The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-24
The Senate and House of Representa-.

The Senate and House OF Representa-
tiyes of this State have all along disa.
greed about the Census Bill. The House
has passed the Bill twice and the Senate
has killed it each time, so the House
concluded to force the taking of the
census. by tacking the provision therefor,
and an appropriation of twenty-five
thousand dollars, on to the general ap-
preparation Bill, and it was boldly as
serted that if the Senate did not pass
this section the House would defeat the
Bill, and thereby cause an extra session,
which would cost the State more than
the census. When the, appropriation
Bill came up in the Senate that body
struck this provision out of the Bill by
large majority, thus meeting the House
pointedly on the issue it had raised.
The House will Of course, We take it,
recede from its position, for it is untena-
Bile. The idea of one House attempting
= b 4 = = ?
TO force a coordinate branch of the Law.
making body TO agree to its will is not in
accord with the theory Of our govern
ment, and We arc not surprised that the
self-respect of the Senate has made that
body "sit squarely down on the House."
1t deserved it. We mus. confess that we
90 not see any pressing necessity for the
passage of this Census Bill just at this
time. The Constitution requires it to be
done, and wo think the Legislature
should comply with its provisions; but
when one House refuses absolutely to do
so, we cannot see any cause for the other
10 resort to revolutionary tactics to
enforce its compliance, unless the matter
were one of graver consequence than
simply taking the census. Apart from
the Constitution requiring it, we fail to
see any greater advantages to be derived
from it. II is said that it will cut down
Charleston's representation in the Legis.
lature and increase the representation of
the up country. 1t will cut down Charles
ton, but we doubt its making any
material difference to the up.country.
A new census will give Berkeley what
Charleston loses, aud will give gain to
Beaufort, and possibly to other Counties
in the low.coautry. Greenville, Oconee,
and possibly one or two other Counties
in the up-country, will gain representa-
tive, but the gains will not be material.
The losses from Charleston will be really
injurious to the State, in our opinion, for
outside of few local questions the
Charleston delegation is progressive,
liberal-spirited and able. On the local
questions in which the up country would
like to out vote Charleston, representatives
from Berkeley and Beaufort vote with
Charleston, and really the exchange Of
representation would not help the up.
country. Again, Beaufort is certainly
Republican, while Berkeley lis very
doubtful, so that the exchange will not
be desirable one politically. Taken in
all its aspects we cannot see that the
census would be worth twenty-five thou
sand dollars to the taxpayers of the
State. 1t ought to have been taken be-
cause che Constitution requires it, but
otherwise we think it is not material.
We believe the State ought to adopt the
United States census, with certain safe.
guards to prevent imposition, and thus
save the taxpayers heavy burden.