Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-12-08
THE DEBATEgPGN THE GENERAL
STOCK Law AND ITS PAS
SAGE, BY THE HOUSE.

stock law tor the whole State. Pend
ing the consideration of this bill, or
course NO specific move was made as
regards Edgefeld County alone. On
Wednesday, Nov. 80, the bill was taken
up for the second or third time in the
House with view of finally testing
the sense of that body. SWe give the
discussion in full, as reported in the
News and Courier, knowing that at
this iuncture nothing will be NOR
acceptable to our readers:
Mr.. Dargan, the. ..author'of the bill,
offered an amendment, requiring such
counties as were. to be excepted from
the law to be fenced. The amend
ment was offered so that the counties
which desired to be excepted from the
operations of the law should know
what was expected of them.
Mr.. Werner, of Oconee, said he was
in favor of the general law. There
had been no argument against it. The
majority of the people were in favor
of it, and he would vote for it. but
would introduce separate bill ex
empting certain portions Of his county.
MIR. Aldrich, of Aiken, proposed a
substitute providing for the fencing
ont Of excepted counties by the State
and not at the expense of the coun-
ties. He is clearly Of the opinion
that the expense should be q State
tax. The counties that desire 10 be
excepted pay about one.ha!f OF the
whole taxes to the State. This being
so it was wise, proper and just that
the State should bear the burden.
Mr.. Chase, of Darlington, favored
the last proposition to make the State
pay for the fencing out Of the ex-
cepted counties. 1t was wrong to
make any county go to the expense
Of protecting itself in the enjoyment
of rights which are already guaran'
teed to them by the law.
Mr.. Haskell, Of Richland, inquire d
if the mover Of the amendment had
any idea of what the fencing of the
counties would cost?
Mr.. Hemphill, Of Chester, favored
the bill. There would be no use to
have Legislature if they were de-
barred from upsetting a system which
was out of date Thisi law was best
fol the State, and the cnly question
was whether it was aswise polite al
move. He did not believe in beating
abont the bush. The best way was
to face the issue, pass the law, and
then the people would!cease discuss
ing it. As to the ;expense, There
could be no justice in making the
people Of the county pay the,expense
Of fencing out remote county. He
proposed an amendment dividing the
expense of constructing the fences be-
tween contiguous counties.
Mr.. Gilland, Of Williamsburg, said
the bill would be useless in its pre-
sent shape. The bill was intended 10
go into operation on the let of March
1852. To fence in Williamsburg
/ GsAa45-sHs,ttoo Ell egansy -wouf1 cost sfstSo, S6F56
would require e TAX of three mills
for three successive years to raise.
Mr.. Murray. of Anderson, thought
it but fair, as the pioneer counties had
paid for their own fences, that those
who row desired to except themselves
should do the same.
Mr.. Dargan believed that the
strength Of the measure lay in its ap-
plicaton to the whole State, but he
was willing to let any county be ex-
cepted, provided that county bore the
expenses of the exception. What
was the use of making provisions for
fence when amy one could see the
handwriting on the wall which fore
told the end of all lences. The
measure was a progressive one. 1t
had started in the mountains and
was rushing along irresistibly to the
aeacost. He saw prosperity in the
| future for South Carolina, and moth
ing could hasten its coming more than
this very measure.
Mr.. Aldrich spoke at length against
the bill. The question had never
been discussed in his county. 1t was
a revolution on the agriculture Of the
State and should not be hurriedly
rushed through.
Mr.. Hask I'll said that he was pre-
pared to vote for the law for the
whole Slate, while perhaps, as far as
his own county was concerned, it was
his duty to vote against it. He was
opposed, however, to saddling debt
upon the State, the only limit to
which would be the whims and cap
rices of a number of counties and
townships
Mr.. McKissick, of Union, said that
he knew the advantages OF the stock
law, but he was not in favor of pass
ing general law. He could see
very we'll how even so good law as
a stock law would not suit certain 10
calities in the State While he
thought the stock law was good he