The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-01-14
GOV. TILLMAN IGNORED.
ONLYA VERY SMALL MINORITY OF HIS
SUGGESTIONS ADOPTED.

Against Almost Every thing tho Cover
nor Proposed-A Review of tho Re COM
mendations He Made.
NEWBERY, S. O., Dec. 3l.-The last
General Assembly attempted more and
accomplished less than any of Its prede-
cessors. The majority of the members
went into office on the popular wave by
holding on to Tllman's coat tail. Most
of the II had never had any experience
in public life, and there was woful ig-
norance on the part Of many concerning
public affairs. Lawyers who had scarce
ly ever been entrusted with hundred
dollar case; farmers who could not run
successfully a one-horse farm-there
were many such as these sent to legis-
late for million people and more than
hundred and fifty millions of property.
They call themselves PERFORMERS" )"
though wha; there was to reform they
never could be induced to say; and now
that their term is ended; after two yea s
Of unrestricted sway and unlimited DOW
CIR, 1t they have reformed anything what
1t would not be difficult to sum up all
the Legislature did Il at was of any con-
sequence to the people at large. 1t
passed forty-six joint resolutions and
2S7 acts-more than nine-tenths ofthem
being of a local or private character. Of
the acts OF general public interest we re-
call now the establishment Of the girls
industrial school, or rather the prelimi-
fpr ctoL 4 lo
free pass bill, which affects very few
people except in 80 far as it tends to
keep pubic officers free from obligation
to railroads aud therefore not SO liable
to be ''tamcd" by them or subjected to
their influence to the &c riment OF the
people; the establishment Of the phos-
phate commission; the abolition Of the
department Of agriculture; perhaps one
or two other acts, that we do lot now
recall.
To tell what IT did not do would re-
quire more space. A majority were sent
TO Columbia to do what I'll nan wanted
them to do. AT tho legislative session
OF 1890 the 'relOrm" legislators wore
quite subservient to the wishes Of ''leir
chief, Tor he was popular then; but they
were mostly raw recruits aud incXpcri-
enced in public affairs. They tried TO do
something, but lett most of the import
ont work of the session incomplete, and
1t come over to the session Of 1891 for
tina' disposition.
Between the session of 1890 and 1891
there was decided change in popular
ceiling. Governor Tlllman, for some
reason, had lost much of his popularity
when the second session of the "rcform"
Legislature opened. Hence it is that
mauY of his pet measures were entirely
ignored. We are not now specializing
ABOUT causes, but only recalling facts.
1t is interesting, if mot significant, to
recall the recommendations contained in
the Governors inaugural in 1890 and his
Messa,e in 1891, and see how many of
these recommendations were ''sat upon"
by the Legislature OF them at the
second term.
Here is list of Recommendation:
l. To have the counties divided into
square school districts not more than
thirty.six nor less than sixteen square
Lilies, with one white and one colored
school in each. 3'his tailed.
2. TO have school trustees elected by
residents of the school district. Failed.
8. To male the poll taX$3 Failed.
4. To provide Tor having the State
publish the school books. Failed.
5. To provide an industrial school for
girls, and as preliminary step to adopt
the Winthrop Training School. Adopt
ed; but the practical details remain to be
carried out by another Legislature.
6. TO lequre each county to support
its o, patients in the Lunatic Asylum
Failed.
7. TO call constitutional convention.
Failed.
8. To rcapportion representation in
the House of Representatives Adopt
ed.
8. To rearrange Charleston and Bcrkc-
ley Counties, so as to give the former
more area, as the cutting Off OF the latter
gave it less area than the constitution
requires. Failed.
10. The enactment of q new railroad
law ''similar to that Of Georgia." A
new law was passed al the session OF
1890, but the Governor was not alto
gethcr pleased with it and therefore
vetoed it. At the session Of 1891 bill
for this purpose passed the House, but
was killed in the closing hours Of the
Senate for want OF a quorum. So this
recommendation also failed.
IL. In his Inaugural the Governor
made the remarkable declaration that
"self-government hy counties is and has
always beeu q failure" III accordance
with his recommendations, three Of his
most ardent supporters-Mr. w. D..
Evans of the Senate, and Mcssrs. John
Gary Evans and j. l.. McLaurin OF the
Bouse-framed a bill in which nearly all
mower WAS taken from tho DcODlc and
given to the Governor. The bill passed
the Senate at the sessiou of 1891, but
was killed in the House after passing two
readings. So this also failed.
IL. To put the phosphate interests of
the State in the hands Of the Governor,
attorney general, comptroller general
and two other persons to be appointed
by the Governor. This Recommendation
was adopted--whether to the advantage
Of The State may be very seriously ques-
toned. Certain it is there was failing
Oh 10 the ten months following of
GEO 0O0 Of laoot. op6 roranpa in a moi