Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-01-19
Legislative Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, s. c., January 16, 1882

night last, tho llth. Tho members wcro
punctual and both the Sonato ard House
went Immediately to work.
The report of tho Commission on Election
Laws was taken up on Thursday and after
some debate was suffered to 60 over. In tho
meantime:a caucus of the Democratic mem'
bors Of tho Assembly was called on the
question. In this conference it was decided
to retain tho registration feature Of tho bill
after come notifications. This bill has had
very bitter and determined opposition from
many members. With the omission or re-
lection of tho money features of the measure,
| think it generally IL fair and just proposal.
II certainly has every guard thrown around
tho voter to secure free vote and honest
count, the great CRY Of tho day.
Tho railroad bill will also pass. Tho bill.
If it becomes n law, will do much toward the
regulations of freight and passenger rates
and prevent unjust discrimination. The law
has similar powers to tho ono now enforced
in tho State of Georgia and will do much
toward reducing tho expenses Of travel, SO.
Those two measures will pass tho House dur
ing this week. They are very important
matters and demand tho utmost care and
consideration. The former involves purity
Of elections. and henco tho stability Of good
government. Tho election laws heretofore Of
force have been the source of fraud and corr
ruption. They were framed with the view to
enable the Republican party to perpetuate
itself in power TO this end they were used
and abused, and thus havo become the sub,
jccts demanding legislative consideration.
The subject Of the control of railroads by
the Legislature is n new md perpexing one
| in our State. The cntre railroad interests Of
the State are controlled and operated by capi-
talss who reside beyond tho State. Vast
and powerful combinations have been formed
by these capitalist, Of which nearly all our
railroads form q part. Tho roads, too, in
passing into these new and foreign hands
have just emerged, almost without exception,
from bankruptcy With this new state of
affairs Other roads are being projected, looking
to the crossing OF the Blue Ridge mountains at
one point and another. With this condition Of
tho railroads the subject requires much de-
liberation to protect the people on tho ono
hand and yet bo just to tho railroads on the
other, especially 80 in this new order OF things.
The message of tho Governor on tho stock
law created some sensation and was freely
| criticized by many as unwiso and untimely.
The House has. however. refused to act upon
his suggestion and takon issue with tho Gov,
ernor as to the right of common pasturagc
over existing in this State rs clai9cd by him.
Whilo on tho subject Pf tho stockffaw no AZ,
determined that thoy will take no backward
stop in this matter. A majority OF tho coun-
tics now hnvc the law and they have tho power,
without tho risk Of incurring dsfavor with
| their constituents, ia use it without fear or
favor.
have received petitions from tho noun,
famous portions Of Oconcc asking an excmp-
tion Of the operations Of tho general stock
law for that por,i If the county. In fur
thernnce of their wishes have introduced
bill lcr this purpose, I cannot tell what will
be its fate. l think that if possible that
portion Of tho county oaght to be exempt.
"hc bill proposes to run fence from McKin.
ney's Ford on Kcowcc to Tonassee Knob,
thence around tho base of tho mountains to
and by Andrew Dickson's, Mlxwcll's and
IIuntsingcrs to tho old fence a Pitts. Tho
Kcowcc and Whitewater will bo made law
ful fence if the bill passes. Knowing that
the people in that part Of tho county were
not able to build this fence and i; would not
bo just to impose such tax upsn them, |
have proposed that the State pay ho amount
necessary to erect tho fenco and that the
county refund tho amount whom collected out
of the past duo taxes on the Bhe Ridge
Railroad when they are collected, and nm
informed By the Comptroller Gonral that
they will bo collected. This mcaure was
introduced Saturday and will pres it into
consideration at once 80 that its fatemay be
known.
The Senate is engaged now on th, revised
statutes and this work is being rapid! !presscd
thcro.
very important bill in refornco to
county matters will be introduced thi week
by tho Ways and Means Committed This
} bill will regulate the manner Of lnying
county claims. 1t will require Count Com
, missionere, School Commissioners andrreas.
urers to report tho claims audited nd al
t lowed and paid by them to the court. This
t report is to be examined by the CRANE jury.
1t also requires publication Of these ,rious
D reports at least two weeks before tho itting
0 Of the court to which they mako tho re-
, ports. The bill is an important ono en- will
J become law.
l A lively debate was had in tho Ibjso on
Saturday over bill to re-opcn tho military
| academy Of the State. Tho bill nd been