Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-22
NEWPORT NEWS VA, SUNDAY DECEMBER ~ 1907

furnish Il good profit for the investor.
Farmers have done il with the waste
lands OH shore, why cannot we do the
same with those under the water.
So Connecticut proceeded to prove
mat the course adopted was the cor
rect one, and today the towns along
Long island Sound, are pcoplcd with
prosperous oystermcn: for the inyes-
tor receives large returns. is able to
pay. and does pay big wages to the
skilled labor employed. with the re-
suit that comfortable homes are much
III evidence. and the Indirect taxes
paid into the state treasury are large
ly increased.
AT this point | will call your at
tention to the fact, that Connecticut
depends almost entirely for her revo-
nue. from the business from this
source. charging very small amount
Tor the use of her grounds: she is.
however. under no such heavy expense
Tor policing as Virginia. for In this
State 1t costs over twenty thousand
dollars per year endcavoring to make
the oystermcn obey the laws passed
presumably. for their benefit. Let us
20 back now, and see what innu-
enccd Virginia in following The policv
she ala. and how ii has resulted: =
When the question came before orr
Legislature for settlement, great in
iiuence was brought TO bear by the
oystermen to keep us much ground MS
possible Tor themselves. claiming that
the bottoms were theirs nv right. and
thcy fell into the hands of private
parties their wages would not he suf-
live "a,
Claimed there were at that time and
always would be plenty of oysters af-
iording them big wages working on
inc natural privilege, as against star
walton If the beds were to be culti-
Vated by private parties. II was also
CLAIMED that trusts would result and
would gobble mp all the valuable ter
ritory and cause ruin to many.
Believing that these things were
FACTS, the members of the Legislature.
not being well posted on the subject,
passed the laws asked for by the oy-
stermen and Virginia started I'm to
test her policy; now with the light of
some years of experience upon II. let
us look into these statements that
mad such great influence In the franz
ing OF the oyster laws. and see IL they
were sound and based upon facts.
| There is little doubt but that they
were made In good faith, lat II is GER
tam mat tho oystermcn opposed any
new people engaging i'm the industry
doing all they could to keep them out.
believing, enormously, that it was
better to check the industry, than 10
allow it to expand.
First tha ovc.arn,o -, 49,,
TOMS belong to the citizens of this
state; very well. let us take that
. view. Now II the wealth from these
bottoms belongs to the citizens of this
| state, each and every citizen Is en-
utled to fair portion, but 1t is abso-
iutely impossible for every citizen ia
go each year and get his share of
| oysters from these bottoms. therefore
III reality this so-called public benefit
Is enjoyed ty only n few who chance
10 i've close to the grounds, and the
great majority of the citizens receive
no advantage whatever from their
privileges; yet if these same beds
were rented ont to private individu
| ais. the tax received would 70 IN tho
state, into public schools and roads
and much good would result and be
enjoyed ny all alike.
| do not think 1t would be goinp ton
far to say that this revenue Would
soon reach two hundred thousand adj
lars annually; SO we see that what is
supposed to be public privilege falls
very far short of being such undcr
tne present laws. and we must CON
Guide that the laws are not fair I'm that
direction. '''"'
NOW as TO the statement that tho
FISHERMAN makes n good living work
nhs on these natural beds. and would
suher seriously should he have ia
WORK lor the private individual:-It is
pretty wei understood fact think
mat tue iirst Use a man makes of his
money, is to make himself comforta-
nle by building or improving his home
ne condition of the home is GENERALLY.
! taken TO indicate the measure of =
mans prosperity, and the tax he NAYS
me state represents in direct wav
It's value; now the state requires each
person working on the public grounds
10 take ont license. for which bo
pays the sum of two dollars ana =
half. so that it is an easy mattcr ~
get the names of all persons so ON :,
ploycd and by referring IN Tho ta,.
sneets' ascertain the amount of taxes
paid by them. 49,
Herc again we find something
wrong' for the returns show a decided
lack OF property among these neonlc
ana have been informed bv Tho
treasurer of one of our largest tide
water counties. that he was of opinion
,hat many of the list were returned dc.
iin1neit. expect to get the accurate
ng'res for that county and several
other counties In short time. buf n,
stated in tho beginning. nv time
mas been too short to obtain the de-