Peninsula Enterprise, January 31, 1891

Untitled

Farmers -- Farmers' organizationsTransportation -- Road - MaintenanceTransportation -- Road - Legislation

MR. EDITOR:

I drop you a line from this point, believing it may be a means of hearing from the Alliance work in Accomac; at least I hope it will induce our brethren of the various Alliances to write up their work for your paper, and that we may communicate with each other through your columns.

Our County Alliance has given subjects to be discussed during the first quarter of the year by the sub-Alliances. The road question in four different forms are before each meeting of the Alliances held in this county. On last Saturday, the Sunnyside Alliance talked roads, and many members addressed themselves to the question. Mr. Tom Savage said a change should be brought about at an early day, but he was not prepared to say what it should be, but he was satisfied that the Alliance would do the proper thing in reference to them.

Capt. C. S. Morgan showed the bad effect that neglected county roads had on the value of real estate, the evils of them were forcibly shown up, and all were convinced by the array of facts presented. Bad roads decrease the value of land.

Major Whitehead said it was a great burden on the farmers to patiently bear the ills of bad roads and it entailed so much extra work on him, that he did not take his products to Cheriton station -- one mile from him, on account of the bad condition of the roads; but hauled to Cape Charles [City] -- three miles, because it was less work for his team. He favored using a sufficient sum of the Glebe Fund to make and maintain the roads.

Mr. Benjamin Thomas was heartily in favor of a change, and urged that the work be started at once.

Mr. Wm. H. Cottingham was desirous of a change, and endorsed all that had been said.

Mr. W. N. Thomas thought it time to get out of the old ruts and adopt new methods.

Mr. Jesse Williams favored a change of the road system at an early day, and using a part of the Glebe Fund for the purpose.

Mr. Lloyd Nottingham concurred in what had been said, and was ready to take up any plan for a change -- nothing, he said, could be worse than what was called the "present system."

Capt. Jas. E. Boggs said he was not troubled much with bad roads, as he used those made by Capt. Browne, and they were in fine condition, but he thought the county was very deficient in her highways, and that he favored a tax on property and the head to make good roads.

Capt. Geo. G. Savage made quite a strong speech in favor of immediate and practical plans to do better for the roads.

Capt. O. A. Browne said people were governed more by custom and old time practices than they were by their own good sense and judgement; and this was fully demonstrated by the road laws, which were a relic of slaves; when adopted by our forefathers the slaves could be made to work and the roads were efficient and useful. Time had changed all the circumstances and conditions that once made this law desirable, the demand and use of the roads was now fifty times as great as in slave times, yet we have those among us who think that they possess the wisdom of our forefathers by holding to that which is dead and utterly useless. There are fifty loads of produce hauled over the roads now as compared with one in slave times, there are fifty buggies or carriages driven over the roads as compared with one in slave times. It is no part of wisdom to hold to the present plans.

President Wilson thought the matter of great importance and united his voice in the sentiments expressed for immediate action.

Capt. O. A. Browne offered a resolution that the President appoint a committee, of which the President should be chairman, to consider necessary steps to be taken by this Alliance to bring about the needed changes in the road laws. It was adopted and Capts. G. G. Savage and O. A. Browne were appointed.

This road question is now being discussed by all the Alliances in this county.

Yours very truly, NORTHAMPTON.

Sunnyside, Jan 27th, 1891.

Untitled

Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PlantingSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationLaborers -- FisheriesLaborers -- Wages

MR. EDITOR:

I have read the proceedings of the meeting on the oyster subject, held in Messongo Neck, and what was said of my letter to the Dispatch. I do not see that there is much difference between us, but my position has been misunderstood; and for those who have done so, I will repeat it to them.

In my letter referred to above, I said, "mark off, stake out, survey and record the plats of the natural oyster beds in the respective counties, in which they are located (here will be work for the Oyster Navy), then grant to the oystermen the bare grounds under the water, at the same price and on the same terms that all the other lands of the Commonwealth have been granted." Those are my views and I stand by them. I did not say what was a natural oyster bed, I did not say how they should be defined, I did not say anything bout the patches of oysters between them -- this comes from the resolutions of the meeting, not from me. I did say that the natural beds should be defined, and known from the bare grounds. I did not say that the natural grounds or patches should be granted to anyone. The natural oyster beds cover possibly a one hundredth part of the bottoms of salt water Virginia; these should be held for the free use and benefit of the oystermen of this State; the other ninety-nine parts, waste lands, should be granted in fee simple to the oyster people for planting and cultivating oysters, if they wish to do it. The meeting in Messongo Neck has accepted m views, made known in the Hampton Convention for the proper way for the State to derive revenue from the oysters; and that is the Constitutional tax on the property that the business creates, such as increased value in real and personal property. I do not hold with them that there should be a license tax; labor especially should not be taxed. Salt water people in Virginia are the only ones who ever asked to be taxed -- yet they have no representatives in the management of the business, this is done for them by the Governor from Prince Edward county, the auditor from Fairfax, and the treasurer from Augusta -- no one from the oyster country.

I mean no reflection whatever on these gentlemen, but I do say, we ought to have Democratic home rule, and this business should be in the hands of salt water people.

Mr. Editor, I regret very much that the meeting in Messongo Neck should have taken issue with me, when in fact there is little or none -- I would have been too glad to have gone to their meeting and made any explanation asked for -- I say I regret this because I am sure the oyster interest will never be advanced, if even apparent differences are presented to the upper country part of the State. The people living above salt water are interested in this oyster question, for immediate and direct revenue to the State, which the Treasury does not receive and the statements made of the flourishing condition and value of the oyster beds in the vicinity of Messongo will lead them to believe that a man who can make from $6 to $16.25 a day with a pair of tongs should pay a heavy license or give way and let the dredger come in, who will pay for the privilege. I do not want to see the oysterman so taxed, it is not right that he should be taxed for enjoying the blessings placed within his reach, when the people of the mountains pay nothing for the coal, iron and other metals that are making them rich, and for which salt water Virginia receives no benefit by license or any specific tax. The mountain people do not ask to be taxed for enjoying the natural gifts at their hands, and salt water people should not be taxed, though some may assert their willingness to pay.

If the oyster business near Messongo is in a flourishing condition, it is an exception to the general state of affairs of the Chesapeake and its tributaries both in Maryland and Virginia.

The magnificent fleet of sail vessels, that made money dredging is gone -- or nearly so, this taxable property is not here. The oyster packing in both Norfolk and Crisfield had dwindled into insignificance, and both places and Baltimore are seeking to supply their trade by leaving the Chesapeake and going to North Carolina. Twenty years ago the Chesapeake supplied oysters for the whole country -- her oyster beds were depleted, and now Connecticut and North Carolina are doing a great deal of business once done in Virginia.

The bottoms of salt water of Virginia can make this section rich, if properly understood and managed, and we salt water people can make it so, if we stand in solid column, demand our rights on a broad basis, and accept nothing less. We should do it, we are aiming at the same thing, the greatest good to our people and State, and I have no doubt, but that these discussions will bring us together and then our cause will be a success.

Yours very respectfully, ORRIS A. BROWNE.