Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-29
FIRST FINAL ACTION
After Seventeen Days of DeIiberation of the South Carolina Constitutional Con-
 vention-Resolutio Read.

Columbia, S. C., Sept: 2S.-In the con stitutional convention today the first final action on any one article of the new constitution was taken. The article on the executive department, after having gone all through the tearing processes of three readings, was adopted at ex- actly 1912 D. m., and was sent to the committee on style and revision, becom- ing thereby a part of the new document. It has taken the convention exactly sev- enteen days to reach this stage of its work, but the members hope to push mat ters along now and complete everything within the next three weeks.
 Another important feature of today was the adoption of an amendment with the parliamentary clincher attached changing the time of holding the ses- sions of the legislature from November to January, and after the first sessions have been held limiting the duration of the pay of members to forty days. This is very radical change in the organic law of the state, but judging from the ex- pressions made by many members on the floor 1t will meet with much favor among the people.
 An effort was made by Mir Patton to pass resolution sympathizing with the Cuban patriots in their efforts for inde- pendence, but 1t failed to get through and has been laid over for consideration on Monday. The resolution read thus:
 Resolved, That we, the delegates of the people of South Carolina assembled in convention for the purpose of form ing a constitution for free and inde- pendent people, extend our hearty sym pathy to the Cuban patriots now con tending for the same precious right"
 MT. W. D. Evans could see no reason why this convention should attempt to spread itself over land and sea. He thought that the Cuban question was something with which they had nothing la IIa oGlrn ha n 9- cline to consider the resolution. Ten members thereupon objected to the inn mediate consideration of the resolution and it went to the committee on miscel- laneous matters, despite MT. Patterson's earnest remonStrance.
 The matter of putting the dispensary into the constitution was called up and Senator Tillman was about to present the following argument on the provision when the matter went over, owing to the absence of the father of the scheme to put the system in pure and simple:
 The general assembly shall never, however license any person or corpora tion to sell intoxicating liquors or bever- ages by the drink, or except in unbroken packages of less than pint, which shall not be opened or drunk on the premises where sold and not to be sold between the hours of in the evening and in the morning, and not except in house that had no door or method of communica- tion with any other house, and in which no other merchandise is kept for sale.'
 It was decided that the legislature meet on the second Tuesday in January in stead of the fourth Tuesday In Novem- Der. The following also passed: Mem bers of the general assembly shall not receive any compensation for more than forty days of any one session; provided, that this limitation shall not affect the first four sessions of the general assem- bly, under this constitution"
 Pending the settlement of the ques- ton as to whether the per diem of legis- lators should be 8 or $4 the convention adjourned until Monday.