The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-07-02
CENSUS LEGISLATION.
A REVIEW OF THE ACTION OF The
STATE SENATE.

The Senators From Ciarlestoh Ut'S q AA10'
tory of the Proceedings il, That Body and
I'm the House of Representatives.
To the E.I;;or OF the News and
Courier: Capt. Tilman has on sew
eral occasions seen fit to denounce
those members of the State Senate
who voted against the census and
reapportionment bills. We have
waited to see whether any one, other
than ourselves, would give thereasons
for such action. We are unwilling
longer to have such reasons unstated,
especially in view Of the recent at
tack on that upright soldier and
gentleman, Judge Tzlar, whose. po-
sition necessarily forces him to keep
silence.
TIE FACTS HIRE as FOLLOWS.
The General Statutes of the State
contained and now contain the gen
eral provisions for taking the census.
About two OF three days before the
close of the session of 1884 a bill
came over from the House to the
Senate, amending in certain partlcu-
lars the general law, on the subject
of the census--principaly as to the
rate per capita to be paid and IL
other minor points. While, however,
is left the duty on the Governor OF
having an enumeration made, neither
this bill nor the general law appro-
p1iateda any money to enable hum to
have the work done. The bill, there
fore, as it passed the House, was IN
complete, and would have efectedno
result.
On inquiry it Was ascertained that
the probable expense OF a State cen
sus would amount to some S50,0OO
or S60,O09. This was the estimate
made by careful men, who were
Supposed to be in position to
know.
The majority of the Senators, nearly
sll Of whose counties were unaffected
by the result, did not feel justified IN
putting upon the people this heavy
expense. And as the House, which
was the body whose membership was
in question, had not deemed it prop
er to take the responsibility OF max
ing the appropriation necessary Tor
the work, these Senators, acting on
the bill sent them by the House, re-
jected it.
The counties whose representation
would be affected by the census
were about equally divided. The
very large majority of the Senators
were entirely disinterested, as it did
not affect their counties IN any way:
A majority of these disinterested
Senators voted against the bill, and
by their votes it was defeated.
In 1885 the amendment OF the
Constitution was proposed allowing
reapportionment on the basis OF the
United States census Of 1880 and
thereafter. This was adopted by the
vote of every Senator present except
one, Mr.. Reynolds, of Beaufort. It
! was proposed and passed as 8 fulfil
Nnent of the requirement of the Con
stitution providing for reapportion.
raent, but as saving the taxpayers OF
GklS OtILGS liC AC1fy SASS4soSS "a S'@AN
ing the census by the State.
At the same session, 1885, the
House again sent over q bill for tax
ing the census BIZ the State authorl-
ties. But as the amendment to the
to the Constitution had been passed
providing the other method for re.
apportionment, as a measure OF
economy to the State, the Senate
did not feel called on to pass this
bill.
There was another serious obiec-
ton, to wit: Whether an extra ses-
sion of the Legislature could legally
be called to reapportion in time for
the election in the fall Of 1886. This
had due consideration. But that
which determined the matter was that
another method of reappoltionment
had been provided, by which the
taxpayers were saved some $4,000 OF
100000.
The matter then came before the
people of the State at the general
election in 1886, when thus amend
ment was submitted for their decis-
lon. It was adopted by an over
whelming popular vote. The people
of the State thereby ratified and ap-
proved the action Of the Legislature
in substituting this means OF reap
portionment, and saving them the
heavy tax and expense of taking the
census by the State. And the peo-
ple themselves having thus acted
on the question, it was settled I'm
ally. -,
TO rstify this constitutional amend
ment came before the Senate. 1t was
passed by the vote of every Senator
except one.
En- 1887 and again in 1888 billswer
introduced into the Senate to reap.
portion on the basiso the census OF
1850. These were opposed as not
being within the scope of the amend
snent, which provided that the first
reapportionment should be made un-
der Tie census of 1890. There We're
also practical difficulties, as for IN
stance with Charleston county, which
had been divided since that census
into Charleston and Berkeley. This
prevented any accurate or proper re-
apportionment on the basis of the
census of 1880. The Senate, there
fore, by a decided majority, rejected
the bills.
This is a simple statement Of the
case. Who do not propose to IN
dulge in Incorporate language Or to
be drawn into vituperation or recrm-
nation. We desire solely to give the
reasons which governed the Senate IL
itsaetion.
Augustine T. Smythe
Geo. Lamb Buist
Sanato,s from, Charleston COUNTY