Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-02-25
BIRD BILL SHOULD PASS.
tRichmond vii,ginianl

A bill has been prepared with care
and has the approval of the Commits
sion OF Fisheries as well as of DR.. II.
+. Moore. of the United States Fish
Commission, who recently made sur
vey Of the James River oyster grounds.
But objection has been raised to this,
that and the other thing in the bill, and
the chances of its passage at the present
moment are very slim if our informa-
ton is correct.
The lines of the so-called BAYLOR sur
vey are irregular, uncertain and in
some cases mythical. The bill provides
that they shall be Strengthened and de-
lined SO that the territory included, es-
pecially in the seed-producing district,
may be properly policed.
But all that has been threshed out
The point in the story is that the do
nothing policy prevails. 1t is the same
old story OF let it alone. Hands off, say
the Tidewater directors, and the mem,
bers from other parts of the State saw
"All right. What's the use?" Mem
bers from the interior seem to be will
ling to let the whole subject drift out
with the tide and go to sea.
1t is mistake. 1t is a blunder. II
Is an injustice to the taxpayers of
Virginia and to the interests of the
State as a whole. The oyster grounds
belong to the whole State and to all the
people. and the whole State and all the
people should get the benefit that be-
longs to them. Of course those who
live close to the seashore have an adyan-
tage OF position, and are entitled to all
the privileges that it yields them. But
the oyster grounds do not belong to any
one section. The Constitution saws
that the oyster beds shall be held in
trust for the benefit of the people of
this State. The oyster grounds. the
waters of the Chesapeake and its trib-
utaries belong to all the people, and
all should receive benefit, equal bene-
hts as far as possible. The people of the
interior cannot go upon the water and
catch the oysters. But they are en-
titled to enjoy their share of the reve-
nue. and they haye the right to demand
that the oyster grounds shall be so
farmed as to yield the greatest revenue.
subject to the restrictions of the Con-
stitution.
Curiously enough, their representa-
lives in the Legislature do not seem
TO think so. They do not seem to care
whether the oyster beds are cultivated
Or exhausted; whether the revenue is
arge or small. And so the oyster bill
s kicked around from one place to an,
'ther, and is very likely to meet the
late that its predecessors have met.
It's of no consequence
Funny, isn't it?
The oyster question Is so intricate
hat nobody knows just what is best to
'e done. 1t is still in the experiment.
Il stage, but we thinS that a great
'oint has been gained in recognizing
he fact that the seed supply ia of
'rime consideration. That must be the
ase in the oyster industry as in farm
ng. There must be plenty of good
eed or there cannot be bountiful crops.
We believe that step in the direction ,
f improving the seed supply is made ,
the proposed Strengthening of the !
sayior lines. The bill to accomplish
his should pass at the present session.
t can certainly do no harm and if it be .
ound at the next session that the lines
re not desirable they can be restored.