Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-12-20

and laborers to liens upon crops and the remc-
dies heretofore provided for enforcing the same.
Mr.. Montgomery opposed repeal or condition.
al repeal. Never was there time when it was
so improvident, inexpedient and unwise to re-
peal the law az at the present time. We are on
the eve of political campaign, and il the law
were repealed it would he made an issue in that
campaign. 1t would be said that we were enact
ing class legislation. He did not hesitate to say
that it was egslating in the interest of the land
holding element. That was the kernel in the nut
1t would put it in the hands of the landholdcrs to
control labor, and would handicap every small
farmer in South Carolina. The Legislature would
he assuming grave responsibility in passing
this bill. He believed that those of the mem
bers who might he fortunate enough to return to
the Legislature next year would be only too glad
to rccnact the lien law.
Mr.. Murray said that the law is not normal
one. 1t is now nearly twenty years since the
law had been placed on the Statute book for the
declared purpose of enabling the people of the
State to tide over I temporary emergency. III
this emergency had not passed by this time, il
was evident that the law had failed to subservC
its purpose. There is now great confusion i'll
the law. 1t would inevitably result in disaster
to our agricultural interests. The law stimulated
cXtravaganceandt thriftlessness. lthad not borne
out the expectations entertained for it.. This bill
gave one year in which to prepare for the change
That time would he sufficient. He considered
that the lien law in South Carolina had done more
than anything else to stimulate and compel that
all-cOttOn culture which had been so disastrous
to our agriculture. The highest agricultural al-
thortics of the State were against it. Let it be
swept away and then the labOrcr as well as the
landowner, will feel that he is interested in rails
ing the brcadStutlS we need, and will give addi-
tional prosperity to our agriculture. AS to the
political effect Of the repeal the matter had been
agitated in South Carolina every session for years
and years. 1t had been agitatcd inthc Democratic
canvasscs and in the Legislature. 1t had done
no political harm and would do none. He did
not believe that for ten years the time would
come when immediate repeal would be practi-
cable, hut it was practicable to repeal it after a
wears notice.
Mr.. Widenlan said vehemently that he was
himselfa farmer and rented lands to tenants,
but he was opposed to oppression. He would
have every man, landowner and tenant, on the
same footing. His labor is the only capital the
aboring man has, and it should not be attacked
The gentleman from Anderson might talk as
much as he pleased about its not having political
effect, but if the law was repealed he predicted
that it would create Il blaze of Indignation which
would burn for ages to come
Mr. Zimmerman spoke for the bill III voice
so low that he could not be distinctly heard and
moved the previous question. This was order
cd and Mr.. Murray's amendment was adopted
yeas 81, nay 80.
Mr. Culp said that he knew he rose to lead q
forlorn hope. But it seemed to him if the Leg
slature knew how tar-reaching in its effect the
passage of this bill would be, it could not pass
1t struck at the only basis of credit possessed
by the poor men, the laborng men Of the State
He opposed it as Il matter of principle and as a
matter of policy. The landlord was already
sufficiently protected. Every man in the State
had the right to say where and how he should
trade. He wondered when this meddling with
mems business would end. Let the Legislature
poor farmers Of the State had. Was this meas.
ure part Of the liberal policy of the Democracy
Of South Carolina? 1fso, he for one was opposed
to it and ever would he opposed to it. Mr.
Culp's speech was quite impassioned.
Mr.. McIver very brief V stated his objections
to the bill. The repeal would be a hardship after
the failure Of the crops. If the law was repealed
now, he believed that the next Legislature would
have to re-cnact it.
Mr.. Mauldin defied any man to show the
good effects Of the lien Law. 1t had been SAID
that this was class legislation, but in voting fol
this bill he believed that he would do good tc
the laborerS and small farmers Of the State. Tho
time had arrived when this law should 20. i
we were not ready now for repeal, when, in the
name Of common sense would we be? WheI
we had good crop it was contendcd that repea
would do no good, and when we had Il bad crol
it was declared that repeal would do harm. As
to political injury, the white people of the State
would not refuse to stand firm to their govern
ment because we strike from the statute book
an eXtraneous law like this.
The question ut last came fairly up on the
passage of the bill TO its third reading. There
was much interest in the vote. 1t resulted as
follows: Ayes G6, noes A. Mr.. Murray moved
to reconsider the vote and lay the motion tc
reconsider on the table, and the latter motion
was agreed to, thus making the vote Il finally in
the House.
Those who voted for the passage of the bill
were: Messrs. Allison, Anse, Barber, Berry
Bobo, Boykin, Brooker, Camlin, Clinkscales
Cooper, Cory, Crews, Davies, Davis, John c.
Douglas, Farley. Fox, Frederick, Gary, Gibson
Hall, Hardy. Haskell, Hazard. Henry, Kearse
Keels, kimhall, Kinard, Landrum, Lee, II. j.
Mauldin, Mayes, Mockbee, Morris. Murray
McAlhaney, McKelvay, McLaurin, McMaster
McMeekin, Padgett, Perry, j. W., Perry, L. j..
ddc Robinson Se"a""y snands s,Hgefon
Summers, Taylor, Zimmerman, Vandiver
Welsh, Williams, Wilson, Witherspoon, Wood.
ward-G6
Those who voted against the bill were: Messrs
James Simons. Speaker, Bell, Bethune, Boggs
Bradley Brawley, Britton, Brunson, Clyburn
Croft, Culp, Davies, b. f., Dannelly, Ficken
CAN'T Hutson, Johnstone Kennedy, Kinsler
Lee, r. D., Mason Mears, Mills Molony, Mont
gomery, Morrison, MouItric, McCrady, McHugh
McIver, Parker, p. a., PEBBLES, Pinckncy,
Ravenei, Shoemaker, Simonton, Singleton, An
drew Singleton, James, Smith jeremiah, Smith,
J. W.. Talbert, Timer, Ward, Wideman-44.
When Mr.. McMastcr's bill providing for the
Improvement of the public highways in part by
Il
reading, with an unf.vorable report, Messrs.
Simonton and Stribling moved to kill it. Mr..
McMaster defended it and said that this high
way question would continue to vcX the State
annually until it was settled. The bill, how
ever, was killed on a division.
Mr.. Murray's bill to require certain persDns
sentenced to Imprisonment in county jais to
work on the public roads or streets, was passed
to its third reading. 1t provides that it shall be
deemed and taken to be Il part OF the sentence
of all male persons convicted of larceny or
other offences involving moral turpitude, and
sentenced to imprisonment in the county jail,
that they shall be required TO work on the public
highways, under the direction and control of the
county commissioners Of the county, unless the
Court, in passing sentence, shall expressly ex-
cmpt them from the provisions of the Act. The
other sections are designed to carry out the n-
tent of the bill.
The bill to regulate the transaction of business
of the Circuit Courts of the Sixth Judicial Cir
cult was rejected.
The joint resolution to provide for the appoint
ment, by the Governor, of commission to con-
slider and report a plan to simplify the mode of
assessing and collecting the taxes of the State and
counties, passed to a third reading with an amend
ment that the Commission be composed of two
Auditors and one Treasurer.
The bill to authorize counties to issue bonds to
build and construct roads, was indefinitely post
pOncd.
WEDNESDAY,, December II.
IN THE SENATE, the Joint resolution, to sub
nit to the voters of the State the question of call
ing Il Convention to amend the Constitution, was
rejected.
The bill to amend the militia law, which APP
propriatcs $4,000 for the support of the militia,
passed its second reading.
The Divorce bill came before the Senate as Il
special order, and Mr.. Henderson offered an
m uprrpp