Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-10-30
The Legislature

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Will meet in short timo and while VIC
would not advocate much legislation yet
thero nre somo matters which should be at-
tended to. Our statute law both from impcr-
fect drafts Of acts, and from amendments is
10 State OF such confuSon,, US to rerplcS
the best lawyers much moro trial Justices and
| clt'zens. An effort was made Mt the last seq.
| sion TO elect or appoint codifying Commits"
sion to revise and simplify the Statute law.
We think this should be done nnd that in tho
codltcatlon the Statutes regarding the duties
oil County Commissioners in reference to roads
and bridges, public building, tho poor and
their powers as to taxation as we'll as tho
duties OF Probate Judges, Clerks, Sheriffs and
al public officers should be arranged and
classified under their respective heads. Other
pubic statutes should be also classified with
out regard to thoir adoption under appropri,
ate heads so that the Statute law under each
general head should be complete and perfect.
Whatever be the system the Statutes should
certainly be codiicd aud thoroughly indexed
We say this both because it would be mat
ter OF convenience to the profession and be :,
cause that every man 10 presumed 10 know
the law, while in reality, in its present con-
fusion, no one really knows it. We want n
perfect Qualification and are willing to pay for
such service liberal compensation.
Another matter of prime Importance is II
fec bill for attorneys, clerks, shcritfs and
other officers. Wo have on tho Statute books
three or four fee bills passed since recons,ruc.
ton, that wo defy any lawyer or judge to con-
struo satisfactorily. 1t may bc said this con-.
Germs officials moro than any one else, but
thlssis not true. Costs arc always paid by
one or tho other party, and if taxed too high
it 10 m oppression to the people. 70 rcctify
an Incorrect taxation of costs would involve a
party in heavy expense with doubts of final
success. In matters Of this kind tho law
should be so clear as to leave no room for
doubt or mistake. Let this above all things
bc rcctified by tho passage Of fec bill, clcur,
complete and intclligibIo to all. 1t would
save tho State, county and Individual, much
money and would bo satisfaction to LAWYERS
and officers.
Another matter of moment is the law in
relation to mechanics liens. The first case Of
this kind was tried Mt our last torn of court.
between W. +. Dodd and Col. T. G. Clemson.
Wo knew tho stringency Of tho law as CON-
strncd by tho Supreme Court in n case which
went up from Grccnvillo and 50 advised.
Still if the law DO unjust or oppressive it
should DO changed, and VIC h.vo to 500 tho
first lawyer who does not agree with
that q change of tho present law would DO
salutary. As it now stands, If person hires
master mechanic to build for him at Ger.
tain price, and pays him tho price, and tho
mechanic hires others to aid him in tho work,
persons so hired have lien on tho building
for their labor; without any notice to the
owner, and though The owner has paid in full
for tho work, ho can be made to pay again.
We favor all laws for the protection of labor
| ers, but tho present law should be SO changed
as to require the sub-laborcr to 10 to tho
owner of tho promises and notify him that lo
is going TO work on tho building and that ho
will look to him for pay. Tho owner could
tlIon assent or reject tho offer, and thus savo
himself from imposition. As tho law now is
dezon or hundred mon may hire to tho
contractor, and after tho work is finished and
the contractor paid, may flo their lena, lock
up tho building and make the ownor pay a
second time, when, in fact, he had no notice