Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-02-16

/ Common Pleas in cases OF divorce and the
prostslons concorning the old Courts of
Equity, Of which oFe now unnecessary.
THE whsIl lost VII IA joint Resolution to
amend Section 10. Article ], of the SCohstitu-
tion, ,respecting tho su u mary trialand punish.
ment Of certain offences less han felony, which
was likewise lost. This completes the list
of matters reported upon by the Commissions
Many other measures were considered and
acted on by the Legislature Foremost
among these is the Stock law. This law,
recurring stock to bo fenced in, had been in
operation 10 some Of the upper counties for
five or six years and is now mado general
law for the whole State, excepting the
counties Of williamsburg and Horny. There is
greatprobabiIity thattbc ccx emptious granted
these two coantios on condition that they are
fenced of from the adjoining coun,es, will
never be takcn advantage Of. On tho lst of
October next the law goes into effect throu gh-
out the lower tier Of counties, which were
given until the. timo 10 prepare for the
change. In the upper counties tho law
becomes operative on tie first Of April: Ii.
la addition to levying the regular State
tax of two mills for tho public schools the
Legislature, with an eye to higher education
and the necessity for trained teaohers, has
appropriated $l5 900 for tho South Carolina
University and $1,000 for re.opening the
Citadel Academy, ind by special Act allows
tho Superintendent Of Education to use
$1,000 for the purpose of conducting Normal
Institutes during the present year.
h,
passed. The first is n bill which places .ho
collection Of tho State license of 500 in
Charleston in the hands Of the county COM
missioDers, and makes it their duty TO en-.
force tho law. Tho second is q bill to pro.
Vidc fora local option law. Tho bill pro,
rides that whenever Two thirds of tho voting
population of my city, town or village in the
State shall express n dosiro for On election on
the subject Of lconso or no license, such
Of December following. 1t is thought that
by this measure the municipal elections will
be freed from tho influences of the liuuor
question Tho third is Il bill to allow tho
sale OF wines made Of domestic fruits in
quantities not less than ono gallon, and
also the sale oil s2irtuous liquors in pack
ages OF not less than ten gallons at the dis
tilcries. Besides these general measures,
bills were passed prohibiting tho salo of liq-
uor within tho limits of tho Towns of Pros
perity. Chester, Lancaster, Anderson, Gati'ney
City and Greenwood
The Legislature early in the session, al
though subjected to u heavy pressure from
tho "big farmers" to repeal the Lion Law,
very wisely let we'll enough alone and re
jected the repeal bill. This leaves borrowers
and lenders in the same position as before as
regards the security givon and taken for
advances made for agricultural purposes. An
earnest ca5rt was made by the liberals to rid
the Statutes Of the useless unl restrictive
Usury Law, but large majority Of the II u SO
voted against tho rupcaling bill and i. was
defeated.
The phosphate question was, Of course
much discussed and the General Assembly
seemed to take tho position that. ~ this in.
dustry was getting fairly on its feet, it could
stand an additional burden in tho way of
increased tozation. variety of PROPOSE"
tions on the subject were submitted. The re.
suit is that the royalty payable to the State
on phosphatcs mined 10 tho navigablo rivers
md streams remains 81 ton, but tho roy-
alty 10 to bc estimated hereafter On Tho
amount of crude rock rs mined and not on
tho rock alter it has been kiln dried OF steams
cd. Tho Agricultural Bureau is required to
make survey Of tho Phosphate territory and
to mako report to tho next Legislature. Tho
Bureau of Agriculture with tho Commis-
sioner Of agriculture is given control of The
phosphate interests, with power to grant ex-
elusive rights to corporations and individuals
and reserve certain streams for persons min
ing under general rights. The River and
Marine Mining and Manufacturing Company
is giVea The exclusive right to mine phos-
pilates in Stono River from Wappoo Cot to
tho Sen, and The State is authorized to in
crease tho royalty now charged this Com
pany, provided that the royalty at no time
shall exceed 25 per cent. Of tho value of tho
Grade rock. Tho company can accept the
CHATTER within three months.
Looking at the work Of tho session as
whole, IL is difficult to find moro than one
mcasuro Of general application which is likely
to be permanent in character and marks an
advance in tho IDEAS md policy of tho State.
That measure is the Stock Law. The codi-
htaIion Of tho Statutes was q proper and
necessary undertaking and is unques,ionably
wcll dono, but it will. in tho natural course
OF things, losc something Of its value as l.w
arc changed or repealed. The Railroad law
will probably be patched and darned next
year, cscellent q law as it is No einyle
question Of public interest outside of that