The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-08
plan CONVENTION
/ TO PROTECT OYSTERS
OYSTER EXPERT FROM VIRGINIA
STARTS BALL IN SOUTH
CAROLINA.
AN ENLIGHTENING TALK
HON. w. MCDONALD LEE DIS
CUSsES INDUSTRY AND SHOWS
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN
OTHER STATES.
AN ENLIGHTENING TALK

| SAVANNAH, GA, May As re-
I suit of meeting Of the directors Of
| the chamber of commerce and MANY
of the oystermen of this section. held
Monday afternoon at the chamber as
sembIy room, 1t was resolved that a
committee of five be appointed for the
! purpose of arranging for a. State con-
vention of oystermen and those inter-
ested In the fish industry, at which inn
portant recommendations will be made
to the general assembly of Georgia.
Those present at the meeting list
ened to an enlightening talk on the
subject OF fish and oysters delivered by
the Hon, W Mcdonald Lee, former
chairman of the Virginia fish and
oyster commission. While Mr., Lee is
not entirely familiar with the situa-
ton that confronts Georgia he is
known in Virginia as the man who
rehabilitated the industry in that
State.
Something Should Be Done.
State and not local laws, and proper
protection, was the keynote Of his ad-
q EaSS-+sl- athac-Sta -Mhere local
laws dominated the situation failure
was inevitable. As soon as the gem
eral assembly of the respective States
interested passed adequate laws. in
Guiding provision for protection and
education of those engaged in the fish
ana oyster industry, success always
followed, stated Mr. Lee.
The many who heard Mr. Lee talk
were impressed with what he had to
say. and out of the chaos Of question:
ing there finally revolved a sentiment
that something should he done to-
wards improving conditions in Georgia
pertaining 20 the oyster.
Mr.. Lee promised to return to Sa~
vannah for the convention that this
a the zd4qvtaCn n- hiu
experience in Virginia. He was en-
tertatned in the morning with a trip
over the county roads and to several
OF the prominent oyster grounds in
Chatham county.
What Other States Have Done.
''Al States north Of Maryland have.
first, eliminated politics from admin
istration of oyster and fish affairs"
said Mr.. Lee in an interview Until
this was done nAthing practical was
accomplished. Second. every State
thai has succeeded in showing results
has done so after placing the COM
mercial fisheries under an independent
and separate head.
"A shell-tfsh commission, board
Of fisheries, a commission OF fisheries,
composed of from three To five MEM
bere. some such body for administra-
ton, has been constituted. after which
material results have been demon
SiFateG. "A lew OF tflG southern SIdleE.
notably Maryland, Virginia. North
Carolina, Alabama and Louisiana. have
progressed this far. Maryland is still
in the throes of political conditions
that retard her oyster progress. That
State is producing 10000 bushels 4
season, but ought to crop three times
the amount. and will when her oys-
ter is taken out of politics. Virginia.
the present greatest producer, is al
most free OF political handicap in the
administration Of oyster and FISH at
fairs. and last year turned out a.
900, 900 bushels, nearly as much as all
of the other Middle Atlantic States
combined and greater than any two
other States in the Union.
Laws Are Copied.
Her oyster laws have been and are
being copied by Northern as well as
Southern States SO far as applicable to
conditions. North Carolina, which
few YEATS ago produced oysters 10 the
value OF s25 900, has now reached the
million mark, largely because OF fol-
lowing the methods and administration