The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-14
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS,
Brief Notes and Comments on ahe
Work Of our Senators and Repre-
Scnatntives.


fighting Tor and against the most important
.of the various reform measures that have
been introduced in the House ana senate,
and some of the incidents OF each days pro-
ceedings ere of more than ordinary interest.
ON Thursday, for instance, there was quite
q breezy time when Col. John &. Haskell en-
ceriat ed those who had taken advantage oi
his temporary absence from the Hall OF the
House 10 Kill his reiundmcnr resolution.
Mr., Wolfe. of Drangeburg. moved to lndctl-
pilely post pone the resolution, which provid
ed that all State bonds not met at maturity
should be extended for four years NJ the same
rate Of interest
Mr.. Weston, on behalf Of his colleague. Col.
Haskell, protested against such action being
taken in his absence, and stated thaL he would
return in few minutes.
The motion prevailed, however, and was
"clinched," on motion of MIR. Geldell. anu
the resolution was forever put beyond the
possibility of resurrection.
When Col. Haskell came into the House ne
was pretty hot. He said il was the grosSest
violation Of common legislative decency that
he had ever known, and that 1t was dellDer-
ately intended TO prevent him from speak
ing but, said he, give these who are respon-
sible for it fair notice that vii hiring this re-
solution before this house, and say all wish
to say on II in spite of any attempt they may
make TO defeat 1t, and defy them to try 1t.
or course every one is on the Qni rire to
know what is going TO break loose from the
The administration has come to the front
to provide for the redemption OF the state
bonds On Friday it was transmitted to the
legislature, accompanied by message from
the Governor, in which he states that II EN-
bodies his views and those Of the State Treas
urer and the finance committees of the two
| Houses. He further states in the message
| That it is not possible to refund the debt at 4
per cent. and says that in spite OF the errors
of the past" the State will be able to accom-
| plsh it at At per cent. without the help OF onl
own capitalists If the General Assembly will
provide sinking fund with which TO oesin
| the gradual annual payment Of the debt and
mortgage the phosphate beds as collaternl
The Governor says that the practical results
l of this scheme will be:
nuaily will be $4,000 less. But this sum will
not 90 the reduction Of taxes, but nearly al
| to the payment and reduction OF the debt IT.
self.
.. That this will, in my, judgement enable
US in twenty years to float II 3 or SO bond, sc
that in the long run the total amount sav-
ed the State will be more than If we no"
placed forty-fve year per cent. bond.
| The bill prescribes the manner OF issue O
| bonds of the denomination Of $500 and Sl,0OO
| which are to bear interest at Az per cent pay
able emi-annually, the bonds and certificates
OF stock TO become payable at the end OF lorty
wears from the lst Of January. 1893, the State
| reservipg the right to call In and pay the
whole or any part thereof after the expiration
of twenty years from the date OF issue, cou
pons and interest orders TO be receivable loi
all Stale taxes except school tax.
| 1t Is further pronided that AS Il security foi
the reduction and payment OF the debt the
phosphate royalty, 10 the amount OF S3I,5O(
each half year, shall be set aside as a sinking
fund, and the sinking fund commission Is
authorized te buy at their discretion az many
of the ~ bonds as the fund will warrant an
cancel them.
The bill provides in detail for the exchange
of old for new bonds, and for the exemption
| of the bonds and stocks from taxation.
The House committee met Immediately ar
ter the bill had been referred and decided tc
report fayorably. No more important sub
Iect confronts the General Assembly, and II
is hoped that all tissues" will be relegated tc
the rear until the State debt question has re-
dence in the credit Of the State has been re-
stored.
It is believed that the passage Of the reso
luton asking Congress to establish the free
coinage of silver and inStructing members o
Congress to advocate the same will have al
important hearing on the question OF refund
ment.
It is ascertained that the capitalists who are
negotiating in the matter will Insist on pay
ment in gold, and while the passage OF the
resolution will not be drop In the bucket
with Congress the capitalists will take 1t as
indication of the sentiment Of the Slate.
| The great fight Of the Legislature Is on the
quest ion OF prohibition. This oyeIshadows
everything else and Herculean efforts are
made by both sides to carry their points.
see no reason TO change the opinion express
ed In my last letter In fact. the results O
| the last week go 10 emphasize the belief that
the Roper or Cniids bill will not be passed al
this session.
nesday and has been going on ever since with
no practical result OstenSlbly the prohibi
tioniSts are In majority, and II they were a
unit in their views they could carry their
points. But they seem to be all at sea, one
man pulling one way and one another, and
| no two OF the leaders seem TO agree exactly
The antis, on The contrary, are hrmly united
and seem to be drawing TO their side that
large element In the Legislature who do not
at heart favor prohibition and who are only
supporting cold water measures through the
| force OF circumstances.
| AS q result OF this state or things dilatory
tactics have prevailed. One day a substitute
TO the Roper bill comes In. Next, the substi.
,ute has to be printed, and then come long
amendments, TOO long for the members u
understand" which In turn must be printed.
And so 1t goes from day 10 day, while outsid.
ers look on with much amusement as when
some huniorously inclined member like Sui
Ivan, OF Charleston, moves TO Include per
simmons" In the list OF things from which H.
quor shall not be made. This actually hap.
pened Saturday night, and Mr., Sullivan call
ed for the yeas and nays, saying, ~ intend tn
see that the unholy traffic in persimmon beer
is put down."
Mir. Nettles, Of Clarendon, has been appoint
ed geueralissime OF the prohibition forces in
the House. Twice he has charged the antis
with trying TO kill time" and declared that
meut that day, but the other side have been
10 smart for him. Mr.. Nettles made such q
statement Saturday, and Mr.. Hughes, OF
Charleston, then sent up to the speaker an
immense volume of 1I3 pages that he asked TO
have read as an amendment. This would
have consumed several days. Speaker Jones
declined TO entertained the motion.
lam told that the Governor Is interposing
in the matter ana has sent ont word that the
Roper bill must not pass. ! mentioned this
to one Of the prohibition leaders. and lie Stat
ed that there was something in IL and that II
was quite probable that bill on the line OF
the recon- me endation in the Governors mes
sage w0ulo be passed. This places the mini
mum license at sou, which Is TO be placed in
the county treasury.
The prohIbitionists say that they are deter
mined TO reach a direct vote tonight.
The House has taken final action on two
Important measures within the last few days
the divorce bill and the bill to repeal the
anti-free pass law. The former was killed ar
ter lively discussion last Thursday by a vote
of IS to 81. The Abbeville delegation. with
the exception of Mr.. Hill, voted against IT,
The bill TO repeal the anti.free pass law fail
ed of passage on Il direct vote Thursday, but
the following day the House reversed It's ac-
ii on and put itself on record aS believing that
n legislator can accept a free pass without be-
ing "bambooz ed or debauched" and now +
the Senate also passes the repeating act and
the Governor approves II the politicians can
all ride free once more The vote was 81 TO As.
Messrs Graham and kinard voted against
repeal, and the other members of the Abbe-
vile delegation for IL.
The House has not yet taken whack at the
salaries, but the measure has been the chief
bone of contention In the Senate. Senator
EfrdS bill provides for Il horizontal reduction
Of twenty per cent and Senator Finleys
max es a graduated reduction. The latter was
favorably reported, but when taken up I was
found that there were so ma:y inequalities
In IT that even its author could not defend it
very vigorously, and n substitute was offered
for it on Friday by Senator John Gary Evans.
The indications that this bill will pass. The
proposition to cut the pay OF members down