The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-11
Congressman Charges That
Figures as to Fisheries
Work Are Inaccurate.
PAPER CALLS SALES
NEW BILL A "GRAB"
Letter Written by Hon. w. 4
Jones to Delegate Rev Said to
Contain Interesting Refer
encc to Report-Resolu-
ton Calling for In
vestigation

In legislative circles attention has
suddenly been directed by large num-
bcr of members toward the affairs OF
the State Board of Fisheries, the nc-
ton being accompanied by something
like pained astonlshn,ent that the sew
eral predictions made recently In this
paper to the effect that an investiga-
ton is about to be demanded are
proving TO be not merely newspaper
talk" as many In and out of the AS.
sembly. who professed deeper knowl-
edge, were willing, II not eager, to
describe them.
"venomous Attack"
Chief among the causes for this ex-
cess of interest is letter from Con-
grcssman w. A. Jones. alleging inac-
curate and misleading statements in
the last report of the board, to which
fuel was fire added by the receipt OF
copies of the Northern Neck News,
containing violent editorial denounc-
ing the bill introduced by Senator
Sale to change the name of the board
and to increase the salaries OF Its
members. This bill the editorial de.
scribes as a miserable and discred-
liable piece OF proposed grab which
the Legislature should Kill at once.
Between the two-the letter and the
editorial-no little comment was arous-
ed at the Capitol yesterday. Senator
Sale was out of the city and could not
be seen, but. prominent member OF
the Assembly from the Tidewater sec
ton was loud in his denunciation Of
the editorial. which. he declared to be
a "venomous attack" upon Mr.. McDon-
aid Lee. chairman of the Board OF
Fisheries. He considered 1t an effort
on the part of q Congressman from the
Tidewater section-presumabl Mr..
Jones-to knife Mr.. Lee. This Con-
gressman, he declared, practically con-
;rolled the policy OF the paper in ques-
ton. Though no member approached
seemed authorized to defend The board
over his own name, or In formal
statement. there were several who
were willing to assert that the charges
could be quickly disproved. However
this may be. a resolution will be In
troduced within the next week calling
for an investigation.
Letter From Mr.. Jones.
At recent session of the House
Committee on the Chesapeake and
Its Tributaries. Delegate Rev,
whose constituents are vitality
interested in the fish and oyster
question. read an extract from letter
from "a prominent Virginian" refer
ring to the Board of Fisheries, and
thereby caused sensation. The COM
nittee was In executive session, and it
cannot be ascertained definitely II Mr..
Rev actually called the name of Mr..
Jones. Anyhow, the letter was attri-
buted by several members to the Con-
gressman. and one of these members
has written to Mr.. Jones, asking for
copy. The Times Dispatch also
asked Mr.. Jones for. a copy, and in
reply received from him frank ad-
mission that he had written the letter.
but refusal to make 1t public at this
time. Notwithstanding this, the con-
tents of Mr. Jones's communication to
Mr.. Rev, as gathered from various
sources, may be said to be in substance
about as follows:
The last report OF the State Board
OF Fisheries to Governor Swanson and
the General Assembly contains two in
accurate and very misleading state
ments:
"First. The expenditures OF the board
for the fiscal year beginning October
1st, 1906, and ending September S0th.
1907. are placed at $33,171.01. Adding
s1,6l4.97. the amount allowed for
special policing on the ocean side, to
the regular appropriation of $4,000
makes the total amount to be used by
the board in the payment Of salaries
and for the protection of fish and
oyster industries $25.614.97. This
amount being subtracted from the