The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-12-10
HARD AT WORK NOW.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE
SSEEN IN MlD-SEsSlON.

The First Two Weeks Devoted to LookinG 6
over the FielG--Some Measures of Great
Public Importance--Notes of the Ses-
sion
sCoLUNBIA, s. c.. Dec. Especial
Observers of the work of the present
General Assembly have been greatly
impressed with one fact-the very
Small quantity of business thus far &C.
tually accomplished. The session may
be considered half gone, and as YET
there is no measure passed either House
which looks to a solution Of any Of the
questions that have agitated, or at ieas!
interested, the people for many months
past. One reason given for this condl
tion of the Legislative business IS that
the body has been awaiting the sug'
gestionS of Governor Tillman. These
having been formally made in the in.
augural address of his EXcellency, il
may now be expected that the lawma'
kerS' attention will be given to soniesol
the matters affecting the peoples in
tereStS moSt-becauSe they affect the
condition of their pockets.
The allimportant subject Of re
trenchment has been but gently touch.
ed. If all the measures thus far sug'
gested as tending to reduce the public
expenditures should be passed, the ef.
feet upon the tax levies would be bare,
", if at all, percepUble. This is moi
saying that the authors of the proposed
reforms are untrue to their pledges OF
economy in every department of ouI
public service. The few efforts made
at retrenchment should serve only tc
illustrate the fact that while reduc.
tion of appropriations is surely desira.
bic, it is not always easy to say Al
what place reform should begin
Among the bills looking to retrench.
ment are the following:
A bill to abolish the office of jury
commissioner and deyolve his duties
on the county auditor. The average
annual pay OF the jury commissioner
is about $500, The fate of the meas
ure is doubtful.
A bill to abolish the Office of super
visor of registration and devolve hi:
duties on the county auditor. The
House committee has reported this un,
fsVorably, and it will doubtless be kill
3D..
In connection with these two pro
positions may be noted that to abolish
the Office of county auditor and deyolve
his duties on the county treasurer
Every effort to make such a change has
thus far tailed. No bill, looking tt
this reform" is yet on the calendar Of
either house. In view Of the make uI
of the present Assembly, such change
would seem likely to command large
support. But its fate would for many
reasons, be extremely doubtful.
a bill to abolish the pay of election
managers and their clerks. 1t is estl.
mated that this would save between
seven and eight thousand dollars in
every election year-it being assumed
that there may be found, in sufficient
numbers, citizens competent for the
work and willing to perform it fol
nothing. Present indications point to
the passage of the bill.
Bills to reduce the pay of members
one fixing the per diem at SS and an.
other at 81. If precedentS be followed
there will be no reduction.
Mr.. Hardin, of Chester has introduced
abill to fix different salaries as follows
Governor $1,000, now $500.
Secretary of State 800; State Treasur'
er, 1880; Comptroller General. 1,S0O; Su'
perintendent of Education, 1900; Com
missioner of Agriculture; 1890 AdJu.
tant and Inspector General. 1000; At
torney General, 1900, now 2,l0O.
Assistant Attorney General 1000
now 1880.
State Librarian, $500, now 625.
Superintendent Penitentiary, $500
now 2,lo6:
Physician Penitentiary $1,000; now
1850.
Governors Private Secretary $1,000
now 1850.
Governors Messenger. $3.50, now 400
Keeper State House Grounds, $500
now 500.
Chief Clerk Secretary of State, three
clerks State Treasurer, Chief Clerk
Comptroller General each, $1,000, now
1850 each.
:Bookkeeper of Comptroller General
Clerk Superintendent Of Education
Clerk Commissioner Of Agriculture
each, 81 600 now 1900 each, except the
Clerk OF the Superintendent of Educa.
Sion whose salary is $1,000.
Clerk of Adjutant and Inspector Gen,
eral $50, now 1,200.
In COM ection with these bills it may
be noted that the House has elected q
I. chaplain, whose compensation is IN the
discresion of the body, while there Is
aoW pending bill to provide a chap
lain for the Honse and one for the Sen.
ate-each to receive the pay OF a mem
Der. The fate of the measure IS sdoubt'
ful.
@ The present chaplain of the House
is the Rev. o. A. Darby, well known as
the former president of the Female Col.
1sge.
SOME PROPOSED CHANGES.
Some idea of proposed changes in
certain directions may he gathered
from the following reports OF House
committees:
UnfavorabIe report from the judici.
ary committee on bill to abolish costs
for attorneys in the settlement of inter
state estates. Bill rejected.
Unfavorable report from same com
mittee on the bill to require a license
for the sale Of pistols and cartridges
Bill ordered to be placed on the Calen-
dar..
Favorable report from same COM
mittee on the bill to abolish the costs
of attorneys. Laid over for future
consideration.
JnfaYorable report from same COM
mittee on bill to abolish the Office OF
Master in Laurens County. Laid over
Unfavorable report on the bill to re-
duce the legal rate of interest to 5 pei
cent. Laid over.
Unfayorable report on the bill to
make the Office Of railroad commission
er elective by the people. Bill reject
ed
There is general impression that
the present railroad Commission will
be abolished, and its duties deyolved
upon single commissioner at an an