The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-07

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.|Ncntlng the planters from comiilg int
4 aompetltion with them on the bottoms
(which would produce seed.
Hear now the story of Chincotcaguc
4 ms repeated by the state Board of Fish
1eries When the Inhabitants Of TIM
llslund lived by Gshlng and taking
1 oysters growing naturally there were
only eighty to one hundred families, II
lgrent poverty and destitntian, and tlit
total value of all property on tho
island did not exceed $50,OOD. When
/ however, the cultivation OF oysters b,
1 planting was undertaken, tile island
| blossonled and prospered beyond the
lWlldest dreams. Its Inhabitants have
increased seNenfold, and the property
value has risen twcntyfold, being nov
over 100000. Schools are we'll ap-
lpointed. and beautiful homes have re.
lplaced shanties: indeed, civilization an
prosperity In their most essential form.
have taken the place of ignorance
misery and poverty. TO quote the
paper above referred to: when Chin.
colleague Island depended upon nntura
oyster beds. the people were poverty
stricken and led a prccnrious existence
Now, from the small and poor island
during the last thirty days. 1000 bar
rels of oysters have been shipped every
day, and that quantity will be shipped
every day for the next thirty days.
One hundred and twenty thousand bar
rels of oysters In sixty days, worth
100000. from bottoms which have pro-
duced nothing! All, but we cannot
have this in. MarSland--the politician
and the tonger forbid it,"
How much longer will Virginia allow
the tongcrs and the politicians who
owe their place to the votes of the
tongers, 10 throttle an Industry which
means millions of dollars and absolute
~ incalculable prosperity to the whole
state? The orange groves Of, Califor-
nia, the olive trees Of italy, the Vine
yards of France, have nothing6lile the
same natural advantage that the
oysters Of James River and Chesapeake
Bay offer Virginia, and yet the selfish
ness of n few politicians and the gno-
rance of the rest of the state are eff
fectually Joined to destroy this vast
source OF wealth.
Why Should Virginia seek new indus
tries when her neglected oyster plant
Ing offers millions? And why should q
few misguided tongers from the Tide
water make the whole state suffer
great and unnecessary loss?
In view of its report, what is the
State Board of Fisheries doing to
remedy these conditions? Or If it is
doing nothing, will the Legislature re-
main passive. silent and blind while all
Virginia suffers?
Z FIRsT-CI.Ass PASSAGES GOING
CHEAP.
1 One mans meat is another mans
poison. and vice versa. Competition is
the life of trade, but now and then it
is the death of traders. The rate-waT
now on among the leading transoceanic
steamship companies is probably pretty
hard on the companies. 1t Is undoubt.
edly costing them a lot OF money But
1t is very nice indeed for the prospec-
tive traveller. The neglected consumer
| gets his innings once In a while, and
this seems to BIO the once. The chance
now confronts him, in short to go tc
Europe on almost unprecedentcdly ia:
vorable terms.
Most people have been to Europe
who have the money. Most Others
mean to go when they do get the
money. Travel is. an alluring thing te
most of us. and it is more than that
IN the younger sort wrote Bacon
at a time when travel meant sailing
vessel and post chaise,it Us part o
educationa in the elder, part OF
Experience This was long before thu
time when the grand tour came t
be regarded las the one proper finish
| ing-school for every young gentleman
lot fortune. But the opinions of boil
periods hold as true as ever to-day
while the means Of putting them int
effect have been UNNECESSARILY i'm.
proved. Travel remains second only
Ito reading and study as an educator
and it has possibilities of pleasure
which reading and study, to man,
minds. must lack. And travel ha.
changed. since Bacons day, from tn,
arduous undertaking to the pleasnn
commonplace. More can be seen /,
/ u month to-day than was possible ii
4 a twelvemonth hundred years ago.
Europe, for many and obvious rea
sons, is the Mecca of American travel
crs. Those who have never visited /
have an unusual opportunity to do 81
ilnow. Those who have visited it ma,
Iwell regard bargain transportation a
la sufficient excuse for doing 1t again.
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4 CHILD LABOR LEGISLATION.
The question Of child labor Is one O
} the most difhcult problems OF the ag,
J and the person who undertakes /.