The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-09-30
CORPORATIONS AND CHARTERS
Were the Questions Discussed by the
South Carolina Convention.


Columbia. S. c. September Elm the
constitutional convention today the COM
m!ttee on corporations reported an article
covering that subject IN nineteen sections
most of which are wholly novel IN the
organic law of this state the old constitu-
ton having touched very lightly upon the
regulation of corporations The first sec
ton defines corporations to be all assoc.a-
tons and joint stock companies, having
powers and privileges not possessed by indi-
viduals or partnerships. and excludes NUM-
cipal corporations
Successive sections show the following
provisions of general interest: No raiiroad'
express, telegraph or telephone company
is allowed TO make contracts relieving IL
from its common law liability. No charter
shall be granted by special law except 10
Institutions under the control of the state.
but the legislature is required to provide
for their organization under general laws,
and all charters are to be subject to repeal.
Every corporation doing business in the
state shall maintain at least one puoI-c
office in Il for the transaction of business
an exhibit of the holdings of stock etc
All discrimination in charges or facilities
for transportation and all charges of higher
rates for short than for long distances are
prohibited. Any railroad may connect with,
cross or intersect any other railroad. No
railroad or transportation company shau
control or consolidate with parallel or COM
peting lines, and juries are to decide the
question whether Ines are parallel or COM
petinc The legislature is forbidden TO
grant any foreign association or corpora
ton a license 10 build, operate or lease
railroad lines in South Carolina, but n case
OF interstate lines the owners must be IN
cOrporatcd under the state laws No gen
eral or special law shall be passed for mo
benefit of any foreign corporation operating
-aYr in 10 The legislature -
forbidden to grant any charter for banking
purposes. but corporations or associations
for such purposes may be formed under
general laws.
The report OF the committee on NUM-
CAPABILITIES left II optional with the leslsia-
ture To license liquor selling or prohibit or
continue the dispensary system y mo-
ton was made 10 amend by prohibiting
the granting Of licenses for the sale OF
liquor. There was a Ions debate upon this,
the conservative members and some re-
formers declaring that there was a general
understanding during the campaign that
this question should be left open Al last
Tillman said that he had pledged himself
to leave il open and was committed, and
while he did not want ever to see "a saloon
in South Carolina again, the dtspenSary
might have 10 be abaEd 9ned for the Goth
en5erg system, it would be UnTise 10
prohibit all licensing In his motion the
debate was adjourned until tomorrow 10
enable himself and others 20 prepare an
amendment which would meet the diff
Guilty After other work of no general in
te-est a recess was taken until evening.
Iue m4EAL SESSION Mas one oil the storm
lest the convention has ever held Colonel
Robert AlGrIch offered an amendment
which denied TO the ne gro the risht to hold
any office in the state and Tor an hour and
ha.f argued from decisions of the su-
preme court and the Congressional Record
containing the story Of tne passage of the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, that
the rlSnt had never been gwen the negro
TO hold office 10y the United Stated consji-
tuition or amendments. lie seemed 10 I'M
press many members TO such an extent
that Senator Tlllman jumped on him with
both feet and "a stormy hour or more fol-
lowed. Colonel Aldrch ami Tillman had il
ho- and heavy. IIllmau was never more
vehement Ia all his life lie told them
tnat ii they d.G not ~! the matter there
and then they would make the greatest
mistake of their lives, they would he ruin
ed. Humans influence controlled the stu
a ZION ana despite persistent efforts 10 sd-
Journ tine convention laid Colonel AIdrleI-S
scheme on the table by vote OF To- 10 -