Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-10-07

seems to have overlooked the facts in
this case. 1t is true that Commissioner
Lee, finally needing the petitions and
demands of the tongers, did agree to
have made reSurvey of the natural
oyster beds in James river for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether or not GER
tain planters are occupying portions of
the natural rock, in violation of the
State constitution. And he did agree
to have the planters stop work on dis
puted territory pending the resurvey.
But if he 'highhandedly ordered all
planters, the wicked, the good" ETC.,
to cease making lawful use of their
rented lands. this paper has heard
nothing about it. As matter of fact
many James river planters are quietly
working their grounds and have not
been brought into the trouble one way
or another. These planters are won
dering now whether or not the natural
rock is to be surveyed in the vicinity of
their leased beds; they have not been
communicated with, care nothing about
the disturbance over disputed territory
and are hppiag that the resurvey will
he limited to that territory. The only
planters who have been notified to stop
work, as this paper understands it, are
those holding leased grounds alleged to
be within the lines which should mark
NATURAL rocks.
II planters are occupying public
rocks, and no one seems to doubt that
some of them arei they ought to he re-
quired to move off. If these planters
were put ON the rocks by ignorant or
careless surveyOrs representing the
State, IL Is very unfortunate. and they
should be reimbursed by the State for
any loss sustained on account of the
mistake. But they should get off the
rocks. As long as it is known or be-
lieved that they are encroaching,
whether by design or On account of
mistakes on the part of themselves or the
States representatives, public senti-
ment will be behind the tongers in their
''stake-pulling bees" Therefore this
paper believes that the Commissioner
Of Fisheries acted wisely in ordering a
resprvey of tho ropks ana directing that
work on the disputed territory cease
pending the making of that survey.
Our only complaint is that the step was
not taken long ago,
In the concluding paragraph of its
editorial. the Times-Dispatch shows
why it is so ready to denounce the pres
sent system of handling the ayster
industryi
The only final solution is for the
State of Virginsa To lease ell the oyster
rocks. Sooner or later, this must be
done, and when it is done. oyster reve-
nues will increase. and the oystermen,
planters and tongers alike, will pros
per-"
Perhaps our Richmond contemporary
is right in it's conclusion, though this
paper is not prepared to admit it. But
unless and until the radical step pro-
posed is decided upon and the State
constitution is amended so as to make
""N S""h6S PoSSioiS, lct Us see 10 IL
that the law as it reads today is COM
piled with. This law says that the
natural oyster rocks shall not be rented
or leased, but shall he held in trust for
the use of the people. And if, by mis-
take or otherwise the law is violated,
it is the duty of the State authorities
to take such steps as may be necessary
to remedy the evil. And when de-
mand from the tongers that the law be
enforced is complied with, the action
hardly can be termed 'coddling,"