Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-15
CAROLINA ASSEMBLY.
Governor EVanS's Message Makes No
AlluSiOn 10 Dispensary Law.
COMPLIMENTS TO JUDGE GoFr.
A Pretty sharp Arrangement of the
Southern and Other Railways ns
SOuIIess CorporatfOns-Eigh
Law Retention Recommended.

COLUMBIA, :. c., January 1.-THE
General Assembly of South Carolina met
in annual session to-day. with a full at
tendance I'm both houses. very little was
done, save to read the annual message
of Governor Evans, which was very
lengthy. In the House the question was
raised as to whether the members should
not take tn. oath prescribed by the new
Constitution, notwithstanding the old oath
was taken last year. The judiciary Com
mittee decided that it was unnecessary.
In his annual message Governor Evans
does not touch the subject of the dis
pensary law, reserying that unique branch
of the government for "A special message
Governor Evans says: For the first time
since 1878 your deliberations will be gov
erned by an organic law framed by our
own people. deem IL unnecessary TO give
you more than a cursory review of the
efforts made by a few white men and the
negroes to defeat the holding of this
convention, and, but for the sake OF
history, | should not do so at all
He refers to the case brought by Gene
raj Butler, and then goes on and gives
n to Judge Goff pretty heavily, calling
him "a ready tool"
He refers to THE judges and the higher
court conspirators."
He then proceeds at length to point
out the many new ac,s made necessary
in the new Constitution.
ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
In speaking of the elective franchise,
he says: THE severest punishment should
be prescribed by your honorable body
for frauds in registration or voting. There
was a dime when the end would seem
to justify the means I'm this particular,
but the necessity no longer exists, ana
the day is past when anything but the
will of the intelligent majority, freely
and honestly expressed al the billot-box,
can govern i'm South Carolina.
1T Is incumbent upon you TO prescribe
the manner of holding elections and OF
ascertaining the results Of the same.
There is no necessity for any change at
this time in our law in this particular.
Our people are accustomed to the eight
box law, and there can ne no justice or
valid objection to the manner OF obtain
ing the results of elections. We have been
served with notice that this article in
our Constitution would be tested before
the United States Supreme Court, and
while | have no fears as to the result,
and am fully convinced of hs constitu-
tionality, still, should another Goff come
along, whose inclinations made ii his
duty to set aside our registration the day
before election. in such an emergency
our eight-box law would be some protec-
tlon |. therefore, would respectfully re-
commend that you leave this statute as
IL stands, and. in future, when our
status Is thoroughly settled, such action
can be taken may be deemed ex-
pedient."
he recommends an income-tax, and has
a pretty strong passage as to corpora
tons. He is not over-generous in his
recommendations as to The appropriations
for higher education.
RAILROADS
The Governor makes some radical re-
commenda ations as to railroads. Note how
gins the subject: THE railroad sltua-
tion in the State has been changed and
greatly improved by the reorganization OF
roads in the hands of receivers and
their release from the actual guardian
ship OF United States courts The entire
management of the state may ne divided
up among rhree corporations. az the
minor lines are owned or controlled by
them. They are the Southern railway;
the Atlantic-Coast Line, and the Sea-
board Airline. These three may be said
to be rivals for the railroad interests OF
South Carolina.
"The greatest and most powerful
among them is the Southern railway. This
is foreign corporation, and exactly
what its status Is as TO this STATE or the
United States, | have never been able
set to ascertain. This much is certain.
however. that il is fast becoming a most
dangerous monopoly for the Southern
States II owns and controls over 300
miles of roads. and 1t rs still grasping
for competing rivals. Under the laws snd
Constitution OF our State, no foreign cor
poration can do business, or own or con-
troll the railroads in the S1ate, without
becoming corporation In this State. | am
satisfied that this company has no legal
status within this State. and shall use
every means in my power 10 prevent its
further absorption of our domestic cor
porations.'
He recommends further on a special
committee 90 investigate the status OF
the railroads I'm the State. This committee
will be appointed. il is believed.
These are the features of the message
Tomorrow change-of-venue bill and
an anfi-lvnch-law bill will be introduced