulations and bylaws of the
Union, and when we get fully or
ganized We will call State and dis
trict meetings and formulate laws
to suit that State meeting.
But that is in the future and we
are not prepared for that now, as
all new stations would want say in
law making. There is lots of work
ahead and there will be some pretty
work for us when we have gotten up
to that point. We propose to run
the Baylor line over again and make
all who are now depredating on the
natural rocks pull in their stakes
and turn ont the rocks. But we
are not up to that point of action
as yet, and I beseech every oyster
man to stand BY the Union and go
to work to get others to join and
not allow wrangling among our
selves to exist and spend our time
and strength in strife within our
midst, but save our strength to fight
our enamiea