The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-11
WHERE MANAGEMENT WILL PAY.

Inc position TO winch GOvCrut
Stuart has appointed John S. Parson
OF Accomnc. is ono which affords n
/ opportunity for service scarcely cS
cellcd by that of any other publi
Office In the Commonwealth
| a fish commissioner devoted to hi
| far seeing In his policies can utiliz
| present prosperity to overcome pas
| wastefulness and can make Virgini:
first among the scafood- producln,
/ States. A commissioner who will serv,
! for the salary and not for tho benefit
| 10 the public, commissioner who viii
be first politician and secondarly {
servant OF the people, or commits.
sioncr who will DO in sympathy with
! one class In Tidewatcr to the prejudice
Of others, can wreck this great natural
resource and can thereby deprive the
State of millions in wealth
Virginia has been crimlnal1y prodi-
sal IN her neglect OF tho great mine
that lies below her tidal rivers and
watercourses. With a folly almost un-
belicvabie the state has written in
Its organic law the provision that the
natural oyster beds, rocks and shoals
shall not be leased. rented or sold,
but shall be held In trust for tho benc-
fit Of the people" which means that
any man who can buy q pair OF tongs,
rent n "bug-eyc' and raise tho money
for = license can scour tho bottom.
just rs n law which would permit all
men TO hunt ali game at all seasons
would destroy the last bird and tho
last rabbit in the confines of the old
Dominion. so this provision of the Con-
stitution (scction 1850 has slowly but
rocks and stripped them bare. The
10000 acres of natural rock shown
by the Baylor survey and the 400, 900
acres then open to planting have
dwindled. according TO the Fish Com
mission. to half or less.
With the Constitution thus strict In
Its provisions, even n satisfactory adj
m.nistration is handicapped Tho best
that can DO done In tho circumstances
is not always that which Will bring
the maximum return from the oyster
rocks And when the administration
falls short OF the highest standard,
the results inevitably are disastrous.
furthermore, within recent years.
Virginia oysters have suffered in com
petition with those OF other States.
This has been duo to two causes. name
Is, tho shipment OF poor oysters from
the natural rocks and the so-callcd
pollution scare"
AS TO the former II is we'll known
that the seed oysters taken from tho
natural rocks are seld m fit 10 market
at once. To bring The best price they
should be rcplanted and "fattcned."
When, therefore. seed oysters have been
sold for market. they have sometimes
failed TO give satisfaction. and have led
the undiscrlminating TO believe that
all Virginia oysters were OF the same
quality.
In tho same way, the cry that vir-
ginia oysters were polluted undoubtcd-
ly cost tho oyster industry many hum
dred thousand dollars 1t has been
shown that the agitation that origi-
mated In the North and practically
closed New York markets to our oys-
ters was at best partisan in character.
ana was launched to help the sale OF
Connecticut oysters. But this proof
could not DO had at the time when
II was most needed. Before tho facts
could bc shown and tho purity ~ Vir-
giria oysters demonstrated by tests
OF unqucstionable accuracy, tho metro
politan trade had been turned north.
ward. our planters and tongers lost
But the restrictions OF the State Con-
stitution. an administration thar was
far from faultless and tho past condi-
ton Of the market have not made tho
situation hopeless. and should not dis
courage tho new commissioner. Much
OF that which has been lost has been
rega!ned through abundant seasons;
st!n more can he recovered il the Con
stitntion be- amended and n liberal.
constructive policy bo .naugurated by
an able commissioner.
As we see it. tho amendment OF the
Constitution Is the greatest need OF
the oyster industry. The BAYLOR sur
vey. sacred though it is To Tidewatcr
must give place 10 policy OF reclnma.
tton IF tho Constitution cannot bs
changed, OF not changed until too late
there Is sim the opportunity Of draw
ing tho lines once more and leasing
those parts OF the natural rocks which
arc now depleted.
second only 10 this. IT. seems 10 us
is the necessity OF establishing and
maintaining standard for Virginia
oysters Those Of us who appreciate