The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-25
THE CONVENTION AT WORK,
MANY IMPORTANT MEASURES INTRO
DUcED AN REFERRED.

MANY IMPORTANT MEASURES INTRO
DUcED AN REFERRED.
The Committees Hard at Work on the Sew
eral Matters Referred Outline OF the
New Ordinances Proposed.
COLUMBIA, S. c., September II
Special: This is the eighth day of the
session of the Constitutional Conven-
ton. Up to date there has been only
one ordinance passed-that creating
Saluda County. But it is not to be
inferred that either the Convention or
its several committees have been idle.
In fact they have been industriously
at work. There seems now to be a
general understanding that all meas
ures, as they are introduced, shall be
referred to the appropriate committee,
and that these committees will not re.
port, at least on the more important
matters, till after the 23rd inst. That
day marks the limit of the time in
which ordinances may be introduced.
The committees will consider, COM
pare and digest all the measures SUBJ
mitted, and out of these report one
ION each of the several subjects) in the
shape CT an ordinance. Then, in the
course of the discussion of the meas
ure, the different delegates may sub
NIT their views in the shape OF amend
ments. In this way the entire subject
matter embraced in any proposed or,
dinance will come up for review at
one time. This plan, it is believed,
will not only save time but will pro-
mote intelligent work.
There were quite number OF new
measures introduced today, some of
them of very great importance.
TO RUN COUNTIES ON A CASH BASIS.
Mr.. Henderson, of Aiken, has pre-
sented plan to run counties on cash
basis:
Whereas, in most if not in all the
counties of the State the taxes are
never realized until year after the
levy, and consequently the contracts
for ordinary county purposes and for
the running of the schools have to be
made on credit instead of on a cash
basis; and whereas, this is an evil
which ought to be remedied:
1. That a commission be, and is
hereby, appointed, consisting of his
Excellency, the Governor. the Comp
troller General and the State TreaSur-
er, whose duty it shall be to ascertain
what money would be necessary to
place the various counties of this State
on cash basis as to their ordinary
county and school expenses at the be-
ginning of the next fiscal year.
2. That said commission when they
have ascertained said amount be, and
they are hereby, authorized and en-
powered in the name of the State to
prepare and have issued coupon bonds,
payable to bearer, which shall be reg
istered with the State Treasurer &C.
cording to the custom in such cases,
to the amount necessary to raise the
amount needed for said purpose and
the necessary expenses of floating the
bonds: That said bonds shall be in
such denominations and due at such
time as said commission may deem ex-
pedient, and shall draw rate of inter-
est not to exceed Al per cent. per an.
mum. That said bonds when prepared
shall be signed by the Governor and
Secretary of State and sealed with the
great seal of the State and the credit
of the State is hereby pledged for their
payment. .
8. That said bonds when so executed
and issued shall be sold at not less
than par by said commission, and the
money derived therefrom, after pay
ing expenses of the issuance and sale,
shall be paid into the State treasury;
that the same shall be paid out by the
State Treasurer to the various county
treasurers of the State as soon as prac-
'ticable in the amount ascertained by
the commission to be needed by the
counties to run the county and school
business on a cash basis, and when so
paid said funds shall be subject to the
check of the county and school au-
thorities to meet the expenses of the
ensuing fiscal year, 1866.
4. That the General Assembly at its
next session shall authorize levy for
ordinary county and school purposes
in their respective counties to be col
lected at the end of the fiscal year
1886, to be used for running the
counties on cash basis during the fis-
cal year 1S96-97.
5. That on and after the time when
the State Treasurer shall have paid
into the respective county treasures
the proceed bonds as funded for afore-
said, all contracting officials of their
respective counties whether for .ordi-
nary county expenses o; for school
purposes shall be held responsible for
all contracts entered into by them
over and above the cash they may
have to their credit to meet the same,
and their official bonds are hereby de-
clared bound for the same.
6. That the said commission shall
report their actions and doings as to
said bonds to the next General Assem-
bly and its successors be and is hereby
authorized and required from year to
wear, according to the length of the
issuance of said bonds, to levy upon
each county which shall receive the
benefit of said fund suitable amount
to repay the amount of said bonds to
the State, and the said funds so re,
ceived from the various counties shall
be used by the State Treasurer as a
sinking fund to pay said bonds under
such Act of the General Assembly as
may be passed on the subject.
TWO SUFFRAGE PLANS.