The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-12-16
LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENCE.

HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES, Columbia,
Dec '2.-Sincs my last, the discussion on
the great Prohibition Bill has come TO close,
and the Chiids. .Roper-Nsttlss Bill has passed
the House, and is now before the Senate.
Thi, measure completely changes the man
Dr off selling liquor in this State, and 10
lo'kei npon ss Revolutionary and Radical,
in i's effects. II provides for the sale Of all
liquor through State officer, with . salary
Of $500 Of. oo-.GSs,vr nnd other helms
ms they may DO needed. A County Agent is
aso prosidsd for. All liquors are 10 be ana
lyzed, and mono sold except for Medicinal.
Mechanical, and SSsrnmsntal PURPOSES Ali
revenue TO 60 10 the STATE and County
This Bill was "fought TO the finish" by
It's opponents. It's friends teemei to look
npon II with suspicion, and while il does
no, meet the wishes OF oil sdvocate, Of Pro-
hibition, II. in measure, answers the re-
quircments made upon the General Assembly
by the vote cast last August Some Of tn.
best Reirrncrs are fearful TINT this measure
vii cause division in our State. politically,
tYo years from now, which may result in
waking up sleeping power in our State
factor VIII ch, if il could be organized and
properly utilized, might tring scenes which
were enacted in our State b,tore 1876. That
power which has gradually ne out Of poll.
tics, and we had hoped, forever, as n factor
in shipirg legislation, may bc brought back
into michievous play, and if thoroughly y
awakened might hOl the balance Of power,
AMI, as II matter Of course, would be arrsysd
against everything looking TO exnungipg
This grca, cy from our land. What the
Senate will do remains to be seem
have just tecn told by Senator that
this Bill VIII be laid on tho table, and q sub :
SIi I'm, NJ la nh
plan suggehs by the Governor IN his
annual message; a plan that is in operation
in Athens, Ga, known a. the dispsnsary
pan. That plan virtually does away with
barroons, and establishes placea fur the sals
OF good liquors in packages Of from one pint
% five gallons, scaled, To bs carried away
nul usrd ;hus doing away with the associa-
ii,ns Of larr0smS, billiard rooms, ETC., etc.
In other words, making the drinking of
liquor respectable ~ All the revenue ac-
crueing To go into The State Treasury, thus
Ia sing enough to meet ordinary expenses,
aud u surplus with which to liIuidale the
State Gcb' itI friends say the State debt
can be pad on IN twonty years, by this
pian. lfthn u,o anil traffic of whskcy can
be cd and mnde to do something to-
warIs lowering taxation, and its deleterio
effects on tho Using generation, be dimin
ishcd, We viii havo acc ,mplished something
Of value to our paorle.
The .n'ury reduction Bill has, rs usual
como in fur its full share of discussion. Tho
Senate has < t,en through with il, and il
will now come up before the House The
re luc'i,n Propose does not seem to be equi
table, as some Of the officers aud the mem
hers Of tho General Assembly are scaled 70
per cent while others nro not sea ei in the
q 4 "a l.. -
ing ground raise q commi tee to takc into
cons dsratiOn this pcrplexing question. and
report At next session.
The papers arc urging The Legislature to
take recess until after Christmas. then
come back and finish up; but | do not think
il meets with much favor.
The Railioa md County Government bill $
will occupy our time for tho next few days.
a large number of candidates are await.
ing the enactment at these measures into
laws. in order to get the Office Of Railroad
Commi'sionr, Among them Union has tro
asljrIntS -rr,. u. L. Duncan and g. W.
Whitman.
Our lsllow-citizcr, q, Is. Fowler, is here
in the interest of the Jonesy,lle township
bonds to the |. ckhart Shoa's Railway
Company, and having au extensive ncquaint-
nncc IN the House, has industriousy cln-
vas+rd The members. in order TO get their
support in trying To relieve these people
from the unjust burden imposed upon them
by this Act. Petitions have been sent, for
,,ud against iEc validating of these bonds,
and bills were introduced in the House 10y
Col r. c. Durcar nni the Senate by Col.
P,ak". asking us to validate these bonds.
Mr., I. l.. llames, one Of tho Trustees, came
down on the same bu.in,ss, and All arrange
ia,
bills which has been io.c, in srler to allow
these differences tn o adjusted between the
stockholders snd the C,mrany.
1t appears that the chatter obtained does
not iiA tho time when the road is to he fn-
iShcd. but requires tho County Commission
crs To execute the londs, on tho townships
voting $50, 900 each, To the capital stock Of
said company, and turn them over to the
President. THIS WIS done and now Il por-
ti"n ct the ci'izcns If the two townships
oppose the lc'yiNS If special tax, 10 meet
the interest on these bonds.
The County Commissioners ask for 10
mills on Jonssvillc, and II OH Pipcknsy.
Your Representatives examined the law very
closely, and c,n-ultei with M,j. Townsend,
Attorney General, in order To get around
recommending this enormous levy, but our
duty Was plan, and rrccc lent in the
nickenS county case, in which the County
Commissioners refused to make tbs levy,
and were put in jail f-r refusing to comply
with lain statue, required Us to recon-
mend the levy asked for hy the Company
Commissioners.
1t is to be regretted that thOss townships
did not look closer into the charter aud the
requirements OF the act requiring the
County Cemmiss 0usrs To call an olccti on for
the purpose OF making the apprDpri alton,
and have n timc fixed when these bonds
should bs valid, or invalid, provided certain
things were Lc;.e Vi 10; done ny the County
The condition rs it now exists, requires
the payment OF these bonds, whether the
road is ever buili or not. aud may run 40
years. Wchope tho stockholders, citizens
and officers Of the com yany will come to-
SrIhcr and mako IN arrangement, whereby
this enOrmous tax may bs love-, the time
fixed for the completion of the road, and
the points to which il shall ran, be agreed
upon, and thus prevent an extended law
SUIT.
An important bi ! looking 10 the funding
of the State debt il bcfo'c the House now,
which when passed. will IN, our a iminisira
ton i'll good shape as t. conplcting the re
funding Of the 1tato bonds.
Ii looks now a. If we won Il he here until