The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-02
THE LEGISLATURE.
Some Notable Work by Our Law.
Makers,


distinguished itself for statesmanship and
patriotism. It considered perhaps a greater
number of important measures than mas Deel
presented 10 any Legislative body ia this
posed laws the afety. welfare and happiness
OF this people depended, but the wisdom and
sagacity with which all important legislation
was disposed Of is marvel and wonder.
Representatives hold their sessions In large
and splendidly equipped halls: The prestd.
ing officers In their gowns. and the scores OF
acal boys pages that run noshar ape uaTt @ib n
m altitude of clerks and newspaper men, Al
once impress the beholder with the idea thai
he is in the presence of assembled greatness
The dignity and soemnity of the tableau Is
not easily described, but not withstanding
all the pomp and circumstance attending the
daily sessions OF the General Assembly whose
slttings are noted by flying aags, and whose
was no letting down Of the dignity and the
hauteur of the members. The delloeratlVe
body as a whole might possibly equal that oi
the British Parliament In grasping momen'
tous questions Of State.
II is matter Of pride that South Carolin'
ians are able TO see and recognize the 1ndivld-
ual and collective greatness Oh tnelr own Jaw
making body, and when the REPRESENTATIVES Se tn
the Legislative halls, acquit themselves nooly
the people rejoice and are ready TO give en-
preston Of pride.
we are uQaOl6 10 give d luli llst VI thS I'LL
portant measures which received the solemn
and serious consideration OF that august
body, but we mention few OF them, and give
their substance as we understand the facts to
be:
The bill to open public road from Con fed.
erick Cross Roads to Jericho, involved the
right 10 work as we'll as to travel the nigh
way for q distance OF several miles In visiting
neighbors and in coming nome from ioS
One of the most momentous questions be-
fore the General Assembly was the hxing Of
the salary of the little boy VINO draws the Jn.
.of one dollar and fifty cents has been paid for
tH,s service, but the party was pledged to
ret-enchment and reform. Much eioquenl
orat&yy was expended In favor of this Dill,
on a payh 18th a cornfield hand, and 10 re-.
duce bis pay to Gfiy cents. After able and ex-
haustive argument the General Assembly. In
Its dignity refused to yield TO the necessities
mains the same as before. If this bill had be-
come a law the prosperity and happiness of
this country would have been assured, ont
We are left to hope that the next session session Will
prom pity bring about the needed reform.
A bill In Aid of Lawyers.-This IL notable
and praise worthy bill which became afaw.
The legal profession have been languishing
for the lack OF business. but now the bill for
their relief will have the desired effect Here
after mortgages must be foreclosed In Court
ibis will Involve costs to the amount OF 500
to $50, nearly all OF which will go 10 the la W.
yers and revive their wanipg M business; Ihis
Bill to prevent Coroner's lnquests, and 10
Promote Lynching.-This is an Important
bill. II forbids the holding OF inquests, ex-
cept Oh the demand Of ten Dle &c, eltl 4,
the word respectable" nor does 1t appoint
any one TO be judge Of that matter. Here
after when negro is shot In the BACK In self.
defence by an ininrIated citizen, or hung on
~.-s>- ht, xrl<NfN 4 10 IN "a
spectacle citizens will not intermeddle with
the afiaIi, by asking the Coroner To Inquire
into the circumstances. ..,
The bill to keep from the public eye an
itemized statement OF the actings and doings
OF the county Treasurer was mastery stroke
Of statesmanship and gave evidence OF mex.
pressible ability as financiers. The Treas
urer, If he choose TO 90 so, may now Keep ms
gar crowd. The practice heretofore In vogue
OF requiring Treasufers TO make showing Is
no longer necessary while we have Heformers
In office, and It is we'll that this expense is
saved and this imputati0n on his honesty ID
withdrawn. ... =,
The bill to reduce salaries OF the State oti
GERS was finally killed, as was the effort TO
appropriate an extra dollar day TO the MEM
bers or the General Assembly. The House.
We believe, was willing to cut the salaries OF
the State officers, while voting an extra dol
lar TO themselves. The Senate being sort OF
conservative body sat- down on b2sh pr0PGsi
and the members gained nothing. The Press
and Banner believes five dollars day Is cheap
enough for good Legislators.
The bill TO fix the pay OF members OF the
State Convention put the compensation for
making new constitution at three dollars
day, but the members OF the House thought
their own services we're worth fve dollars q
great saving to the public treasury. The pat
riotism in fixing the pay Of members OF the
State Convention at three dollars while de.
manding five dollars for themselves as Legis-
lators reminds us of the humorist's outburst
of patriotism during the war, IN which he
said be was willing to sacrifice all his Wife's
cousins rather than have the war fall OF
glorious success"
The bill TO look after terrapins occupied
considerable time and attention. II was, we
believe finally determined 10 authorize con.
stables TO search any house where IL Is sup
posed a terrapin may be found. This states,
the terrapiE In some OF bis inalienaole rights
to crawl about as he pleases.
The bill to prevent the immigration OF fox
es 10 this State is notable, and we have no
when they find out the inbospttable way In
which they have been treated In South Caro-
lima. The Legislature may yet require foxes
to wear badges or take out license 70 visit hen
roosts. AS the Legislature seems TO take con.
siderable interest In terrapinE the bill ought to
have had a section which would punish any
dog that might chase or worry fox,
through was a "dog law" Owing to the con.
seouential issues involved and the gravity OF
the subject, majority OF the Legislators
thought they would not tackle The dogs? IL
introduces such bills. A wise Legislator lets
the dogs alone.
Another favorite with new members Of
about O. CALDER Is the cotton SEED BUSINESS
that this cotton seed business has not served
good purpose-that is 10 say, in getting the
members name in print. Without undertake
ing the passage Of law OF this KIND some
membe might remain in Obscurity.
The favorite laws OF the more pretentious
politicians are the "Jim Crow Car BILL" and
the "Divorce Bill" There are always men
who dislike to see negro ride In first class
coach, and then there are others who, though
meaning well, would degrade woman, by en-.
acting divorce law.
One of the best and most important actions
OF the General Assembly was the passage OF
halls by the South Carolina Club In which to
hold their ann ual dance. This Is In striking
contrast with the narroW-minded policy OF
our courts and grand juries In refusing TO let
our people have the use OF the court house
when ahall is needed. The Court House, like
the State House, Is the peoples house, and
they should be allowed 10 use II TO dance In,
even as the State House is used for that pur-
pose.
There was an effort to abolish the three days
OF grace on bank notes, but this failed, as IL
should have done. The effort OF course was
in the interest OF the banks, and not In the In
terest of the debtor class who need In these
hard times thirty days of grace, instead Of
three.
The interest law of the country was tinker.
ed at, but no damage was done. 1t afforded,
however, 15-calibre statesmen an opportunity
TO put themselves on record as the champion
of the poor man.
The Legislature In its magnanimity. we be.
lieve allowed the widow of some old Confed-
crate soldier to apply for pension. This was
we'll.