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46 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Jan. 6
prosperity of the oystermen of the State, by providing
effective machinery for the substantial enforcement of
the cull law, which is one of the vital principles of
the preservation of our oysters.
The Commander of the State Fishery Force and his
deputies have rigidly enforced the law.
Under the former law the Oyster Fund became in-
volved, and an appropriation of $85,000 was required
from the State Treasury to pay the bills then due and
payable. Under the successful system of taxation in-
augurated by the present statute and as administered
by the Fishery Force, the Oyster Navy is made en-
tirely independent of financial aid from the State
Treasury for its maintenance, and in fact a surplus
has been accumulated to its credit. Whilst some fric-
tion was apparent at first in collecting the said tax it
is now generally recognized by all the oyster dealers
and packers, ats it was from the beginning by the more
progressive dealers, that the tax is fair, certain of
collection and easily borne.
The immediate result of the thorough enforcement
of the cull law has been to increase the catch of
marketable oysters. The supply of oysters on the
Maryland oyster grounds generally is repoited by the
Commander of the Oyster Navy to be greater this year
than for many previous seasons.
This is not true, however, of the Potomac River,
where the citizens of Maryland and Virginia enjoy
equal privileges in theory. The unfortunate jealousy
existing between the oystermen of the two States, and
the "catch as catch can" policy pursued by both has
tended to disorganize the business in that section.
Violators of the law must be taken to Virginia or
Maryland, as the culprit may chance to be a Virginian
or a Marylander, for punishment when apprehended.
The difference in the vigor with which the laws of the
respective states are enforced added to the greater
severity of punishment imposed by our own -State
statute still further tends to paralyze the industry
there. In short, a Virginia oysterman can afford to
break the law, be fined as he must be under the Vir-
ginia Act, dispose of his cargo and make money; but
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