Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-02-28

put the oyster problem in the lime
light; their recommendations will have
great weight with our present law
makers.-Hampton Monitor.
OYSTERS AND POLITICS.
Norfolk Ledger-D ispatch.)
1t is unfortunate that while the Leg
islature is engaged in trying to solve
the difficult problem of protecting the
oyster industry of the State that the
fractional political squabbles of the First
Congressional district should be mixed
up in the matter.
Congressman Jones attacked the re-
port of the Board of Fisheries, and the
Northern Neck News, a paper friendly
to him, bitterly arraigned the report.
and also Senator Sale, of Norfolk.
whom it charged as having introduced
a grab proposition" in a bill to in
crease the salaries of Chairman Lee
and Secretary Matthews. We have a
copy of the House bill introduced bv
Delegate Baker, of Chesterfield county.
which is identical with the measure
charged to Senator Sale, and in an in
terview yesterday Senator Sale showed
that he had been done an injustice by
the paper in its attack on the bill.
Messrs. Lee and Jones have been
leaders of the Democratic factions in
their section for years, and in the last
Congressional fight Mr.. Lee supported
Mr.. Mears, of Accomac, against Mr..
Jones; but the political differences be-
tween them should not be used to him
der the Legislature in doing something
to revive and protect the oyster indus
try of this State.
The bill before the Legislature does
provide for an increase in the salaries.
but that is not the real bone of conten-
ton. 1t makes the Board of Fisheries
department of the State under the
name OF the Commission of Fisheries. f"
and provides that it can sue and be
sued. 1t also gives the commission
supervision and control of the oyster
inspectors, with power to remove them
and authority to appoint the captains
and crews of the oyster patrol boats.
In other words, from board of limit
ed efficiency for want of authority the
Dill creates virile commission. with
power to put into operation the plans
and projects for the protection of the
oyster industry and to enforce the laws
and prosecute offenders.
Any board or commission to be eff
iective must have authority vested in
1t by law, and the present condition
Oh the oyster interests attests the in
sufhciency of the present laws.
The Legislature has serious promo
sltion to deal with, and should keen
fractional politics out of its considera-
ton.
mAkf LAND-VlRGINIAJ JOINT CONFERENCE.
On our first page we give the text of
the law decided upon for the Potomac
river between the commissioners Of
Virginia and Maryland. They are good
as Tar as they go; there were a number
OF other points desirable to legislate on.
but the lateness of our legislative ses-
sion and the haste of the Maryland
gentlemen to get back to their duties
precluded further consideration.
The commissions, headed respectively
Tor Maryland and Virginia by Senator's
Llnthicum and Walker, were able ones
and worked hard and well. Here are
some extracts from the newspapers
pertinent thereto:
The members of the Virginia COM
mittee are Senator's Walker, Saunders.
keezell, Gunter and Parsons, and Dele
gates Cation (chairman), Rev. Old.
Pendleton, Jett, Green and Page. Sem
ator Linthicum was made chairman of
the JOINT conference and Delegate Page
Secretary.
The Maryland party, which was
met on its arrival by Colonel John R.
saunders and Delegates Roosevelt. PAGE
and Old, consisted of Messrs. HAYDEN.
Jones, Brady, Linthicum, Brashears
quinn and McGonigal, of the MARYLAND
Legislature; G.. w. Munford and w
Wright Burrows, of the Baltimore Sun
and Associated Press, respectively
The Marylanders will be here several
days, and it goes without saying that
they will be entertained by the Virgin
Ia solons. An elaborate banquet now is
being planned for the visitors.
1T is apparent that both States are
anxious to solve problem that has
vexed them for years and promises to
Vex them still more if not given early
attention. 1t will require some dill
gent and active work to get the meas
nres that are agreed upon through the
Virginia lawmaking body at this ses-
sion. The General Assembly of that
State has only two month sessions. as
against the three months of the Mary
land Legislature.
Senator Brashears created soma
among his delegation ON
the way to Richmond by moving that