The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-04

The speaker, however, helped the House
out OF its predicameut by dispatchiDg a
clerk to the Senate, with request FOR
leave to withdraw The resolution was
secured and the whole matter then
indefinitely postponed II seems proba
BILE from this that the election for Circuit
Judge will probably take place AT an
early day, while that for Superintendent
and Directors Of the penitentinry will
be postponed until after the report has
been received from that institution.
This means that fight is brewing over
the Office Of Superintendent Of the Pen
itentiary. We do not know who The
candidates will be, but the Legislature
should be very sure that they are getting
a first class practical man before they
make change. Col Lipscomb has
made great Improvements in the manage
ment of the Penitentlary, aud no expert.
ments should be made in tho matter Of
its control.
Col. +. NJ. Rucker has introduced in
the House bill TO reduce the number of
the Railroad Commission to one Commits.
sioncr. and pay his salary out of the
State Treasury, instead of by assessments
upon the Peveral railroads. With the
power which the Commission now has,
1t would be dangerous to cOnfide the
trust TO one man, for however conscien~
tious and honest he might be, the cues.
tions that would come before him are Of
too varied and complex a nature TO be
determined by q single person. Every
man has his prejudices, his whms, or
his pet theories, and with the vast number
OF business matters that must be passed
on by the Railroad Commission, it is
almost impossible for one man to proper.
ly decide them. He must be familiar
with law, and with the varied business
interests of the State, and at the same
time must be practical man in his
views. 1t is safer with these powers to
have three Commissioners. II the special
powers given the Commission are taken
away. then there would be good reason
10 reduce the number Of the Commission.
The other provision Of the bill, that the
salary should be paid by The State. has a
great deal of justice and common right
to support it. The position of Railroad
Commissioner is an office Of the State,
and as such his salary should be paid by
the State, and not by the railroads.
There Is no more reason why the Railroad
Commissioners salary should be paid by
the,railroads than there is that the salary
of the Commissioner Of Agriculture or q
Commissioner of immigration should be
paid by them.
The members of the Anderson delegs.
tion have been assigned upon Committees
rs follows Mr.. Clinksca!ec, chairman
of Committee on Federal Relations and
a member Of Committee on Privileges
and Elections /; Mr. Scutlday on Incor.
porations and on Enrolled Acts ; Mr..
Ruckcr on Ways and Means and State
House and Grounds; Mr.. Watson on
Agriculture. Senator John B. Moore is
on the following Senate Committees :
Agriculture, immigration, Judiciary
Penitentiary and Rules, and is chairman
of the Committee on Roads, Bridges and
Ferries.
Col. McKissick, of Union, has intro
duced bill in the House reducing the
rate of interest in this State to seven
instead Of ten per cent. If the bill
passes it will tend to raise the price a:
lands, and to promote the material de-.
velopment Of the State. With a low
rate of interest n great deal of money
would seek Investment in land or man.
ufacturing, where the owner now is con.
tent to loan on mortgage at ten per cent.
Mr.. Rice, of Union, introduced a
resolution which was adopted, referring
it TO the agricultural committee of the
!
taxation. This is rather large contract
that has been given to the Agricultural
Committee if the present rate of taxa.
tion be regarded AZ excessive. The State
will be delighted to have Mr.. Rice or
the Committee solve the problem which
has been submitted.
DIR. o. M. Doyle, of Oconee, has in-
troduced concurrent resolution pro.
vidiDg for the appointment of special
committee of one from each Congressional
District in the State, with instructions to
report by bill or otherwise, the best
means of repairing aud completing the
State House. This ia an important mat.
ter, and we are glad to see its considera.
tien started by Or. Doyle thus early in
the session. The State House ought to
be completed as nearly upon the old plan
as possible. To accomplish this object
We would like to see special tax levied
for series of years sufficient to meet the
sum required. By using convict labor in
the work the expense could be reduced,
| and the work thus completed sooner than
| would be practicable If the work were
| done by independent contract. BY a
series Of levies enough could be collected
to begin the work next year, and continue
| in detail until the whole Ia completed.
We are in favor of State House that
will be creditable to the State. The
present dilapidated looking structure has
stood long enough to make every citizen
of the State ready for the work of com.
pleting it to begin.
Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson of Spartauburg,
has introduced bill in the House to
refes! .he law wh:ch eze;npia H,anafsc-
| tories from taxation foE :sn years, The
Ways and Means Committee have sub.
mitted majority and mint ri.y repor on
the questionable majority being opposed
to the bill. There will doubtless be an
interesting discussion on the bill, but j.
is not likely to pass, and in ourjudgmens
ought not to pass.
Col. Rucker has introduced bill to
prevent and punish the conveyance or
concealment of property by debtors in
fraud Of creditors. We do not know the
provisions OF object of the bill as stated
in its title.
The action of the Directors Of the
Penitentiary in allowing Col. Lipscomb,
the superintendent, an additional allow.
ance Of 81, ,250 for managing the hands
on the Canal is meeting with considerable
opposition in the House. Col. Lipscomb's
salary was 81. 600 when he was elected to
the Office. 1t has since been raised to
| 90, 100, and the last allowance makes it