The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-02-29
PROCEEDINGS OF The LEGISLATURE
tC5r,y.e,ss,pondence of the Caorlsston Ne,Os,

- s
Correspondence of the Charleston NeaDs- "a
COLUMBIA, S. c., February 21.,
With the exception of the introduction in
each branch of the General Assembly Of one
or two bills of some importance the legislative
proceedings to-day have been devoid of inter-
est. In the Senate Mr. Smalls introduced an
other bill Ito provide for the appointment of
an inspector of phosphates, and to declare his
duties.n Mr. Smalls was the chairman of the
committee lately engaged in Charleston in look
ing into the charges of fraud against the phos-
phate companies, and ever since this odorifer-
GUS investigation he has been proposing legis-
lative action looking to the supervision OF these
companies and bringing them to book general
ly. Some weeks ago he offered a bill which
provided for an Inspector of phosphates, who
was to visit all the works at stated intervals,
mined, look after the State royalty of one dol
lar per ton and to receive ten per cent. of this
amount for his services. That bill is still on
the Senate calendar, but now its author brings
forward another bill, which extends the super
visory powers of the prospective inspector to
guanos and all other commercial fertilizers, up
on which he is To receive fifty cents per ton in
addition to the ten per cent. of the royalty on
phophates as provided in the other bill.
In the House, almost the entire session was
occupied with discussion of Lees substitute
for the general appropriation bill, which dis
cussion was finally cut short by the adjourn,
ment. The committee on privileges and cleo
tons fulfilled one of the predictions made in
this correspondence q few days ago, by report
ing favorably upon Jervey's new election law,
short synopsis of which was given at the
time of its introduction. AS it is not improb-
able that this bill may pass the House, and per-
haps meet also the approval of the Senate, the
following additional details of its contents may
be of interest: The, bill requires the general
elections to be held on third Wednesday of Oc-
tober, in every second year. Three commits
sioners of election for each county are to be
elected by the General Assembly and to receive
three dollars per day while actually employed,
and ten cents per mile for necessary travel
These commissioners are to appoint three man
ayers of election for each election precinct, at
two dollars per day and mileage, and each
board is allowed to appoint one clerk, at the
same pay as the managers. Polls are to be,
kept open from q. M to 6 p. m., and all bar
rooms are to be closed, and all sale of liquor
prohibited from six o'clock of the evening pre-
ceding the election to six o'clock of the morn
ing following the same. The eleventh and
thirteenth sections are important and are as
follows: .,.
SEC. IL. The commissioners of elections shall
provide one box for each election precinct. An
opening shall be made in the lid Of the box,
not larger than shall be sufficient for single
ballot to be inserted therein at one time,
through which each ballot received, proper to
be placed in such box shall be inserted by the
person voting, and by no other. Each box
shall be provided with sufficient lock, and
said box shall be publicly opened and inspect
eds to see that it is empty and secure, and then
locked just before the opening of the poll, and
the keys retained by the managers, and shall
not be opened during the election. Such boxes
shall be labelled as follows: Congress, State"
"circuit" and County officers"
Sec. 49, At the close of the election the
managers and clerk shall Immediately proceed,
publicly, to open the ballot-box, and count the
ballots therein, and make such statement of the
result thereof and sign the same, as the nature
of the election shall require If, in counting,
two or more ballots shall be found folded to-
gether compactly. the same shall be destroyed,
and not counted. If more ballots shall be
found, ON opening the box, than there are
names on the poll list, all the ballots shall be
returned to the box and thoroughly mixed to-
gether, and one of the managers or the clerk
shall, without seeing the ballots, draw there
from and Immediately destroy as many as there
are in excess of the number of names on the
poll list. Within three days thereafter the
chairman of the board of managers, or one of
them, to be designated in writing b. the board,
shall deliver TO the commissioners of elections
the poll list and written statement of the re-
suit of the election in his precinct.
COLUMBIA, S. c., February %.
There seems at least to be some prospect of
the General Assembly taking some action look
ing toward the adoption of the cumulative plan
of voting at general elections. A resolution
which sought to accomplish this important re-
form, by proposing constitutional amendment
to that effect, TO be submitted to the people
next October, was introduced in the Senate
many weeks ago by Mr.. Cardoza, but it was at
once referred to the judiciary committee and it
has ever since. slumbered in that tomb of the
Capulets. To-day, however, it was reported
back with favorable recommendation, and ac-
companed by resolution intended to define
the manner of submitting the question of its
adoption to the people. The report of the
committee, after alluding to the Importance of
the proposed reform, and quoting the sugges-
tion in the last annual message Of the Governor,
recommends the adoption of the following res
olution:
Resolued, DC, That the following article be
submitted to the qualified electors of the State
at the next general election as an amendment
to the constitution of the State, which, if
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