Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-02
} new leases to be granted in James

no new leases to be granted IN James
river.
In this way no contracts of lease
would be violated, and no new obliga-
tons to permit planting oysters in
James river would arise, and in the
course OF eight to ten years, nearly, If
not all, OF the existing leases in James
river would expire.
WOULD CANCEL LEASES OF y1oIAross
"As further protection to the seed
beds there, would be glad to see en-
acted a law providing within the dis
cretion OF the Commission of Fisheries
that any planter holding planting bot
tom In James river should have his lease
cancelled upon second violation of
any OF the oyster laws. This would
Jeopardlse his business unless he abided
strictly by the law, and would almost
oovlate the necessity for guarding the
planters left in James river.
| 1t has already been recommended as
TO the tongers by the Board of Fisheries
on more than one occasion that any
longer, upon conviction of a second
violation OF any of the oyster laws,
should have his license revoked and no
further license issued to him at any time.
"A great deal of the trouble in the
settlement of the oyster questions has
arisen from the demand of that section
OF Virginia above Underwater that the
industry should pay a revenue to the
State, and the demand has been that
that revenue should be larger and larger.
Prior to the passage of the LeCato
Bill, in 1897, there was an annual deficit
from this source. From that time.
under the LeCato Bill, the revenues
have constantly increased annually.
until the last annual report sho VS. the
net revenue to the State for 19O6-07 to
be in excess of $685.
MISTAKE TO WIRING TOO MUCH REVENUE
FROM INDUSTRY.
81 am disposed to believe that IL Is a
mistake to attempt to wiring too much
revenuefrom this industry.
The true policy of the State should
be to build up the industry, encourage
the people to engage in oyster and Ash
business, to protect and conserve the
seed beds of tho State, and, if neces-
sary, to spend every dollar and more in
the protection and uphuilding of the
industry, rather than wiring revenue
from it,
This policy, II pursued by the State.
viii make the industry more and more
valuable. the number of people engaged
IN 1t more numerous and more pros
porous. and willbring back to the State
IN taxation on property values, revenue
Tar IN excess of what the State could
hope to enjoy from an unprotected or
inadequately guarded industry, rapidly
diminishing, whose revenue in a short
while would be entirely gone, leaving
her people TO seek other occupations.
or even other homes.
The time. in my opinion, has not
passed, but is rapidly passing, when. if
virginia desires to hold the first place
IN the oyster-producing States or Sec
tions of the world. she must necessarily
conserve and protect her seed beds
better than she has ever done in the
past
SShe must cease to regard these seed
beds as source of revenue from taxa
ton, and must conserve them for the
planting and propagation of oysters, and
IN the course of the industry must look
to the increased property values and
the taxation thereon rather than from
the direct revenue from oyster beds.
which are now diminishing and will soon
be gone unless better protected.
There is no question but that the
present Commission has made much pro-
gress IN better protection by the adop-
ton OF the watch boat system and the
use Of gasoline boats, the increase in
the number of boats in the service. and
the wholesome growth of public senti-
ment favoring the better enforcement of
the public laws. but there is vet much
legislation that could be and should be
passed, enlarging such powers and vest
ing additional discretion in the Commits
sion, which would inure greatly to the
work in hand.
mere was much beneficial lepisla- |
ton in proposed revision and codifica-
ton OF the oyster laws presented to the
last legislature. Had that legislature
had sufficient time to have thoroughly
informed themselves of the needs of the |
oyster business, and of the scope and
purpose of the proposed legislation. I |
have not doubt but that majority. If
not all, Of the recommendations would /
have been gladly enacted.
~ sincerely hope that there NAV be
careful consideration at the next meet
ing of the General Assembly, and that
this question of the oyster laws may be
taken up early and considered carefully.
and that itmay be actedupon promptly:
for the conditions are such unless early
legislation be had, there will be but few
seed beds left worth protecting.
Had this legislation been enacted
four years ago, i believe Virginia's
oyster interests now would have been
more than quadruple what it is.
AT present it seems to me that the
Virginia Commission is sufficiently sun
piled with police boats, but is suffering
more for needed amendments and leeis-
lation than from any other cause. 1t is
true, believe, that violations have dim
inished and are diminishing, but it is