The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1895-09-25
hoye goneral superyision 81 thb pablio

hove general supervision Of ths!pablic
works. #
5. Tho choirmen OF tho township di-
rectors shall compose a board bf Lcoun-
Ity commissioners.
=. Tho township boards or three Of
thom shall compose q board OF equali-
zation of property.
z. Each township shall be aschool
district and the townsh;p directors
shall act as trustees thereof. VI
8. There shall be elected IN each
township a trial justice, who shall have
jurisdiction in civil cases to the amount
of 800, and in criminal cases such as
InisdeIlleanors, assault and battery and
concealed weapons.
THE AGE OF CONSENT. 4 Il
Mr., j. 0. A. Moore presented the
eo%mittsss! fsli1wilRs fof reference e tef proper
To the Delegates in Constitutional Con-
ventiOn assembled:
Gentlemen. The increasing and
alarming frequency of assaults upon
womon and the frightful indiSnittes to
which even little girls are subject have
become the shame of our boasted civil
ization.
A study of the statutes of our State
has revealed to us their utter failure
to meet the demands of newly awak-
ened public sentiment, whichlTequires
better legal protection for Egirlhood
and womanhooa. -
Therefore, wo, the members of the
Womans Christian Temperance Union
Of South Carolina, do most heartily ap-
peal to you, through Mrs. Chaplin, our
president, TO enact such statutes as
shall provide for the adequate punish
ment Of crimes against women and
girls. @
We call attention to tho dkgraceful
fact that protection of the person of
our women is not placed upon so high
plane as protection of thSir purse.
We would therefore entreati FOUR hon
orable body to- raise the Gp calleD
'age Of consent" to eighteen the legal
ago which permits women tn contract
valid marriage or mako lawful sale
Of any of her personal property.
North and South Carolina are now
tho only States, rs far as we can find
out, whore the low age of ton fouls
the cscutcheon of their statutes books,
and we earnestly plead that the dis
grace to the State bo-wiped out by
raising tho law Of protection to that
Of legal majority, eighteen.
s. Il. Chaplin,
President w. OF. u.
Charleston, S. 9.
a communication was received from
one Charles =. Walker, O. Chicago
lawyer, urging such regulation Of
the suffrage in South Carolina as will
fully protect the rights Of citizens Of
African descent.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20.
The session of the Convention was
brief and business like.
In tho absence of President Evans
(wlo was in attendance on q meeting
Of .he trustees of the Industrial Col
lege) Vice-P President Talbert occupied
the chair. ss
Quite a number of members applied
for leave Of absence till Monday. DR..
Stokes of Orangeburg offered reso-
luton limiting the granting Of such
leaves TO cases Of sickness. After con
siderable debate this resolution was
adopted.
COMMITTEES REPORTS.
There were several reports of com
mittees, on very important articles of
the Constitution
The committee on Legislative Dc
partment reported all article in full.
The important changes in this depart
mont are the extension of the term Of
the members of the House from
two to four years, and the Civ
ing of one Senator to every coun-
ty-C Charleston included. The new
county of Saluda is to have two
of the five Representatives now
allotted to Edgeield Tho pay of Nom
bers is fixed at three dollars a day, and
mileage at five cents per milo. The
homestead provieion is retained as at
present 81, 600 in real estate and $500
in personal property. The right OF
dover is limited to property which
husband owns at the timo Of Ills
death.
The report of tho committee on mu-
nicipal corporations and police regu-
lations contains three new and impor-
tant pl DIVISIONS:
1. That in all municipal elections as
to the issue of bonds or the creation OF
any municipal debt, adult women who
pay taxes on $500 worth of property
shall be entitled to vote.
Q. That the Legislature may regu-
late and license the sale Of spirituous
liquors, or may prohibit the same.
3. That the Legislature may, in the
exercise OF the police power, authorize
parties duly appointed for the purpose
to sell intoxicants. CThe dispensary
system.)
The committee on the Executive De
partinent submitted complete article.
It retains all the present executive Of
ficors their term being fixed at two
years. The pardoning power Is vested
in the governor, under the advice of a
board of pardons, consisting of the
comptroller general, the secretary of
State, and the superintendent Of the
penitentiary. The governor may, in
his discretion, decline to grant the par
don recommended-in which case he
shall state his reasons to tho general
assembly at its next session. The lieu
tenant governor is president of
the Senate, with tho right to
vote in case of a tic. Whom a Sen
ator becomes lieutenant governor,
he therefore yacates his seat in the
Senate.
The report of the committee on
finance and taxation retains the pres
ent system of dd valorem taxation,
and gives the Legislature the right 70
place capitatipn tax on animals It
retains the two.mill tax for the sup
port Of the public schools. I5limits
the bonded Indebtedness Of counties
and municipalities TO eight per cent. of
all the taxable property.