The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-23
SUNDAY. JANUARY rs. 1910.
SENATOR HOLT ON THE BAYLOR
SURVEY.

SENATOR HOLT On The bAi LoAs
SURVEY.
Senator Saxon w. Holt expresses
amasement that Speaker Byrd should
view THE breaking of the Baylor Sur
vey" with favor. What alternative
remedy has senator Holt to propose?
The United States government survey
shows that over one-half OF the James
River beds in the Baylor tract are
now totally unproductive AS this Ia |
mentabIe condition has been brought |
ahout by the present system of adj
ninistration, 1t is certain TO gro"
steadily worse as long as tho present
system is maintained. and there Is
expert authority for tho statement
that rocks which have once become
haven cannot become productive
again except under culture. ih's
state of affairs must be highly unsat-
,sfactory to every intelligent friend
of the oyster industry, and we fcel
an earnest desire to know what sena-
Tor Holt wants to do about IT.
1t Is possible that not EVERYBODY
understands what is meant by ule
"breaking" of the Baylor Survey. For
the benefit Of the ignorant. 1t may be
explained that this term in no sense
means the abolition of the survey and
the closing of the whole tract to pub
lie use. 1t simply means that that
mart OF the public rock which is now
unproductive and of no possible use
to anybody should be leased out Tor
eSed period to private cultivators VINO
will make II productive again. When
the leases expire, the rocks. then pear
ing a dense growth, will be turned
hack 10 the tongers again. This is the
proposal which so stirs senator Hoits
astonishment and indignation. VIII
he or somebody who feels as he does,
please point out lucidly and spcc1n-
oally what possible objections can
be urged against it?
We hardly think that the argument
about a few rich corporations rob
hing these people of their rights'--tht
aid stump talk which remains az
vague as it is famiiar-throws any
zeal light on the ovc-question. VIVA
lights are the tongers to be robbed Of
rhe right to sccape over barren Dot
IONS for a return of nothing per day
Not 10000 tongers working all sea
son can pull UP single dollars worm
!, of oysters from beds that produce nc
,ysters and Will never produce any
until they arc put under skilful cui-
,iyation. II this Is their right, they
lose nothing by giving 1t up Tor a
time. On the contrary. they get q
distinct and immediate gain in the
opportunity of steady employment
from the planters in restocking the
beds That is TO .stg, they get the
chance 10 earn living out of beds
srom which they cannot hope TO OK
tract penny now. This is the new
right" the tongcrs would get, de-
cidedIy more real and tangible than
The one they arc supposed to have
been robbed Of The State gets a fixed
revenue from tho leased BEDS from
which 1t now gets nothing, and II
further has the certain knowledge
that when the leases expire, the value
Of the beds VIII be enormously In
creased. Then the tongers may have
them back, with their livelihood re-
stored to them. Meantime the plant
ers will have prospered, building UP
our waning oyster industry and add
Inc largely TIC the taxable wealth OF
the State. These are general and COM
mon benefits, and the Legislature
should take prompt steps to seize
them. If few rich corporations" car
make money in this beuehcent pro
cess, they are fully entitled to DO 50.
We cannot at all agree with Sena
tor Holt that the Speaker has actce
unwisely or unfairly in appointing Z
The committee having this industr.
IN charge men from other sections Q
the State than the oyster counties, @,
the contrary. we think this step wa
eminently wise and proper. Legisla
tors from these counties have been
uninterrupted command of the oyste
situation for q very long period G
years, and we think that an infusio
of new blood now would be decided
advisable. The people Of the State
a whole are entitled to representatio
on this committee. Nor do men hay
to be expert oysterTnen TO handle sue
question us this, any more than the
nave to he scientific penologists to S
on a penitentiary board. They ca