The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-10-02
COLUMBIA, s. c., Sept. 80, 1895.

fight was made for its adoption. Every
one seemed to be willing to admit that
the dispsnsary law was still in its exper-
-imentai stage, but no one seemed inclined
to say kind word for the saloon Of the
past. It was only through the persua-
sion of Senator Tillman that the Clayton,
or anti-saloon resolution, was not passed
in its original shape. He urged that in
view of pending litigation and possible
complications that it would be best not to
adopt an ironclad provision by which the
State would be forced to have prohibition
if the dispensary did not stand. he, too,
was against the old style barroom and Of
fered substitute by which, if the State
should ever return to the license system,
the dispensary features as to the original
packages and early closing would be
adopted. The whole mattsris still under
discussion, and about the only thing that
seems certain is that the old barroom
system has precious few friends among
the delegates.
The first fight of the week was on the
matter Of the term of Office OF the Cover
nor. There was lively and sharp fight
over the matter, and coupled with the
vigorous support Of Senator Tillman and
the mittee's report, the two-yesr-term
advocates carried the day by q vote OF 81
to Al. Although it was not expected the
Conservatives were practically unani-
NOUS for the two-year term.
s The new county matteris in about as
much a tangle as it has ever been. The
committee has been equally divided, and
the Convention has consented to allow
both of the sections Of the committee to
report. The snail county portion of the
committee has reported on a four hum
llred square mile basis for new and old
counties. The old county is not to have
less than ton thousand inhabitants nor be
reduced to less than million and a half
of taxab,e property. The other half Of
fthe committee provides that an election
shall be held, and if majority Of the vo-
ters vote ttyes,n that then the matter OF
.sha new county may be taken up. This
report provides that new counties shall
not contain less than four hundred square
miles and old counties shall not be left
With less than five hundred square miles.
The report Of this committee makes
further provision that no new county line
shall be run nearer than ten miles to an
sstablished Court House Every one OK.
pects that when this fight comes up be-
fore the Convention that it will be one Of
the most vicious during the entire session
Of the Convention. There has already
been more exhibition Of feeling about
this matter than anything else that has
vet come up, and the Convention itself
has not yet had an opportunity 10 say
anything on 1t. -
The right of removal has gotten to be
almost a perennial subject for legislative
sconsid deration. It has consumed consid-
.erabIe time in the Convention, and after
a long discussion the right Of suspension
was finally agreed upon. This, however,
was not done until it was agreed that the
grand Jury brought in true bilF against
the official supposed to be short in his ac-
counts. In this way the State Is given
ample protection and the Governor hasn't
the arbitrary power that has all along
been feared in connection with this pow
4
The unwritten law which has compell-
ed the Legislature to adjourn at Christ
mas. after session Of only about thirty
davs. necessarily resulted in hasty ,legis-
latiou. which, in tho end, cost the Slate
more than the extension Of the session
would have done. For long time there
has been an effort to effect change in
the time of meeting of the Legislature,
and it has at last been accomplished. The
Convention on Saturday, by large ma
iority, changed the time of meeting to
the second tuesday in January. It was
argued that such time would suit farm
ers better than any other, and that, as
there would be no great incentive for
mem bers to hurry home. what they did
would be done after due deliberation and
thorough discussion. Senator Tillman,
however, made vigorous tight for linn,
itation of the time Of the sittings, and
succeeded in having it made forty days
with pay. leaving it optional with the
Legislature to sit longer if it wished with
ont compensation. The provision for
forty dsys session will not apply to the
four sessions after the Constitution is
adopted The first session under the new
order will be held in January, 1897, which
will make no Legislature for the year
1896. The question Of compensation for
the mem bers was not definitely settled on
Saturday, but test vote showed that the
Convention favored 81 per diem instead
of S3. as the committee recommended.
The forty day provision was excepted
from affecting the four succeeding ses-
sions after the adoption of the Constitu-
tiop. because it is believed with the or
ganic law changed the Legislature should
not he limited in making present laws
and future ones conform to the new order
Of things.
One Of the most interesting and hotly
contested fights of the session so far was
over the matter of exempting factories to
be established from taxation for i've
years, by municipal corporations. Col.
Talbert led the fight against exemption
and Senator Tillman for it. Two votes
were taken and both times the exemp-
ton people won by majority OF one. a
recess was then taken and the e1pecta,
ton was that the fight would be renewed
with redoubled vigor, but on reassem-
bling Senator Tillman introduced meas
ure permitting municipalities to exempt
such factories provided q majority OF
qualified voters so decided at an election.
As the law now stands any factory, no
matter what its capital stock may be, may
be exempted from taxation for five years
provided the voters 30 decide.
The Convention yet has vast amount
of very important work to do.
The Committees on Suffrage, Educa-
ton and Judiciary have yet to make their
reports and recommendations, and in all
of fthem there is great diversity Of opin-
ion as to what is best to be done. The
Suffrage Committee will report o plan
modelled on the Mississippi plan, and the
chief question at issue among the Com
mitteemen is whether to have one super
visor or q non-partisan board. With all
this in store there is absolutely no telling
when the Convention will get through.
Those best informed predict that at least
one month more will have to be spent
here before the Convention can complete
its work.
The Committee on Corporations has
toned down its report very materially,
and has taken out the section with refer
ence to interest that it was feared was go
ing to cause much trouble.
The Convention has agreed to hold
night sessions regularly. A. *.
A Murderer In Trunk.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Sept. 30.-A spe-
cial to the Times Union from Tampa,