The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-08

numerous.
In an adjoining County the effect
Of this traffic had well-nigh ruined
the agricultural prosperity in seve-
raj neighborhoods. l commenced
war upon it, and from time to time
offered three Bills in reference
thereto, as shown by Senate Jour-
nails sessions of 1874-75, 1876,
and regular session of 1876, pages
359, 378 and 80. The first was q
general Bill and referred to its sale
in any portion of the State between
sunset and sunrise, attaching penal
ties for any violation. This Bill was
defeated. I then submitted "a Bill
to regulate its sale in Anderson
County," forbidd;ng its purchase or
reception for the purpose of pur-
chase after night. This Bill passed
the Senate, but the prejudice against
the enactment Of such Acts was so
great that, although the Bill did not
affect the lower Counties, their Rep
resentatives voted it down. I again
tried to remedy the evil, and at the
regular session of 1851 proposed
"a Bill to regulate the sale of seed
cotton and to punish the unlawful
traffic in the same" which was
acted upon favorably, but was
eventually lost or misplaced in the
most mysterious manner. About
this time a Bill was received from
the House which was an exact copy
of mine. This Bill was referred tn
a Committee and misplaced in like
manner, but, a certified copy being
obtained, it was acted upon and be.
came a law, and has in part cured
the evil complained Of.
TELEGRAMs.
Believing they should be kept as
sacred .as the contents Of a letter
and guarded in like manner, l in
troduced "a Bill to regulate the
transmission and delivery of mes
sages by telegraph companies" +"
[Senate Journal 1875-76. page 249.]
This Bill made it a penalty for any
officer to fail, neglect or refuse to
deliver a telegram within due time
after its reception at such Office;
also provided heavy penalties if any
officer or employee made known the
contents Of dispatch.
PER DIEM AND MILEAGE OF MEM.
BERs OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Journals will show that in
variably I voted to reduce the per
diem Of members. When what was
known as the salary grab Bill was
being considered, I voted for = re-
duction Of more than one-half Of
what was Sen allowed under the law
as pay of members Of the General
Assembly. [See Senate Journal,
special session 1877, pages 307, 3o9,
329, 353 and 380.]
By reference to Senate Journal,
special session 1877, page 81, it will
appear that I offered ga Bill to re-
duce and fix the per diem and mile.
age of the members of the General
Assembly" Under the then existing
law the salary was 5000 and mileage
per session. The Bill submitted by
me provided for four dollars per day
during the session, not to exceed sixty
days. It was amended in the Sen
ate, and $500 per session agreed on
in that body. AS the Senate was
then constituted, that was the best
compromise and reduction that could
be obtained. The House amended,
fixing the per diem at five dollars
per day, which amendment was final
ly agreed to by the Senate. This
Act was approved by Governor
Hampton, June Z, 1877. Before the
passage of this Act the cost of each
session of the General Assembly for
salary and mileage Of members was
S96,100; under this last Act, $685.
491; amount saved per session,
s69,6O9.
This Act of itself did not effect in
full the reduction, but it materially
aided therein, and the good sense
and proper idea of economy evil
denced by the Democracy since get
ting the control of affairs, by return
ing to short sessions and close appli-
cation and work, will soon correct
whatever of apparent extravaganza
may seem to exist in the present per
diem and mileage.
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.
I introduced the following Bill
May ID, 1877 Senate Journal, page
1851: "Bill to investigate and as.
certain the actual bona fde indebt-
edness of the various Counties in
this State and to regulate the man.
ner of paying the same" 1t was
acted upon favorably and signed by
Gov. Hampton, June II, 1877. At
the time of its passage large ma
jority of the Counties were groaning
under the burdens imposed by levies
of taxes to pay past Indebtedness
for several years, large proportion
of such Indebtedness being well
known to be illegal. This Act pro.