The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-19

issued by forty members 0t the Gener-
all Assembly on Thursday. This,
address, pithily put, asked that the
past be forgotten aud that all overs of
the State unite in tn: future and work
for the best Interests of Lhe State.
It was we'll received in Coumbia.
among many who have been "antis"
and general opinion is that it will do
much good.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS.
The Inauguration and the number Of
elections have interfe1eu withthe legis-
lative work of the General assembly,
and it can hardly be said that the most
important matters that will be voted
| upon at this session have seen the light
of day yet.
Que matter of far reaching impor.
tance, over which there was a great
fight, and which was killed in the
House by vote Of IS to 54: was the
reduction Of the legal rate of interest to
per cent. The rate will remain the
same, as it has been for the past few
years. Another bill which will result
in great saving 20 the Stale, if it is
passed by the Senate, is the reduction
CT the per diem allowed sheriffs for
dieting State prisoners from 80 cents to
25 cents. Charleston and Berkeley
counties were exempted from the ef-
f.cts of this bill. Charleston gets the
old rate, and Berkeley has special act,
whereby the County Commissioners
feed the prisoners, and the cost has
been found not to exceed twelve aud
one half cents day.
CUTTING DOWN SALARIES.
The House seems intentupon cutting
down salaries this year. The bill pro-
viding for a reduction of the liquor
Commissioners salary from $1,000 to
$4,000 has been passed, and one cutting
down the salaries of all State officers
has been reported favorably.
SOME IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.
a bill prpvidiDg for division of the
profits of the dispenssry one fourth to
the town or city in which the dispen-
sary is located, and three fourths to the
public schools has been made special
orGer in the House for Tuesday, Dec.
l1th. The bill compelling railroads in
this State to furnish separate coaches
for white and colored passengers will
also come up Tuesday. The bill requir-
ing all persons or corporations build
ing wire fence along public or pri-
vate highway, parallel with railroad
track to nail q board near the top was
made a special order for Wednes-
day.
The bill prohibiting the hiring out of
convicts has received an unfavorable
report from the committee, but has not
vet come up for discussion in the House.
4 bill providing for the licensing of the
sale of Intoxicating liquors in the State
received an unfavorab!e report from
the committee and will probably be
killed as soon as it appears in the House.
Among other bills to come up for dis
cussion in the House soon are: the
Australian ballot system; to prevent
the pooling of rates by fire insurance
companies; to authorize grain distillers
to organize stock companies to whole
sale the product of its mem bers; to pro-
vide for the election of State Liquor
Commissioner by the General Assemb-
ly instead of allowing the Governor to
appoint him; to make the Hon. B. r.
Tillman a Trustee of the Winthrop
Normal and Industrial College.
The House has passed bill requiring
cotton buyers to plumber each bale of
cotton purchased the same number put
upon the books aud bills; to make the
use of profane or obscene language or
intoXication a misdemeanor.
METnoPoL1TAN POLICE
No bill has yet made its ~appearance
in either house, but oIe is expected
before the close of The session. Its
passage is doubtfIl. So much good
feeling has chara4terized the session so
far that it wSGid take decided change
to cause: factional lines to be drawn
severely enough to pass such bill. If
one is Passed it is expected that Char
lesion will be put under its protection,
and Possibly other places in the State.
EXTENDING TINE FOR PAYING TAXES.
Mr.. Thurmond of Edgefeld, has IN
troduced into the House bill extend
ing the time for the payment OF taxes
to March 10Th. The probabilities are
that this bill will be passed, or one OF
similar nature.
AFTER THE CITADEL.
A bill that brings out something of
fight, especially from the Charleston
delegation is one to abolish the Citadel
Academy, and to convert the property
of the same into money to he placed IN
the hands Of the Sinking Fund. This
bill was introduced by Mr.. L. J. Will
liams. of Edge6eld. The bill is not ex-
pected to pass, but it may have the re-
suit of cutting down the appropriation
to tbatipstitution 1t is understood that
the Board of Visitors of the Citadel will
RECON- mend the appropriation of only
$3.50 to each beneficiary, but will ask
that the plumber of beneiciaries be
doubled.
The time for the election of United
States Senator has been fixed for to-
morrow. At this writing it is not
known whether Senator Butler will be
nominated or not. So far as can be
learned be has engaged no one to nomi.
nate him. What would be designated
as the "antiH members of the General
Assembly do not Seem TO be enthusiastic
on the subject. 1t goes without saying
that Ex-Governor Tilluan will be
elected by an overwhelming majority
NO NEW COUNTIES THIS YEAR.
All new county bills have been post
poned until the next session. This was
done because of the calling Of the Con.
stitutional Convention, which will
probably lessen the required territory
of a county. The friends of toe proposed
county of Greenwood have been in the
city in full force. and were determined
to make strong fight for:their pet mes'
sure, if it had been allowed to come up
The friends of Honea Path County
seem to be numerous, and the counties
from which that is TO he formed do not
fight so bitterly as Greenwood County
is fought.
The Senate has not been so active al
the House during the past week. 1t ha'
been taking things quietly, conscious
that when it does get to work it can
ccomplish very much more III the
same space of time than the House.
PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
The bill providing for the calling Of
the Constitutional Convention bas been
introduced in the Senate by Senator