The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-03
LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND NOTES.

ltdloLRllVt NEWS ANU NUlES.
Various Matters in the Progress of Event
LIKELY to Go Through.
The following summary of legisls
tion on various topics, as the session
is drawing to a close. will give an ide
OF what is likely to become laws:
REDUCING PASSENGER RATES.
In the Senate MIR. Mayfield movet
to take up the bill fixing railroad rate
for transportation of passengers, which
was done. The bill makes first class
fare B cents per mile, and 2 1-2 cents
for second class.
Mr.. Buist moved the adoption of the
unfavorable report.
Mr.. Norris moved to table this mo
tion.
Mr.. Buist said he had taken some
pains to look into this matter and he
was convinced this measure would
work hardship to many railroads.
He did not represent the roads, bul
he wanted to do his whole duty as q
citizen and as representative Of the
people. He read O number of figures
which he said were absolutely correct
and only confirmed his belief that this
Is not the time to reduce the fare.
Mr.; Norris appreciated very full the
giving the people. He said some of
these roads charge 8 ( in North Caro-
lima and In Georgia and yet in South
Carolina we must pay 81 cents mile.
He said 1T was an open question wheth-
| er the increased travel, when cheap
rates prevailed, would not bring more
money to the roads than the present
| rate.
Mr.. Sloan said the committee at first
reported favorably on the bill but after
the railroads had been heard, the
committee were convinced that the
roads were losing money, therefore
they rescinded their former action and
made an unfavorable report.
He had become convinced we should
let this thing alone and let the COM
missioners settle the question.
Mr.. Mayfield said he hoped the un-
favorable report would not be adopted.
He answered the argument that
North Carolina gives cheaper fare be-
cause the sections are more densely
settled. He said the roads won't
through no better sections in Georgia
and North Carolina than in South
Carolina. He favored making it a
uniform rate Of cents mile.
FIR. Watson agreed with the senior
Senator in this matter. He was fully
convinced after hearing the represen-
tatlves OF the roads, that we could not
fully reduce the rates.
Mr.. Finley had heard these argu-
ments for six years, but had never
been convinced that the railroads
were too poor to stand the reduction.
He said the roads are already carrying
passengers for 2 cents a mile, as
nv hn icc,, Nf
tickets.
MIR. Finley said 1t is argued that the
railroad commissioners can manage
this question-but they have not been
doing it. He moved to lay Mr.. BuisL's
motion on the table. This was with
drawn and the vote taken directly on
the adoption of the unfavorable report.
The vote resulted as follows:
Yeas-Barnwell, Brice, Buist, Dom
mis-, Douglass, Moses, Mcdaniel, Ragin,
Sloan, Verdier, Walker, Watson,
Williams.-13.
Nays--Archer, Barton, Derham,
DuBose, Finley, Fuller, Harrison, May
field. Miller, McCalla, Norris, O'Dell,
Stackhouse, Stribling-l4.
Having refused to adopt the unfa-
vorable report, the Senate then passed
the hill.
CONFEDERATE PENSIONS.
When the pension bill was reached
in the House, Mr.. Fowler moved to
reconsider the amendment requiring
the payment of pensions on the first
Monday in April. He said that under
entitled to pensions would have to wait
q whole year before they received any
benefit.
Mr hot ha
ficulty could be Obviated by saying
first Monday in April or as soon there
after as possible" Judge Townsend
moved to make it read ION the first
Monday in April after the year 1896"
This was agreed to and the effect Is
to allow all pensioners to obtain the
benefits Of the appropriation this year.
Mr.. Fred Williams offered an amend
ment to strike out all requirements as
to income. II any soldier had an in
como he worked for it.
Mr.. Thomas interrupting Mr.. l.. J.
Williams, asked whether it was the
speakers idea that even IL man had
$40, 900 or 100000 he should also re-
ceive pension.
Mr.. McSweeny moved to amend 30
as to allow the widow who Is SIS years
old to receive q pension, instead Of 60
JShio 90 VhC blll PloFluOu' lib " 40
voted down by large majority.
The bill provides for pensions Of 81,
So and SO a month each.
All soldiers, and widows OF soldiers,
| over 60 years OF age, who are not en-
| joying an annual gross income of 800
from any source get 81 month.
| All old soldiers and sailors who have
lost one arm or one leg, or who receiv-
ed other DO lily injury whereby they
have become disabled, will get $6 d
month.
All old soldiers and sailors who have
lost both arms or both legs or sight, or
who are physically helpless, and child
rem of deceased soldiers and sailors
under IL years of age and destitute,
will receive So month.
And all old soldiers and sailors shall
be exempt from road duty and the pay
ment OF any Communication tax. The
act become effective on July 30, 1896.
ThE STATE FAIR AGAIN.
Mr.. Patton then offered substitute
for the paragraph making the appro
priation Of So, 500 for the State fair
which was the same as that introduced
few days ago except that 1t changed
the amount to So, 400.
Mr.. Ashley moved to table it. Ht
hoped 1t would be done, too, withou
any talk.