Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-14

If oyster planting We're some new
thing which had never been tried be-
fore. one could understand the fear
of it by thoughtless and unimormed
people. A recent writer told how the
people along the first telegraph line
between Baltimore and Washington
became alarmed and protested against
it as a dangerous device. History tells
us of the protest made by English
farmers against the building of rail-
roads as dangerous to poultry and cat
tie. 1t has been the common expert
cree that every great advance mas
been opposed by prejudice and ignor-
ance. But it is impossible to UNDER
stand the bitter and determined oppo-
sition to oyster culture by Il number
of people on the eastern shore and
southern Maryland who will be the
chief beneficiaries from it. 1t is no
new thing. 1t requires no arguments
to prove the advantages of it. All they
have to do is to open their eyes and
see for themselves what is going on
all around them. Chincoteague Island
is a small body of land lying on the
ocean side of Accomac county, Vir-
ginia, and separated from the main
land by broad but shallow bay. The
soil is poor and the people are mainly
engaged in the oyster industry Be-
fore oyster planting was begun the
population of the island was some
thing like 80 or 100 families of poor,
neglected people. and the whole island
and all it contained was valued at
$4,000. The oyster planting industry
began, and in consequence of that in
dustry the population has increased
sevenfold and the property valuation
Of the island is more than $1,000 OOO
From q wild settlement the oyster in
dustry has made Chncoteague Island
a highly civilized community. There
are good schools attended by 500 pu-
pills, free delivery of the mails. water
works. bank and many handsome
residences, giving evidences of great
prosperity. Oyster planting in Mary
land. it is argued by the eastern shore
politician and tOnger, will take the
bread out of the mouths of the poor
people. But, strangely enough, it puts
bread in the mouths of poor people
just across the Maryland and Virginia
boundary. For in Chincoteague the
entire population is prosperous and
contented, with good earnings and eX-
cellent homes. There is no complaint
about the planting system, and if any
one on the island should propose it's
abolition and the return to dependence
on the natural beds he would be
laughed to scorn.
When Chincoteague Island depended
upon natural beds the people were
poverty-stricken and led a precarious
existence. Now from the small and
poor island during the last 80 days
1000 barrels of oysters have been
shipped every day, and that quantity
VIII be shipped every day for the heat
80 days. One hundred and twenty
thousand barrels of oysters in co days,
worth 100000, from bottoms which
had produced nothing. All. but we
cannot have this in Maryland. The
politician and the tonger forbid It. 1t
is as If the state of Maryland owned
gold mines more valuable than those
discovered in California in 1S49. and
the people around them refused to
take the gold out, and forbade all 9th
ers TO enter them. Such faulty passes
all understanding. We can understand
now the smallbore politician can op-
pose public prosperity in order that
he may be elected by the votes of the
tongers to the State Senate or House
OF Delegates or sheriff. We can un-
derstand how unlearned oysterrnen
can be fooled by the politician; we
can understand how a short-siyhted
man who keeps Il store on the bank
and makes money oLl OF rongers, will
cater to their prejudices in order to
get their cash. But how the people
of the inland countries are willing to
stand off and permit the tongers and
the smallbore politicians to deprive
them of all benefits, of all part and
parcel in their richest heritage. masses
all understanding.-Balt Sun.
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