The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-31

4 ----71 = n
THE pUBLIC,s INTEREST," IN THE
OYSTER. sLANVS.
The Times-Dispatch acknowledges
with pleasure a letter, published else
where. from the Hon. Mcdonald Lee,
chairman OF the State Board Of
FISHERIES, in reference to our editorial
OF the 29th.
What this paper wished to make
clear was that different departments
of the oyster and fish industry should
be charged with their expenses. and
the profits and losses placed where
they belonged. that, as in any regular
business, it might be seen exactly what
the profits and losses are.
The policing OF the public rocks
should therefore, we think. be charged
TO that department, for which 1t was
created. and the returns. from that
source should be credited to it. IL
certainly does not seem fair that the
fishermen. clammers and planters 81
the State should be charged with airy
OF that sum wnen they have already
been taxed by the State to pay for
the privilege of doing business and Tor
a. protection which is SO scanty as ~
be practically yalueless.
Charging the expenses where we
believe they belong. we find policing
costs the State s29.97s.5o, while the re-
eeipts from The public grounds. includ-
ing tongers and dredgers only. was
ss6,s4s. showing deficit OF Ss.o2s.5o.
as was stated in the article to whlch
Mr.. Lee takes exception.
Regarding the question OF the ares
OF the productive grounds 1t resolves
itself entirely into question of what
constitutes productiveness. and The
Times-Dispatch feels at liberty to adj
here to its standard of what fair prn-
ductiveness consists in. and bases It's
calculations accordingly.
However. we do not feel that we are
acting entirely without authority il
this matter. for our honorable, Board
of Fisheries. OF which MIR. Lee is the
chairman. has this to say In its re-
1 port:
.'Dr. caswell Grave. OF the Mary:
land shellfsl. Commission. has mad:
public some startling figures. showin,;
the decrease in the acreage Of the
productive oyster rocks OF Pocomoke
Sound. Nd. which has been surveyed
and plotted by the commission.
u b ~
In 1850. wAdn surveyed by Licute.
nent Winston. ii had 1850 acres Of
productive ground; the last surve,
shows productive acreage OF laos
acres. q shrinkage of $3.50 acres Con-
tinuing the report Of the BoardN u
FISHERIES says: While this was equally
true of those portions of trangier unt
Pocomoke Sounds lying within vir,
sinia, a reaction is In effect to-day"
@ What THE reaction has amounted tt
Y The Times-Dispntch has no means o
saying, but Judging from the follow.
y ing sta tements. in the same report, tht
reaction is not very encouraging:
bred gLag5 is decreasing Year by yea
the gradpal exhaustion of the dredgln!
grounds is making 1t unprohtable. t
siredge.
THE number of tongers on the pub
s!cirocks is not as great this season a
last and likely will not be-.
If the remainder OF the public DO,
toms have reached a similar condition.
and this paper has no reason to belicy
otherwise especially since we note
rs fne same report the following III II.
gard 70 bottoms in another scctlc
.ntirely--our calculations as to relati-
In fact the latter says the repo
~ the Board of Fisheries that Is Il
pyster, is nearly extinct there, that
an the waters OF Mathews and Clio
Jester, but these bottoms could
made productive again II in the han
u the best citizens Of that communi.
& Gndcr present conditions, few Of II
whites can afford TO waste time on II
rocks"
In view OF the above statements
would not seem that this paper hi
oyersIated The condition oil the pub,
boltous. Furthermore The Time
ao'spatch would like 70 ash a II
\ sstioas;
Why Eft that the planters Of vi
E:R!s, who pay the state annue.
tiicusands o. dollars In rents and tax
I sss 5Ss,--this year II was over ssoooo--u
cost the State nothing for protects
lEd police, are no, encouraged to !,
Hls extent Of the States ability? I'll
lss create 5Mealtf work and prosperity.
teis aeettsns, Other States have
II dnurage "a them 10 the uttermpsl, 4
found Y Well worth their while:
ais state tlle planter have rcrcl
4 a!ttls on 10 asalssapes. They have 10