The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-10-02
THE CONVENTION.
Review Of the Work Done the Past
Week.


committee ou police regulations reported
section which was regarded as a com
promise aad which it was thought
would be entirely satisfactory to all
elements 1t was proposed to secog-
Dize the consii.ut;ooality Of toe dts
pensas7 Law and to leave the settlement
of the matter 10 the hacdS of the Gen
eral Assembly as toe exigeucies de-
manded. The committee bad before it
resolution that "the General Assem-
bly, shall have 40 authority 20 license
the sale of intoxicating liquors or bev-
erages by persons or corporations 10
this S:ate.'' The committee, however,
decioed to incorporate this provision,
but when the matter came up on the
floor of the House, strong and we'll
considered fight was made for It's adop-
sion. Every one seemed to be willing
to admit that the dispensary law vas
still in its experimental stage. but 90
one seemed inclined to say kind word
for the saloon of the past 1t was only
through the persuasion Of Senator Till
man that the Clayton. or anti saloon
resolution, was not passed in its origi-
nal shape He urged tia: 10 view of
pending litigation, and possible COM
piications, that it would be best not to
adopt an ironc'ad provision by which
the State would be forced to have pro-
hibition if the dispenssry did not stand.
He too was against the old style bar
room and offered a substitute by which,
il the State should ever return to the
license system the dispepsary features
as to original packages and early clos
ing would be adopted. The whole mat
ter is still under discussion. aod about
the only thing that seems certain is
that the old barroom system has pre-
coius few friends among the delegates.
The first fight of the week was oo
the matter of the term of Office of the
Governor. There was a lively aud
sharp fight over the matter, and coupled
With the vigorous support of Senator
Tiilmsn and the committees report,
the two term advocates carried the day
by vote Of 81 to 47. Although it
vas not expected, the Conservatives
were practically unanimous for the two
year term.
The new county matter is in about as
much tangle as it has ever beeO
TIE committee has been equally
divided, and the Convention has
consented to allow both Of tho Sec
lions Of the committee to report The
small county portioo of the comu.ittee
bas reported on a four huodre j
square mile basis for new aud old
counties. Toe old county is not to
have less than ten thousand inhabitants
nor be reduced to less than million
and bali of taxable property. The
other half of the committee provides
taat an election shall be held and if
majority of the voters vote yes" that
then the matter of the pew county may
be taken up. This report provides
that new counties shall not contain less
than four hundred square miles. and
old counties shall GOT be left with LEES
than Eve hundred square miles. The
report of this committee makes a
further provision that 90 new county
line shall be run nearer than ten miles
TO an established court house. Every
oae expects that when this fight comes
ap before the Convention that it will De
one Of the most vicious during the en-
tire session Of the Convention. There
has already been more exhibition Of
feeling about this CRATER than anything
else that Gas yet cone up. and the Con-
vension itself aas cot ye: had an oppor
trnisy TO say anything oa it.
Tue right Of gemc7al has go''cn to
be almost perennial subject for leg!s-
la,i7e consideration. It has sonsumed
considerable time ir the Convention.
and after long discussion the rIgh; Of
suspeasios was Gna!:y agreed upon.