Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-22

iiiStuHCc tncrc IL an expense Tor tax
ing UP the seed. one for freighting
one for planting, another for taking
up when crop Is grown. another
freight to market, and stil another
for shucklng or barrcling
So we see one bushcl of oysters
furnishes much work before IL
reaches the market. besides the actual
actual cash 1t brings into the state. as
most of the product is sold ut dis
= lance. Tho important point is, how
, ever. that there must be oysters tn
produce this work. and any contrac
ton IN rhc supply. quickly Affects
many lnborers as II takes away the
necessity for their services. likewise
any Increase means immediate and
additional work for many hands. and
from the advantageous situation OF
Newport News, being the most con-
vencnt point both for the laborcr To
live. ana the packer to ship. she
should draw the lIon's share of the
advantages.
Unfortunately, however. ns stated
above. the business IL In such condi-
ton. that even the lions share would
not ~ very large and fail to sec
how II will ever be. unless cultiyn-
ton Is allowed on the lands beneath
the water nS II is on those ashore:
and when we consider that the above
mentioned thirty thousand acres pro-
duccd possibly 100000 worth of work
thiS year. OF which You received prac-
tically nothing. whereas II might bo
made to produce S3.0OO.O00 worth. Of
which amount, ut least one third
should find It's way To this city. tho
proposition ahead of your business
association seems n pretty clear one.
During an informal talk after tho
meeting, Mr.. Armstrong spoke fnrth-
er on the subject, showing how n few
other objections 10 change OF policy
could be met. saying:
There are many who honestly ln.
lieved 1t would prove great injury
to the independent FISHERMAN if be
were forced to work for the planter.
but considering that he, tho oyster.
man. does not seem To have prosper-
ed very greatly in his independent
condition. and that tho vast majority
OF happy and prosperous people, in
one way or. another, work for some
one else. anyway, the belief could
hardly be Justified !,
! There is no reason why these mon
should not take up some OF these
lands and become planters and he
really independent; as 1t now is IL ia
claimed that they are independent,
/. but are they really so? They are
limited on ali sides by law az to when
and where they shall work, when
they must cease working, how their
work must be conducted. and In fact,
B In dozen ways they are far from
being able to follow their own wishes
Let us see what their condition
would he were they planters: They
would be Mt liberty Mt all times 10
work upon their grounds as best suit
them; the energetic and thrifty would
! be able 10 get the full benefit of their
labor In being able to apply it i'm the
most economical manner. FOR In
stance. in winter the days are short
the weather gtormy, and 1t is expen-
slve To carry on many classes of oys-
ter work, but In many cases the same
work could be done In summer when
days are long and the weather more
| favorable.
AS II now stands. however. the law
says he must not work during these
good months, but must work I'm tho
fall and winter, thus we sec the cost
of the product Is greatly increased
and the workman is really not indie
pendent. 1t would seem to require a
very narrow definition of the term
independent" TO suit his case. Now
why should the oystermen not he
come one OF our most prosperous and
thrifty class of workmen. by becom
| Ing nl1ntnrc
they are well acquainted with the
work and 1t certainly should not be
n very difficult matter for the STATE
10 provide each and every one OF
,hese men with n goodly piece of the
bottoms now held for them in com
mon, and then have plenty of bottoms
lett to encourage other citizens ell
| gaging in the industry.
IL Is very easy to get from our re-
ports the number and names of the
oystcrmcn; and the area CT the pub-
TIC bottoms has been very accurately
measured. aud with the thorough,
efficient board now i'm control of this
Industry the matter should certainl,
not be hard to arrange when once the
proper legislation was enacted. just
see what would le accomplished from
the standpoint of the State: What
now creates deficit--for the State
expended this year over thirty thou
sand dollars. receiving in licenses tc
the oystermen thirteen thousand dol
lers-would turn into n tremendous as
SET probably over one hundred thou
sand dollars in a very short time.
The appropriation made by the
state for policing would be no longe,
necessary, and all she would have tc
expend would he. say about five thou
sand dollars for the maintenance Of
] the board of Fisheries for un chnnlS