NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 283 



occupy tide lands, which in most cases are held by the State. To enable him to do 

 this legislation is necessary, and the lawmakers at once ask, What shall be the character 

 of his tenure and how is it to be acquired? Shall he be granted a leasehold for a 

 term of years or shall he be permitted to occupy it in perpetuity, the State retaining 

 only the right of taxation and its related powers? Whichever policy be adopted 110 

 impediments should be unnecessarily introduced in the way of a bonajide planter. 

 The returns from oyster-culture are often large, though not exorbitant, but the risks 

 are many and disaster not infrequent. Those who undertake the work and thus add 

 to the State's resources should be treated with every consideration to which their 

 courage, enterprise, and industry entitle them. 



The tide lauds in most cases are worthless and doubtless will ever remain so for 

 purposes other than oyster and sponge culture, and they can be occupied without 

 prejudice to any other business whatever. The policy of the State should be to 

 encourage their occupation, and in this connection a lesson may be learned from the 

 liberal policy which, has induced the rapid settlement of our vast agricultural estate. 

 Th*e logic of our history would dictate the throwing of the tide lands open for occupa- 

 tion, yet in how many States are the laws, and more especially public opinion, practi- 

 cally, if not intentionally, prohibitive? A policy far different from that in land above 

 tides is supposed to be justifiable in dealing with that portion of the State's domain 

 lying beneath the sea. There is reluctance to part with the tide lauds, and it is 

 thought preferable to allow them to lie barren rather than to permit individuals to 

 acquire permanent possession. There can be no doubt but that the best results are 

 to be obtained when the oyster-grower holds his lands in fee simple. Under proper 

 management the bottom becomes more favorable the longer it is cultivated. It yearly 

 becomes firmer and freer from extraneous organisms and the miscellaneous rubbish 

 which accumulates in shore waters, and the man who improves it is the one who should 

 reap the benefits. 



It is to the advantage of the State to interest a thrifty class of citizens in the 

 subject, and such persons are the very ones who will hold aloof if they are to be sub- 

 jected to the frequent possibility, if not probability, of dispossession. The land should 

 be granted under the freest possible terms. If revenue be desired it should be derived 

 from the subsequent increase in taxable value rather than from sales or rentals. 

 The primary function of government is the welfare of its citizens, and, contrary to the 

 apparent standpoint of some legislators, taxation is but an incident which the first 

 consideration renders necessary. The first cost of the oyster-lands granted by the 

 State should be little more than enough to defray the expenses of survey and registry, 

 and not such as would debar those of small means from partaking of the benefits. In 

 Connecticut the State lands are sold for $1 per acre and the additional payment of 10 

 cents per acre, the estimated cost of surveying and recording, when the tract applied 

 for is not, in the -opinion of the shellfish commissioners, of an unreasonable extent. 

 Under these provisions over 71,000 acres, owned by almost 300 persons and giving 

 employment to thousands, were under culture in 189G, the amount of material depos- 

 ited thereon in planting and improving the beds being over 8,000,000 bushels. Other 

 States are still more liberal, permitting the occupation of oyster lands under provisions 

 practically similar to the United States homestead laws. But Connecticut has so far 

 been easily first in the development of oystering in naturally unproductive waters. 

 This is largely due to her advantageous geographical position with regard to the mar- 



