Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-15
SOUTH CAROLINA ASSEMBLY Its First Meeting Under the New
 Constitution. GOVERNOR EVANS MESSAGE
Calls Attention to Number of Important
 State Matters.
THE SOUTHERN RAILROAD ATTACKED.
Matter, But Had Great Deal to Say
 on the Subject of Frauds in Voting.

Columbia, S. C., Jan. 14.-The general assembly of South Carolina met in an
 nual session today, with a full attend ance in both houses. Very little was done
 save to read the annual message of Gov ernor Evans, which was very lengthy In the house the question was raised as to whether the members should not take
 the oath prescribed in the new constitu- ton, notwithstanding the old oath was taken last year. The judiciary commit tee decided that it was unnecessary Speaker Jones made an address in the
 house, in which he pointed out the inn
 portant character of the work ahead and urged that it be done with the greatest possible dispatch consistent with thor oughness. He said the gospel of hog and hominy" had been successfully taught in this state and all had plenty. He referred to the war clouds hanging over the nations of the world and ex- pressed the belief that the two great
 English speaking countries would quick ly adjust their differences.
 In his annual message Governor Evans does not touch the subject of the dispen-
 sary law, reserving that unique branch of the government for a special message. Governor Evans says:
 The past year has been momentous one in the history of South Carolina.
 Much has been done to the glory and re- nown of the state and much done
 that might well have been left undone.
 For the first time since 1868 your deliber- ations will be governed by an organic
 law framed by our own people.
 T deem 1t unnecessary to give you
 more than cursory review of the eff forts made by the few white men and
 the negroes to defeat the holding of this
 convention, and but for the sake of his- tory 1 should not do so at all"
 He refers to the case brought by Gen. erai Butler and then goes on and gives
 # to Judge Golf pretty heavily, calling him "a ready toot." He refers to the yudges and their co-conspirators' He tfen proceeds at length to point out the many new acts made necessary by the constitution. 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 time when the ends would seem to justify the means in this particular, but the necessity no longer exists, and the day past when anything but the will of the intelligent majority, freely and hon. estly expressed at the ballot box, can govern in South Carolina.
 Tt 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 be no just or valid objection to the manner of obtaining the results of elections. We have been served with notice that this article in our consH- tuition would be tested before the United States supreme court, and while I have no fears as to the results and am fully convinced of it's constitutionality, still should another Golf come along, whose ,incinations made it his duty to set aside our registration the day before election in such an emergency our eight box law. would be some protection. I, therefore, would respectfully ask that you leave this statute as 1t stands, and in future when our statutes are thoroughly settled such action can be taken as may be deemed expedient."
 A bill will be introduced tomorrow in accordance with this suggestion. The governor says elsewhere: Tt will readily appear. to you that different legis- lation Is required for the period up to January, 1898, from that thereafter I would suggest however, to your honor- able body that all the provisions of the constitution and your legislation in ref erence thereto be comprised in one stat ute as 1t Is exceedingly desirable that 1t should be thoroughly circulated among the citizens of the state. Designing dema- gogues are already at work, filling the ears and heads of confiding constituents with false impressions concerning the provisions of the constitution. and there is no safer plan to set at naught such falsehoods than by allowing the people to see and read fer themselves"
 He recommends an income tax, and has a pretty strong passage as to corpora tions He is not over generous in his 6afi QG n A. | tions for the institutions of higher educa- tion.
 The governor makes some radical rec omnendations as to railroads. Note how he begins this subject: "The railroad situation in the state has been changed and greatly improved by the reorganiza- ton of all roads in the hands of receivers and fhe release from the actual guardian ship of the United States court. The en- tire mileage of the state may be divided up among three corporations, as the minor lines are either owned or con troIled by them. They are the Southern Halfway, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Sea board Air Line. These three may be said to be rivals for the control of the interests in South Carolina. The grea test Souffern railway. This is a feeling cor poration, and exactly what its status n as to this state or the United States Tfhaxe never been able yet to ascertain. This much Is certain, however: that II IS fast becoming a most dangerous monop- olI for the southern states. It owns and controls over 5000 miles of road and 1t is still grasping for competing rivals. Un- der the laws and constitution of our state no foreign corporation can do bus fness or own or control other railroads in the state without first becoming a cor poratien In this state am satisfied that this company has no legal status with in fhis state and I am determined to use every means within my power tn pre-
 vent its further absorption of our domes- tic corpora tions-" ,.a "a: F. He recommends further on n special
 committee to investigate the status of
 the raiIropds in. thu state. This cornmis5
 sion will be appointed. ii. Is said. He recommends that the new fertilizer rate