Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-12-24
of the YOrkville Enquirer.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

COLUMBIA, December 21.-The most i'm
portant measures that have been brought
before the present Legislature have been
decided, or progress has been so far made
as to indicate what will be their fate.
To begin with the Constitutional amend
ments: The amendment providing that
the poll tax shall not be less than one dollar,
referred to in my last letter, was lost in the
Senate, not having received a two-thirds,
vote, as is required.
The amendment striking out of the Con-
stitution the provision for State census and
basing the reapportionment on the United
States census Immediately preceding, will
pass and be submitted to the people at the
next election.
The Bill to require the Governor to take
a State census this year for the purpose of
apportioning the representation in the
House and appropriating twenty-five thous-
and dollars for that purpose, was defeated IN
the Senate.
The House being twice baked in their
efforts to have the census taken, have in
corporated in the Appropriation Bill a Sec
tion approprating S25, 600 and requiring the
Governor to have census taken, and sent
the Appropriation Bill to the Senate in this
shape. The Senate by the very decided
vote of 90 to IL struck out this section. The
advocates of the census, or at least some OF
them, threaten to cause dead lock unless
the Senate agrees to the measure; but |
cannot think that the House will attempt
to force the Senate to yield their judgment
in this matter. In rejecting the Census
Bill, the Senate exercised constitutional
right which affords no grounds for any
obstructive tactics on the Appropriation
Bill to force the Senate to accede to the
demands of the House.
Rill m acto hiich the priOritV of liens
has passed both Houses. 1t was amended
in the Senate so as not to give landlords
prior lien on verbal contract for supplies.
The House refused to agree to this amend
ment and Committee of Conference was
appointed to reconcile the difference be-
tween the two Houses. This committee
has not reported.
The Bill to repeal the Lien law was de-
feated in the Senate. The lien law which
was passed to tide us over the crisis at the
close of the war, seems to be a parasite upon
our body polite that is very hard to get
rid of.
The Canal Bill, passed by small major-
ty, gives $4,000 for work on this project
next year.
A Bill to reduce the number of Railroad
Commissioners from three to one has passed
the Senate.
The Bill to abolish free tuition in the
South Carolina University has been de-
feated; also a Bill to repeal the Act estab-
fishing the Citadel Academy.
A Bill was introduced by Mr.. Blue, of
Marion, providing for the conversion of the
Citadel Academy into q State Female In
stitute for the practical education of the
white females of the State; the principal
object of the Institute being to fit them for
teaching and to earn living in business
&c hair
stood that the Bill would come up for con-
sideration Friday night, the hall of the
House was filled with young ladies from
the Female College and from the city. A
most eloquent and touching tribute to the
women of our State was made by Col.
McKissick, of Union. He held the House
and audience spell bound for half an hour
whilst he feelingly recounted her services
during the late war, and her Womanly cour-
age during that time and since in helping
to rebuild our waste places, and that we had
spent thousands in educating our boys in
our State and had done nothing for our
girls, and yet they complained not. He
appealed to the General Assembly toredress
the wrongs done to the female sex. l feel
sure that before another year passes some
such step as this will be taken, as the senti-
ment in this General Assembly seems to be
portunity to her daughters to procure high
er education in such studies as will enable
them to earn an independent living.
The appropriations for the University
and Citadel are the same as lastyear.
The county tax levy for next year is q
mills for York county; for railroad pur-
poses, 1 6-1O mill; constitutional school
tax, 2 mills; and State tax, St mills, max
ing total of II 7-2O mills for all purposes
next year in our county. This is S1.l34
cents on the one hundred dollars of proper
ty. This is a correct statement, as the sup
ply Bill now stands, and it is not probable
that it will be changed.
At your request, will try to give you a
synopsis of the Acts passed at this Session
for your first issue of next year.