The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-15
our esteemed contemporary. The


Northern Neck News, says:
1T is with unfeigned delight that
the News is able to announce that
the insidious and dangerous bill to
break the lines of the Baylor sur
ycy in tho James River was defeated,
and too much credit cannot be given
to Senator Walker and those who
stood with him, for having exposed Its
true purpose. We are not surprised
that The Times Dispatch should have
advocated this measure, for that naper
has consistently, If not wisely. favored
the breaking of the Baylor survey, and
it frankly declared that the James
River. measure was but an entering
wedre 10 the Anal accomplishment OF
the universal destruction OF the Baylor
/ lines..' ai1
The News is quite correct In stating
our attitude as to the releasing part
of the, Baylor survey In James River,
but The Timcs-Dispatch has never de-
sired. and does not now desire. that
the entire Baylor survey be DESTROYED.
1--WE believe that all oyster rock which
will afford reasonable living to the
tongers should be maintained by the
State as a public heritage for the use
of all its citizens: but the News must
remember that there are within the
Baylor survey great number of acres
of land on which no one is allowed to
propagate or reproduce oysters. and
which at the same time does not afford
any return to those who live by taking
oysters with tongs.
oThe Times-Dispatch feels that when
the final settlement of this question is
reached we will be found in accord
with the Northern Neck News and
epra ctically every other paper in Nir-
ginia. Our sole effort is to have the
State administer its oyster resources
so as to produce the greatest good to
the greatest number. The example of
Texas, Louisiana, Connecticut, Mary
land and Delaware. all of whom at one
time worked on much the same plan
as Virginia, and all of whom have by
a the operation of natural laws been
( forced to amend their methods. demon
gstrates beyond any doubt that the best
interests of all the citizens are furth-
cred by removing every obstacle TO
the planting and growing of oysters
& by artificial means. and by reserving
for the Public only those lands which
produce oysters in profitable quantities
without natural cultivation. The Times
Dispatcn is Informed and believes that
there are within the Baylor survey in
James River thousands of acres which
s-OY he ia n
Z Iy valua ble. CROP of oysters II it were
possible for these lands to be planted
with oyster shells or young oysters;
but under the present law they neither
furnish living for the tongers, nor
wealth for the State. 1t was for this
earnestly desired a survey to be made
of the lands, and failing that. we de-
sire to see the line to the Baylor sur
Sey Strengthened and a small expert
1nent made in the James River, believ-
ing that this experiment would furnish
q basis upon which the Legislature
could determine the action 1t Should
Take In the future.
The oyster question has been in vir-
ginia from the time of John smith.
end our sole solictude is that it be
not removed by destruction of. the
oysters before it is settled in a way
that willYfproduce the maximum Of
wealth and occupation TO the Virginia
citizens. The Legislature has lacked
information on this question, but it
has not lacked either capacity or viii
10 deal With it when proper informa-
ton is forthcoming, and we yet hope
that such information may be FUR
nished
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