Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-06-03
OYSTER PEOPI Is MEET.
Echoes of the Gathering from All
Over the Coast at Norfolk.


The oyster fishery of the limited
states rs almost as valuable as ali the
other hsheries of the entire Atlantis
coast IL Is worth twice as mucn as the
combined fisheries of NORWAY and an
per cent. more than those of Scofland
IL produces about one-third of the tota
value of the fisheries of the IJnited
states, including Alaska, yet in the sta
Issues, Notwithstanding that it is SO dis
elhcC IN ITS methods, 1T has been treated
III hardly more detail than the shad.
"n.en Is worth about one-tenth as much.
| Inc subject of oyster culture
and the broad principles on which
le is based cannot be pronerIv
treated within the limits of an
address, and, moreover, it has been
more or less adequately discussed in va
rlous publications of the Bureau of
FISHERIES, which are accessible TO anv of
you. VI
The second topic of my title is also n
broad one, but better adapted to oral
presentation l have been recentlv in
vowed In controversies in several states
IN Wnlch some of my friends in this con-
Ventioh were on the other side and in
winch, may say, they had the misfor-
tune to WIN. think that the honest
men on both sides of those discussions
lelt themselves handicapped by the pen-
eral ignorance which prevails resnec,-
ing the 1acts of the oyster Industry
even IN tloewater broad KNOWLEDGE Of
the oyster question is confined To a Few
ana In the interior ignorance is dense
ana general. There are millions of ner~
sons who have never seen an ovsrer in
the shell, and l recently heard of one
rnountalneer engaged in the interesting
operation OF opening raccoon oysters
VT, ",yn Jaek,kni1e' who complained Bit
terry that the bones cut his hands.
From the constitutions of onr le,;s-
iatures It is generally upon the people of
the interior, the farmers, miners and
mechanics, that we have to depend for
our oyster legislation. If we couId fnr-
nlsh them with definite, reliable and nm
preJudiced data on which to base tha;r
Judgments, they would be the hast
quallhed of persons to pass with 1,,;s
oom on the various fishery problens
which come before our legislatures
Ihey are removed from local influence.
eenulng TO color and bias their views.
anu snouia De able to approach the
question from a rational and ;ud;c;aI
viewpoint. Unfortunately we rarain
| supply these men with the raw mater;,
ais Oh Judgment, except during the heat
ana rancqr of debate, when we are
iess Interested IN laying broad founda-
uon IMAM IN FOSTERING up one side or
Ihe 0eher or the proposition in dispute
Inc questions at issue are econonic
and can be solved with Justice and co
ulty TO all involved only through the e1-
9 9rcise Oh calm Judgment based on facts
rrhey 90 not pertain solely to tidewater
Inc oyster bottoms belong to the peo-
PIE Oh the state as whole. both in Ia w
n ,'r e1n,Iy, and not exclusively to that
t'ats oi Cne population that happens to
ue resident near them. The peonle az |
the interior are also interested nc go
sumers, and have the legal and moral
rIght 10 demand that the great food re-
sources OF our waters shall not be re.
sIricteo or impaired by unwise admins
tratlon. In short. they have the san,a
stake In the oyster bottoms that wa ns
tne Atlantic coast have in the nnbSc
TIMBER lands of the interior. the water
power sites of the Rocky Mountains or
1ne mineral deposits of Alaska. They
YuIle certain, sooner or later. to
hn aAe 1emands upon us just as thev
&c .S alreaoy made demands in respect
.ry' and 1t were well that when tba
ti.ne comes they should be in possess;o,,
oi data Tor intelligent action
THE BANQUET AND ToAsrs
The menu card contained the coats Of
arms OF Virginia and the city of Norfolk
IN gold on white background TIL
menu consisted of:
Lynnhaven oysters on half shall
-. Essence of tomato en- tassa
'rSes. Radishes, Celery q
fried SOFT shell crabs, tartar sauce $
Cold Smithfield ham.
'arlslenne potatoes. French na.s
Roman punch in cases.
Grab flake salad. v
Fresh Strawberries. +,
lazy myers. Macaroons. Kissas
NT9ueiort cheese. Toasted crackers
C;%S -. Apollinaris.
Mr.. L. S. Purdee was toastn,a.
!. were four toasts:
Welcome" James G R;dd;oL n, h
D., mayor of Norfolk. IN. s
MorI0ik, Harvey M. Dickson. liz
r, Inc oyster Situation in Viroin;a - !
!: IA. mcdonald Lee, Commissioner IF
Our Visitors" Louis Feuerstein N
The Virginia Commissioner of Fish 81
RES was introduced by the toastmaster m
MD storm of applause. In RESPONSE
TINS welcome, Mr.. Lee, after recitinq pi
humorous and applicable story said in cf
art:
on have listened to the fulsor,s G,
10 merited praise of our 'citv hv IL 10
"a. You have heard the generous WORDS -
welcome from the Mayor of this graaf al
". You have not yet seen that Geo
IL they have promised that il shall b. Ca
store Tor you on the morrow. but We in
ant you to distinctly understand tbet
lat these gentlemen have said in 70
ect to Norfolk goes. MI
In the ten minutes allotted IA
Know that l could sum IN my nm,
oJecI In any more substantial way
IN thls-and l ask of our poyernmen, irl'
ends, If they be present tonjoht that n
y need what l say-my toast ton;ght is il
De virginia. IN that pure water me,
ting glass of water). 1t needs 80 use.
VINE OF Cathay, nor the nectar 80 v
non, nor yet the wine of Cardui to Rev
ne good the system of our oyster nes
nave nothing but pure water here hos
ere Is no contamination, and ali of nos
II government reports and press ~ tlon
Us 10 the contrary notwithstan6;nS- C
hold that there is not q foot of COS Sha
inated salt water within the confinas T
Virginia. 'iiihes j.
/ was for two months ano. pre-
Ip5yng 70 impress upon 140 soions Chu
richmond, what the situation IN
glnia was, and / am expected -
you tonightsin ten minutes of thet
atlon, and, thrown in, the tratn;tons