Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-04-03

rSyenue producer. Up to some twelve
years ago each FISHERMAN or planter was
"a law unto HIMSELF" there
was abundance of lands and oyster
growth for the people then in the BUSH
ness. The small navy and the few
officials were engaged more particularly
in keeping off citizens from other states.
1t did not occur to them that the hand
and axe raised above the goose of the
golden egg should be stayed, or that
the millions of bushels of Virginia seed
carried off to northern States should
be stopped. While watching the bor-
der robber, guerillas ran riot and our
own people devastated our rich beds.
Every year since has felt the depriva-
ton, more and more, until legislation,
the abomination of oyster people, has had
to step in. Scarcity of oysters, with a
continued deficiency in funds and excess
of expenditures over direct receipts,
called for the scalpel, and in 1898 the
first sensible step towards salvation was
taken. From that time the direct reve-
nues began to increase over expendi-
lures, until today, when there are three
dollars returned to the States treasury
for every one expended. We once
stood in shame over continued deficits,
but today are threatened with the other
extreme. All interest seems now to
have become conferred in seeing how
much cold cash can be gotten from the
oyster revenues, and laws for fostering,
cuitivating and protecting the oyster
are forgotten, allowed to sleep in legis-
lative pigeon-holes. The warning is
plainly visible; the needing appears to
be asleep. To extract great taxes and
offerno relief for propagating by means
OF legislation is to expect eventually
blood from turnip. To squeeze big
revenues will receive plaudits of those
at distance and condemnation of those
who are striving to make bricks without
straw. In default of legislation, to be
lenient and kind publican means that
the oyster official must surrender his
job. Thus, just now in the failure of
demanded legislation in Virginia the
oyster people and officials are between
the ''devel and the deep sea-"
Yet our State is far better off than is
Maryland. Politics there have not yet
been relegated to even second or third
place. 1t is at the head, and SO long rs su
preme just so long will the oyster indus
try be football, with the wind continu-
ally being knocked out of it. Virginia,
in selfish vein. should not cry over this.
Lacking yet proper laws, we are still
in advance of the Commonwealth north
Of us on this line, as we'll as in magni-
tude of resources. But once Maryland
rises to the occasion, takes advantage
of her opportunities by legislation and
in that degree spurts ahead of Vir.
ginia, we would quickly drop to second
or third place in the list Of oyster states.
AS it is, her misery is not our gain othe,
than in complimentary and compari.
tive sense. Her penance pays us but
little in material way. We need
not retrograde. She is today where
we were twelve years ago, not.
withstanding the intelligent and patri.
otto efforts of her Commander of the
fisheries department; is where we were
when our wealth of bottom had been
devastated, and our navy administration
consumed more than was collected
directly.