Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-13
Friday, March 13, 1908.
SEEING THINGS AFFAIR OFF.

the personal and political enemies OF
the editor of this paper, who was
chairman of the State Board of
Fisheries (and now Commissioner of
Fisheries). mainly for two reasons.
First, life is too short TO be resenting
personal spites; the man that does
things cannot afford to stop on the
way to bicker with the road SQUAT.
tiers. Second, his case was being re-
viewed by 40 of the flower of Vir.
ginia-so decreed by the votes of
the people of the State. They sat as
jury, favoring the Common wealth
on all reasonable occasions against
increased appropriations aud salaries.
aud the verdict was with but one dis
senting voice (Evans) for SIS, 900 an
preparation and $4,000 salary to the
chairman. On the proposition of
friends md against the advice of
the chsirman) the salary was set a,
$4,000, and around this one of the
hottest fights of the session of the
Virginia legislature was waged-the
result being only Ii dissenting votes
Upon reconsideration nine of these
went to the chairman's side and the
final vote stood only 4 against him.
so, with all due respect to the critics
in the First district (theie were none
eisewhere) we submit that the grace
tni thing would be now to rise and
make it unanimous.
Ten years ago when the revered
LeCato framed the Board of Fisher.
cries bill the editor of this paper
who was close to Senator LeOato
had no little hand in its construc-
tion. We were sup against" Pitcher
aud the "mountaineers", and knew
that something had to be done. The
OIL was drawn in haste, imperfect
even then, and after it had had few
falls with Pitcher, LeCato and his
friends hardly recognized the off
spring. With practically no change
1t was our law until yesterday. At |
tempts were made last session to have
the law amended and the Board :of |
FISHERIES changed to the Commission |
OF Fisheries, perfecting this valuable |
Underwater statute, and az submitted /
to the Senate then salaries of ST. so0I
Tor chairman and $1,000 for secre.
tary were left untouched. The hill
died in the Senate.
AT this session it was conceded
that the Commission of Fisber;oo
act was sorely mcclellan d il is todav
a statute. Reported unanimously from
the House Finance Committee, carry.
Ing an appropriation of $4,000 in.
stead of $4,000. to be expended in
iiue"ater, with the two salaries at
$500 and $4,000. respectively. il
was referred to the chesapeake and
It's tributaries" where the appropria-
ton was left at $4,000 and salaries t
put at $4,000 and $1,000, and 90 t
reported by that (Rew's) committee
The Chairman and Sec
etary of the Board had refrained from =
'sklng for any salary, and when the o
barring of appropriations was reached a
'oiuntarily consented to a reduction d
= the appropriation to $45. 600. 8
hough told by the finance commit. :,
'es that they ought to and could S
ct the $4,000. THE Chairman CT
nd Secretary also recommended that a,
irterm of office be cut short one V
lonth, to expire March LIST instead "a
April LIST, 1910, so that hereafter
ne new Commissions 90 into *.
nee at the same time the annual 10
become available Sc
his act and their attitude on the oV
'lary matter have been lost sight of II
enemies IL,
The same Cor similar billy was pl
len reported unanimously from the
ish and Game Committee walkers, WI W.
the Senate with appropriation at sir
$4,000, and salaries at So, 900 and da
1000, respectively, and was salts. We
'ctory TO Chairman Lee and Secre. OF
ny Matthews. In the meantime Pc
lie House bill had come over to tbe -
'nate, and was accepted unani- ag
ously by the Senate after REDUCING re
larles to $4,000 and $1,000 as ar
reed on previously in the Senate ." o.
ID with a few minor amendments wi
nis went back to the House for de
ncurrence, which the latter refused
DO, holding out that $4,000 and
800 should be the salaries. The en-