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

1T Is claimed In some quarters
that many would give np tho grounds
they now hold when other and better
ones became available, thus prevent
Ing any very large Increase In the
actual numLer of acres rented from
the State. and so keeping her revenue
down that this might be the case in
some instances. there Ii no doubt. but
us there IL absolutely no accurate in
formation on this point, and as We are
trying to use something little bet
ter then nero conjecture, II might mt
be we'll to attempt to say to what OK
tent this would not take place, we
can however. examine the subject
from another standpoint and possibly
reach more satisfactory conclusions.
The vast majority OF the planters
cf the State are of course dependent
upon the seed supply, without seed
oysters, their bottoms are worthless;
Virginias seed supply is nothing COM
pared to what II was few years ago
ana II is rapidly growing less.
"'rhc demand for planting grounds
Is IN proportion to the supplies. The
mere seed available. the more plant
Ing ground II profitable, the less seed
The less ground will be used. lait sup
posing the seed beds pass Into private
hands aud nature Is assisted by cult
walton. actual experience has shown
TINT everywhere the yield Is quickly
ana tremendously increased and there
would he fair price. and moro plant
ing grounds than ut present would be
used there would be no giving up of
bottoms. IL You will notice the gen.
oral tendency of our country you will
see that every available food.proiuc-
Ing area Is being eagerly sought after:
vast sums are being expended by our
government In the reclaiming OF waste
lands, that they may be brought under
cultivation and made to add their
share TO the food supply; Ia II then
probable that piece of oyster bottom
mat has once been held md proven
profitable will long go without ton
ant IL the tennnt can only get seed
to plant 1t? Given plenty of seed II
certainly would not seem necessary
10 seriously consider tho question or
grounds having been given up remain
Ing long vacant.
Here Is another point that seems
TO cause apprehension among few:
VIII not labor saving machinery be
introduced by the planters and force
out large number of workmen? Con-
sidering that the United States la the
most progressive country In the world
In the matter OF using such devices,
ana ne this country Is looked upon ny
| inc best place for the lal,orer to live.
mat fear does not seem to be we'll
grounded; but let us follGw this mat
Ter little further aud see if we can
md more solid proofs yet: Connecti-
cut, where as stated before. nearly all
I bottoms are under private cultivation.
no restrictions whatever are placed
upon the use OF machinery. and Con-
hecticut draws labor from this state.
paying them more than they receive
mere. having not enough labor at
home to supply her needs. Louisiana.
also draws largely for her ,supnly
from our neighborhood. even though
1t Is long and expensive journey to
get there, 1t pays. for the state when
she finally adopted n policy of enco,lr-
aging cultivation, adopted one that
was a sweeping and clear-cut decla-
ration that she was in favor OF private
enterprise conducting the business.
with the result that 1t will not be long
before Louisiana will take the busi-
ness of the Mississippi valley away
from the Eastern states. as her OUTPUT
Is increasing at very rapid rate;i
while ours shows n steady decrease.
Tin 1904 its value was one-half that
of New York and New York is far
Daiow Connecticut).
THE difference between these fig-
ures has become greater every year
since, but do not happen to be ia
miliar with these of any later date.
so viii not give them. On the whole
it seems a very hard matter to prove
that we have pursued wise policy"