68 American Fisheries Society 



Is it then public policy to discourage the oyster farmer, 

 who at great labor and expense produces his own crops 

 without assistance? 



The excuse has been made that the oyster industry has 

 been prosperous and profitable. It was so twenty-five 

 or thirty years ago, but it does not appear that it should 

 be penalized for prosperity which has long since past, or 

 that it should be driven out of the state by reason of such 

 departed prosperity. 



Is it public policy to discourage any food producing 

 industry when our city population is increasing many 

 times as fast as our farming population? When con- 

 sumers are multiplying and food supply is decreasing? 

 Is it not against the interest of every consumer that food 

 producers should be discouraged when the price of food 

 is already so high? 



