The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-11


wherein there is general concurrence
of opinion, some of which are embraced
in bill now under consideration. The
law was amended in important particu-
lars at the last session of the General
Assembly. 1t is q matter of history
that at that time there WAS serious and
widespread discomfort and dissatisfaction
which found expression in memorials
and petitions thereto. No memorials or
petitions, either from the railroad COM
panies or from the citizens of the State,
have been laid before your committee,
and it therefore gives due weight to the
statement of the railroad commissioners,
in their annual report just presented,
that there is less discrimination, more
stability in rates, fewer complaints and
greater harmony between the railroads
and the people than at any time during
the administration of the present board
or of their predecessor" The commit.
tee add that there are pending in the
Courts questions which seriously affect
the powers and efficiency of the commits.
sion which will probably be settled be.
fore the next session of the General
Assembly. The committee say they
have been strongly impressed by the
argument against the continued imposi.
tion upon the railroad companies of the
expenses of the commission. which tax
is believed by them to be illegal, and
which is certainly unequal, and your
committee would be disposed at the
proper time to recommend that they be
relieved of that burden but for the reas.
ons above given. Believing that action
thereon might touch vitality the system
which, in their judgment, should not be
disturbed without further experience of
its efficiency or ineficency, they recon.
mend that no action at present be taken
in regard thereto. Mr.. F. w. McMas-
ter, who dissents from this report, says
that he does so because, while he agrees
with the committee that the law is
unwise in some points and needs correc-
tion, he does not thing that justice should
be delayed to these corporations, as not
only equity, but due regard to the
public good, in his opinion, demands
that the interest of these corporations,
which pay one-eighth of the entire tax
of the State, should meet with due and
prompt consideration and redress by the
General Assembly.
A bill to limit the amount of bonded
Indebtedness of railways now building,
or hereafter to be built, is on the House
Calendar with an unfavorable report
from the committee on railroads. This
bill makes it unlawful for any railroad
company to place or create a bonded
indebtedness upon its line exceeding $780,
600 per mile.
Senator Patterson has introduced a
bill 10 provide a remedy against the
estates of deceased persons for torts COM
mitted during the lifetime of the dece-
dent. This bill would, if passed, permit
the estate of dead man to be sued for
slapder, libel or any other tort, and
would lead to great deal of litigation
and quantities of perjury. 1t is good
bill to kill.
Rev. J. l.. NJ. Curry, D. D., the distin-
guished agent of the Peabody Education.
al Fund, addressed the General Assembly
on last Thursday night, delivering an
able, eloquent and practical address. He
doubtless gave the men who advocate
shutting up our State institutions of
learning much food for thought.
Mr.. Douglass, of Fairfield, introduced
a bill to establish a Divorce Law in this
State for the cause of adultery. This
bill has been regularly introduced every
two years since the old Divorce Law was
repealed. 1t has been as regularly de-
feated, and we trust it will meet the same
considerate treatment at this session. 1t
is cause for the greatest pride that our
Stale stands at the head of all the States
in holding 10 the sacredness of the mar
riage relation. 1t is better that few
hard cases should exist, rather than that
the lowered social ideas which 90 along
with divorce laws should be given coun.
tenance in this State. The wisdom of
the past, and the social integrity of the
present, alike commend the marriage law
in South Carolina. 1t ought not to be
altered.
Mr.. Farrow, of Laurens, has introduc-
ed bill to prohibit actions for breach of
marriage promise. The Judiciary Com.
mittee reported against the bill, and Mr..
Farrow, asking that it should SO upon
the calendar, said the bill, was meant for
the protection of the character of women.
The law degrades the institution of mar
riage when it stoops to weigh the damages
which she has sustained by the failure of
man to carry out his promise to marry
her. The violation of any such promise
was no damage to virtuous woman. A
woman who was so treated by man was
rather to be congratulated upon her
escape from all unworthy partner, and
the taking of the case into Court had
demoraliSing tendency. There was more
in this bill, continued Mr.. Farrow, than
was apparent, and while he bowed to the
wisdom of the Judiciary Committee who
bad reported it adversely, he trusted that
the House would consent 10 its continu-
snce until the next session. The bill will
20 over until the next session, and will
then doubtless be rejected. Mr.. Farrow
in trying to avoid one evil, we think,
goes into greater one. 1t is true that
there are some cases of breach of promise
tried which are far from moralizing in
their tendency, but at the same time the
existence of this law prevents a great
deal of wrong and deception. Unfortu-
nately there are, and always will be,
SON men to whom the fear of the law is
the strongest incentive to good behavior,
and if Mr.. Farrow's bill should pass
there would be strong check removed
from the guarantee Of good social conduct
on their part.
The Negro Exodus.