The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-16


allowing the funding of such Consolidated
bonds of before and after the war rs have
not yet been funded.
Bill to extend the provisions Of the Act
to provide artificial limbs for the Conlcdc-
rate soldiers of the State and to those
manned soldiers of the State who fought
with troops of other States.
About holfdozen bills and joint rcso-
lutions hnyc been introduced in the House
during the present session looking to the
prohibition of the sale of Intoxicating
drinks in the State. Most of them have
been too sweeping in their provisions, and
they have from time to time been reported
upon lnf;,vorabiy and rejected. The ways
and means committee to-day reported
substitute for these bills which has met
with general favor, and which will proba-
bly, pass. This bill provides that every
dealer in intoxicating liquor i'll the State
shall, in addition to the licenses now paid
by him to the city, town or county in which
he is located, pay n license OF SlOO to the
State, the proceeds Of which are to defray
the general expenses of the State govern.
ment. This bill applies equally to all
| liquor dealers, and it is Thought will ut
| least have the effect Of curtaling the num-
| every crossroad in the county. Malt Ii
quo:s are not included in the provisions of
the bill.
The message Of the Governor relating to
| the salary of the railroad commissioner,
which is referred to in the Senate report,
was received and referred to the ways and
means committee:
The first matter of interest considered on
| the Calendar was the general appropriation
bill, which had been made the special order
for the day.
| Mr.. Murray moved to amend the first
section of the bill so as to make the salaries
of the State officers and their clerks coin
eide with the amounts named i'll the Act to
fix the salary of certain officers adopted by
the first Democratic Legislature in 1877.
He did not think that the committee OF
ways and means had right to depart from
this statute which was, in his opinion, still
| Of force. The amount proposed ito be cut
off by Mr.. Murray was $225 year from the
salary Of the Governors private secretary,
and amounts ranging from 500 to S2OO
from the salaries of all the State officers
and their clerks.
Mr.. Johnstone, the chairman OF the COM
/ mittee of ways and means, stated that the
committee had carefully considered this
question. While the committee was ex-
tremely anxious for all reductions that
could be made, yet he did not think it
comported with the dignity of the State to
keep her public officers on niggardly sala-
ries. They should, in his opinion, be lbe-
rally provided for.
Mr.. Murray's amendment was then acted
upon and carried by vote Of Gl to 45.
Mr.. Haskell moved for reconsideration
of the vote just taken. He hoped that the
House would think carefully what it was
doing. To get efficient men living salaries
must be paid. Millions Of dollars pass
yearly through the hands of these officers,
and it was absolutely necessary to secure
accuracy in the work.
Mr.. Murray thought the amounts pro-
posed were abundantly sufficient. He
thought it was good pay, and he knew that
these officers would not leave because their
salaries were reduced, The members OF
the Legislature were the trustees of the
people, and it was their duty to make as
good contracts with their public servants as
possible.
Speeches pro and con were made by sev.
eral members, among them Mr.. Simpson,
who said that no one in the House had tried
harder than himself to economze in every
thing, but he considered q reduction of the
salaries below the figures given for the last
three years would be false economy. These
officers had proved efficient and they should
be paid fair living salaries.
| Mr.. Crawford said it was sad sight to
stand in tho midst Of dcliberativc body of
men ofintelligencc to see one of the highest
lights intellectually III the body playing the
trick Of tile dcmagOguc and trying to strip
the poor government clerks of the miserable
pittance which the State now gives them.
| 1t was 4 reflection upon the House and O
shame on the mover OF the amendment
when men came to the Legislature and
sought popular notoriety by depriving poor
and honest men of the means of living.
Mr.. Murray replied to Mr.. Crawtord's re-
marks that lie would always continue to
| advocate such measures rs he believed to be
right, and he would not be frightened from
doing so by being called a dcmagoguc. lie
thought it beneath the dignity OF repre-
sentative Of the people to attempt to carry
measures by casting reflections upon those
who oppose them. He continued to speak
in favor of his amendment, and asked why
should not all the clerks receive the same.
Why should the clerk of the Adjutant and
Inspector General andgthc clerk Of the State
Superintendent Of Education be paid less
than the others?
The debate was continued ut length, in
which number of gentlemen participated
among them Mr.. Rucker, who opposed
cutting down the salaries Of the clerks.
The motion to reconsider was finally
adopted by vote Of 6G to 45, and the mo-
| ton to reduce the salaries rejected.
At the night session of the House the
consideration Of the appropriation bill was
resumed. An appropriation of $4,000 was
added to the bill for the extension of the
building Of the Lunatc Asylum.
A motion by Mr.. Murray to cut down
the Penitentiary appropriation was defeated.
Previous to adjournment Mr.. Crawford
| took OCCASION to withdraw the language
used with reference to Mr.. Murray in the
morning debate.
The legislative appropriation bill was re-
ported by the ways and means committee
tonight. The total appropriations under
this head amount to s4l,999.5O.
Saturday, 1lth December.
SENATE.
An abrupt halt in the Senate's work to-
day was caused by the reopening of the
convict question, discussion OF which
consumed nearly all Of the days session.
There were seventy seven measures on
the Calendar, of which only the third
reading bills were disposed Of fifteen in
number. The following wero those Of
sufficient Importance to record:
Bill to abolish the Office Of referee and
establish the office of Master in the vari
Gus counties; 10 fix their fees, and to
make judges Of probate eligible to the
office.
The special orders for u o'clock were
then taken up, consisting of y bill to pro-
hibit the hiring out OF convicts for agri-
cultural purposes, reported favorably,)