The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-13
THr REASON FoR II.

has made R mistake So II Is preVF ethtiA'is
thought Time alone viii tell whether or not,
IN Amounting a new fish commissioner, good
lawyer and clever gentleman that he u.s. he has
conformed TO the statute which calls for "prac-
teal knowledge" If a mistake has been made
Il IN his, and the misfortune of fifty thousand
trusting people. II records have been ignored
and factional politics have played part, then
the best results can hardly be looked for.
Against requests Of those engaged in the water
enterprise and the public records. there has
been introduced only the desires of a few
facional leaders and two papers Zone combina-
ton, the Ncits Ic9der and TjmesD Dispatch.
Great is the combination The Ne1es Leader
started out for Commissioner Lees scalp and got
IT. Big Injun' Much sharp knife. II has found
favor at court, If not with tho masses. So much
for the appointments. We had eomplimented the
new governor thus far for retaining faithful Of
ncers. in our judgment be has not followed
this policy IN this instance. He has declined 10
reappoinr one ardent partisan" appointing in
his stead another ardent partisan" Of an op-
posing faction
The TirqiHidn had not expected to comment
on the appointment Of fish commissioner for
reasons that are obvious. and would not now do
Sc but for the blatant challenge Of the local
syndicate and absolutely 1allaeious CHATS mild)
leading editorials of two or three days back on
the part of the Nc,rs Leader and Tjmes.Dispatch
Greatly eated that they have gotten Com.
missioner Lees scalp and the only papers We
have seen that are Growing great is the Ne'os
Leadcr-Times Dispatch .comhInation)--a wonder
ing public is patiently awaiting the reason There
was q reason for it, and don't mistake IT,
The siesta Oracle, alias Meas leader, un.
patriotically makes this absurd statement: "Other
States have gone forward while Virginia
has watched her oyster business relatively slip
away" Fisheries reports OF Maryland, North
Carolina and other States show to the contrary
The United States government census puts Vir
ginia in the lead, while written testimony from
commissioner of Atlantic Coast States convinced
Governor Mann 10 that effect The oyster and
fish output is next only to our great hay and
tobacco crops Yet the Oracle has awaked and
spoken, We were fast going to the demnition
bowwows'
All that Virginia needs "s 10 follow the way
that has been blazed out by other States!" Other
States ap4-nn41- tnllnAing yirEinia,4 blaze and
their officials SO state In black and white More
over, the president of the National Shell-Fsh as
ISOLATION. IN address 10 the public press, has
accorded virginia the first place, and her laws
and administration the most advanced. Vide Dr.,
Joseph Hyde pratts address and letters,
So the slumbering Oracle is no oracle at all.
bnt a. prevaricator that would misead public
that is not altogether SO gullible
Now the reason for il. The same designing
editorial Of the siesta goes record as follows:
land now that the confession ia in cold type II
can never get away from it,;
'~rae desire ~ the News Leader has been to
eee the great possibilities Of the oyster business
eu wealth producer for the citizens of this
State developed and utilized. With the break
ing IF 44tr 4fr with intelligent and
constructive administration Of the board OF
fisheries this may be possible
Thus we have It; The Breaking of Its Baylor
survey. With already more planting ground
than we know what 10 do With; with natural
rocks restored to oyorproductiveness. this great
schampeeoE Of tl4e people would Nrest from the
public the producing commons SO prolific as
to give ten Thousand poor people living and
furnish ample seed TO the planter at ten cents a
Dushel, Aud to what end9 That the public
OYSTER grounds might come under the control of
few individuals When this same Bryan in
terest some years ago pleaded for virtual
abolition OF the Baylor preserves. seed were sell
ing al twenty-five cents per bushel, so scarce had
II become under It's friendly administrators. The
new officials then had much 10 20 up against and
while asserting to rearrangng the lines in
IassaS EiYarr &tnaily- refused concur In break
ing the Baylor Survey as desired by these few
individuals led by Messrs, Bryan and Armstrong
Thereby hangs the tale Of SO great dispeasure
The FISH commissioner refused to be dominated
by the Bryan organs, and thus subjected himself
.o their yirulent criticism bordering upon abuse
But the officials have survived this for some
years, declaring at the outset that they would
restore the barren spots, and have seed 50
plentiful as To- drop TO ten or twelve cents a