The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-07
ogR COLUMBIA LETTER.
What the Lawmakers are Doing-spiey
Debate on the Calling OF a Constitu-
t,onal Convention.
rcor,espondence Herald and Newa.l

Correspondence Herald and News-l
| COLUMBIA, 5. c., Dec. 5.-There has
! been distinctively business and
routine flavor to the proceedings of the
General Assem- bly, during the last week.
The hopper is full to overfowing and
| the grist is coming out right merrily.
I The purpose is to rush through all
minor matters so that the decks will be
cleared for the consideration. of the big
questions that are pressing upon the
State.
Thus far the incidents of moment
have been very few. It has been mostly
| work and very little play. To-day the
l14page calendar of the House was
stripped Of forty third reading bills, q
half dozen Of which have already
passed the Senate and are DOW in the
hands of the clerks being made ready
for ratification. The Senate has done
so much wedding and pruning down
that on Friday it adjourned until
| Tuesday in order to let the members
be at home on Saleday and to allow the
House to catch up and send over some
more work.
Several attempts were made in the
House to follow suit and take rest
until tomorrow, but Speaker Jones
gently reminded the members that
there were scores of routine matters
| that needed immediate attention be-
fore the House passed to the special
orders that have been set for considera-
| ton on Wednesday. The wisdom Of
this suggestion was felt to-day when
the House adjourned after having
completed the very necessary formali-
| ties on about sixty bills.
The Legislature will without doubt
submit the question Of calling con-
stitutional convention to the people.
This was one Of the issues that were
decided by the recent State campaign
and the administration members say
that they intend to submit the bare
proposition to the people unhampered
| by any amendments whatever.
The opponents of the joint resolution
providing for the submission Of the
question to the people say that their
objections are these: The resolution
makes no provision for allowing the
people to pass upon the handiwork OF
such a convention, which, they claim,
ian important provision that's always
made by the various States.
The debate on the resolution in the
House last Friday suddenly became
very spicy. The cdsals bel5 was an
amendment offered by Mr.. Baeot that
the work of such convention be sub
mitted back to the people for ratifica-
ton. This resolution was supported
by Col. John G.. Haskell in a speech
I9urely argumentative and devoid Of
asy bitterness.
Messrs. J. T. Duncan, of Newberry,
and Wolfe, OF Orangeburg, jumped on
'sthe Colonel" as Mr.. Duncan called
him, with both feet. Mr.. Duncan said
that Mr.. Haskell knew that the reform
members had made up theii minds to
force the issue, but that be came here
with bis plausible arguments in order
to divert attention from the fact that
be was fighting against constitutional
convention, and then be could go back
to the people, like some demagogues
did, and tell them that he was trying
to preserve their rights. NOW, watch
the Colonel" said he, land vote down
any amendment that comes from this
source"
Mr.. Wolfe charged Col. Haskell with
posing as patriot and said that he and
bis faction were vigorously opposing
this demand of the people with sleight-
of-hand tricks.
Mr.. Blease tried to save Mr.. Wolfe
from what he knew would be the con-
sequence of his remarks about Mr..
Haskell, by interrupting bim with
some call to order, but Mr.. Wolfe had
never "been theren before and kept
on.
| Mr.. Jordan, Of Aiken, took hand
III the discussion and said the opposi-
| ton idea was that the new regime
could not be trusted to make the con-
stitutioE, and that they were dealing
in subterfuges in order to get the minds
OF the members in snch a shaken con-