Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-10-22
LEE ANSWERS
KENT AND BRENT.
Fish Commissioner Reiorts to Their
Strictures and Reminds Them of
Some THINGS.

hon. w. Mcdonald Lee, chairman
OF the State Fish Commission. was
greatly incensed when his attention vas
called to the charge made by the Re-
publican nominee for Governor that the
chairman of the Fisheries Board was
using the oyster gunboat Maury to en-
terrain his political friends.
In reply he said that any virginian
going his way was welcome to share his
hospitality on the Maury, but said he
did not go out of his way to pick them
up and insist upon their coming on board.
Every guest have on the Maury is
at my own expense and costs the State
absolutely nothing. An allowance per
day of a stated sum for each member of
the crew is made by the government.
Any extra expense caused by having
guests aboard l pay out of my own
pocket" said Mr.. Lee.
Zone bunch of political friends en-
tertained by me on the Maury was 8
shipwrecked squad of fifteen or eighteen
delegates on their way to the Republi-
anState Convention at Newport News.
Their vessel became disabled at the
mouth of the Rappahannock and took
them on board and landed them in New
port News where they nominated Cap
tain Kent for Governor.
1.-The last political guest l had was
Mr.. Harry K. Walcott, of this city.
who had been to Lancaster to make a
speech in behalf of Captain Kent's can
didacy. He could not get to Norfolk
without delay so brought him here as
was coming on one of my regular trips.
I'm the light of these facts think it
comes with poor grace for Captain Kent
to make such charges. Norfolk Land
mark.
Republican candidate Brent also goes
out of his way to attack Commissioner
Lee and makes false statements as to
revenues derived from the oyster in
dustry. In substance, he charges that
the collections under Lees administrs-
ton are less, and net profit to the State
smaller than under former administra-
tons. Mr.. Brent knows this to be
wilfully false. He forgets that, while
yet sailing under Democratic colors to
hold a job as school teacher in Lees
county, he took occasion to highly COM
pliment in the local press the report of
Fish Commissioner Lee.
Annual collections under the present
Commission have been for the three
years, as reported by the Auditor and
the Commission: 1906, $74, 623; 1907,
$99, 9S2; 1908, SIT, 761. Under former
administrations the Auditor reported
these from forty to sixty-nine thousand
yearly.
For the three years mentioned the
net profit to. the State has qeen, re-
spectively, $40, l2S; sec, 81, and $45, 442.
The largest profit ever reported previ.
ously by the Auditor is SI4, 999.
The collection of three years under
Lees administration land two of these
in distressed times) have totaled 1882. 500
with net profit of $161. 1916, as against
100000 and net profit of sl29.4lS in
the best three years prior to that since
there has been a Board of Fisheries.
Before there was Board, there was
an annual deficit.
The last Legislature gave the oyster
officials liberty to use more of the money
collected in order to restore productive
ness to the oyster bottoms. The crop in
Virginia today shows how well this has
been expended Will the Republican
s 1eakers dare tell the people of Tide
water that they shall pay more and
expendless in the care and protection of
their fish and oyster industry?