The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-22
TuE OYSTER SITUATION.

THE OYSTER SITUATION.
The GROWING glory OF Commissioner
Mcdonald Lees coddling policy to-
ward the tongers eliminated when the
tonpers compelled the Commissioner
missioner was coerced by a demon
stration of force to arbitrarily sus-
pend the right of lessees of oyster
bottoms and put an embargo on al,
James River planters.
What is the Commodore Maury
for. if not as weapon of de-
fonce and protection? To be sure that
Z boat has so long been used for yacht
ing parties and pleasant jaunts for
favored friends that it may have for
gotten how to fight. But-why then
docs Virginia pay thirty to forty thou
sand dollars a year to police its waters
II order can not be maintalned7
The tongers claim that planters have
encroached on the lands set apart by
the State for public use. Perhaps the
tongers are right. In many cases there
is no doubt that such encroachment
has taken place. But we are rot
living under an Asiatic despot who
knows how TO punish one guilty man
only by Staying whole town. AMI
cnlv that condition could Justify The
preposterous action of Commissioner
Mcdonald Lee In high handedly order
ing all planters, the wicked, the good,
the successful and the failures. the
law abiding and the predatory alike. to
cease making lawful use OF their
rented lands
II Chairman Lee was unable to
use the force the law gave him, or
unwilling to apply to the courts or
the Governor for sufficient help to
protect the rights of the law abiding
oystermen, then he Is not fit to hold
r, the position to which he has been
appointed Would it be conceivable,
for example that Mayor Richardson
should close every theatre in Richmond
that Judge Witt should revoke every
license because one liquor dealer was
& menace to the peace and dignity
OF the commonwealth? So, why SHOULD
the Fish Commissioner arbitrarll.
close up the whole oyster packing
3 business in James River because h,
is told that one or more planters hav,
encroached on the public bottoms?
But until proven guilty. all planter
had leases from the State and d!
such they had the guarantee of tn
State behind them that they would b.
protected from lawless aggression. /
Is true that Commissioner Lee ha
agreed tore suryey the disputed line
in three days. but there appears n,
just ground for suspending the right
of planters for even that length o
time.
OF course. Mr.. Lee thought his true
With the tongers was wise, and HI
thought that he was sagacious II
ordering the. planters to stop Bu
Virginia has time or place for sucl
loose and dangerous thinking an,
such weak trucking to mob fear.
For four years The Times -Dispatcl
has urged The Legislature to deal ono,
and for all with this situation. nh,
tongers have no rights that do no
belong to every other Virginian. But
for over half a century, the whole
y oyster industry of Virginia has beef
4 dominated by the representatives from
III ample. was sufficient to persuade III
@ tongers and their representatives tina
Nirginia.s oyster laws were rapid!
destroying an industry of enormou!
potential value Blindness and fatuit,
would no, listen and now the issue ha.
Come There must be, some man II
Virginia with. enough courage ant
capacity to settle this question Ths
only reason why Connecticut ant
Rhode Island, with vastly inferior re
oysters, while Virginia is steadily los
ing ground, is because the laws o
those STATES are made for the genera
welfare and not for the protection o
favored class
The only. hnal solution is for tn
State of Virginia TO lease all the oyste
rocks. sooner or later this must b
dene, and when it is done. the oyste
trouble will cease. the oyster revenue
viii increase, and the oystermer
Planters and tongers alike, WI
prosper.
=,==============-===-=--===== =-
THE rINcHING PENSION SHOE.
I'm a tiIde of profound civil peace
fun halfia century after its existenc
was last threatened. the United State