Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-10-09
Communicated
THE oYSTERMEN'S MEETING.

Altsbfs. EuiIOfs ENenln9 capital.
1 attended the oystermen's IS meeting
at Eastport few evenings ago and
was highly entertained by the differ
ent speakers upon this most important
subject. Mr. Charles A. Dubois. of
our city. explained in a very plain
and satisfactory manner the meaning
and advantages, not only to our oys-
termen, but TO nearly every man or
firm doing business in Annapolis and
Eastport of the Oystermen' Protec-
tive Association. AS he stated the
object is for the representative oyster
men, through their representatives from
each local branch in the state who
will meet on the third Wednesday in
December at an oystermen's congress
to draft bill looking to the inereas-
ing of the oyster on our depleted bars,
as well as TO devise some means by
which united action can be made
against the leasing of the bars. Cap
tain Martin and Captain Tyler also
enlightened me and am sure they did
others upon the growth and nature of
the oyster. They believe, and so do
|, that if the beds are leased ii will be
only short time before they will be
in the hands of the richest corpora
tion in the United States. They are
of the opinion that the advocates of
the leasing would not fight all these
years simply to help the people of the
state at large. No, corporations are
not made that way. One merchant,
who is large taxpayer, says he is for
the leasing of the beds because they
pay no revenue. That good citizen
should take trip among our tide
water counties, and see the beautiful
founc with fha nfaaIu nAfntaH Il
ings, large school houses and beautiful
nature tinted faces of the loved ones
as they gamble on the campus, or
bend over their desks imbibing a
knowledge of books which will be
helpfulto them when they become
manly men, or women at the heads of
families, or in the management state
or national affairs, as they often do.
Then he will find that the oyster does
make a revenue for these very people
ana these towns are supported almost
entirely by the money from oysters
taken from these bottoms which God
placed here for the people and not for
a rich corporation like the one that
will be formed should these beds be
sold by the state. If these beds are
sold, just as sure as this wealthy deal
er lives, the money from these bars,
which now goes TO support these towns,
thereby increasing our taxable basis to
a very large extent. will be diverted
into tue Golfers of a rich combine,
whose property is, in many cases,
hidden from taxation, and that too
often by the oath of the capitalist.
merely state the latter TO show that
it is absolutely absurd for this com
bine to tell us that they are working
for the people. They are working for
the peoples ruin. which will surely
follow should they be able to fool the
people into letting them help them.
Let every man who is opposed to a
combine of capitalists against the
people enroll themselves with the oys-
termen and make Cow Pen Gap stand
against foe more terrible than was
even the British The greed of Great
Britain caused the revolution and the
greed of these rich corporation, which
is hidden foe, should cause every
man in the state to take up America S
greatest weapon-the ballot--and use
it to the end that any candidate who
champions the cause of the combine
without regard to his politics, shall
be numbered among the slain.
J. O. Wheatley.