Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-22
Friday. November ee. 1907
THE STATES OYSTER INTEREST

THE STATES OYSTER INTEREST.
In commenting on the report of
the attempt by dspr,dators to cripple
the oyster navy the Richmond
Times Dispatch says under the above
caption:
1t no doubt reflected the curses loud
and deep which the oyster thieves utter
against any interference with their
depredations. OF all the predatory
wealth-hunters that exist in this coun-
try, there are none more predaceous
than the average FISHERMAN, on State
lands. 1t is said in the oyster country
that the laws, inefficient and unsatis-
FACTORY IN themselves, are Knocked at
by the oystermen. The natural rock
winch means the accumulation of
oysters on the bottom of the river
until they become almost like reef.
are piundered in season and out of
season by tongmen and dredgers. The
oysters are sold beyond the State. and
the oyster grounds of Delaware. New
Jersey, and even further North. are
planted with oysters from Virginia
waters. The revenue that the State
gets is insignificant compared with
what it should receive.
There is another feature to the oyster
business which is most serious to the
whole Tidewater country, and it arises
from the extraordinary amount of
money which can be made by the ordin-
airy able-bodied FISHERMAN from the
State oyster grounds. This is so great
that agricultural labor in that whole
country is utterly demorahzed. There
IS no disposition to cultivate the ground
when more money can be made by TAX
ing the oysters from the State. As n
consequence, some of the counties on
the Bay shore do not make as mucb
grain as they consume. The effect of
TINS oyster industry is to make the
people engaged in it reckless and i'm
provident. They recognize the fact
that it is a sort Of gamble. IF thew
nave good season they can make
enough money in few months to carry
them for the whole year. The balance
OF the time they walk about in a care
less and thriftless way.
There is no doubt about the fact that
our oyster laws need complete over
hauling, both on account of the economic
possibilities of oyster culture and of the
demoralizing influence of the State lands
as they are now managed by the State. {"
The article in the Times. ID Dispatch
Is more applicable to few years
back than it is today. However. |
we acknowledge, with chagrin, it
Is to some extent true today. Now.
since the up-country people look
at us in this way how can Tidewater
representatives wage a winning fight?
1t would be somewhat overdrawn
to say the above applies to the
average white FISHERMAN. We be.
lieve a small per centage-not the half
OF the whole-of white oystermen
would like to see all law abolished.
and they permitted to free-boot il.
inns class, with large per ceutage
OF the negro oystermen, have no
regard for law and look upon the
oyster officials as personal enemies.
They are never ''good" except when
under the eye of an inspector or be-
lieVe gun to be in reaching distance
OF their work. Because of this class
largely, our laws do need an over.
hauling, and the legislator will con-
Ter favor on the State at large and
the oyster and agricultural interests
In particular when they can be driven
from the rocks, driven out of the I
State or made to hoe corn. Already
many lawless ones are being eliminat- !
ed, hepast years oyster report show. n
Ing not so many licensed tongsrs as S
Tor the year previous, the drop-off
being occasioned by chad eggs" who a
10 notcare to license unless they are !,
to steal small oysters
While ostensibIy at legal longing.