The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-17
SUMTER. S. c., WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY II, 1897.

3. S. c., WEDN ESD
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should be given the State Ii thus
State was good enough for foreign cor
pora;ioDs to do business in then our
courts were good enough rn bave their
causes tried in He Cited instances Of
the cost of trial 10 United States courts,
and as a means of protection against
these great costs be hoped the bill
would pass.
Mr. Mowers motion to strike ont
the enactiog words was defeated aud
the bill ordered to a third reading
Mr.. Gaioes' bill to amend the dispep-
sary law as it relates to distil-
leries passed second reading
Uoder the present law dissileries
can be established anywhere in the
State by permit granted by the State
board of control Mr.. Gaines amend
ment provides that such permits shall
not be granted uuless accompanied by a
petition signed by two-thirds of the
free bolders Of the locality in which it
is proposed to establish the distillery.
Columbia, S. C, Feb 1.-THE
House is paving the way for adjourn
ment and if the calendar is cleared as
rapidly as it was to-day all bills will
soon be disposed of. At the morning
session twenty ene bills we're passed to
third reading. twelve we're killed, one
was recommitted aud several were co.,
tinued to the next session.
Two railroad aud one whiskey bill
went over till the next session
During the day they settled the question
as to who hould pay the expenses Of
the recent new county elections; it
sufices to say the State will not pay
them. The house has also rescinded
its action accepting the invitation to
visit Clemson college
Mr.. Price having returned to the
house, his dispensary investigation re-
solution was taken up and agreed to
The resolution is sweeping one. Civ
ing authority to report at the next ses-
sio0.
The Reynolds public printing bill
was called up, being the special order.
Mr.. Kinard moved to strike out the
enactiug words Of the bill
Mr.. Reynolds said that for great
many years South Carolina bad been
letting out the public printing under
contract Until 1893 the work had
been given to the lowest bidder. In
1877 the matter was considered so i'm
portant that the act, practically the
SINE as this bill be presented, was pass.
ed To 1893 the new act allowing The
general assembly to elect public
printer was passed. This bill was sim
ply to let this work to the lowest bidder
just as they would any other class of
work The bond protected the State,
and, further. the responsibility Of the
bidder had to be passed upon. There
was nc reason in the plan now 10 ope-
ration /; it had DO precedent 10 this
State. The practice in regard to all
other work was totally different He
made clear the poiot that no higher
prices could be paid under his bill than
those now paid for the work. If they
could offer chance to get reduction
Of 10 to 20 per cent, why not do
it. The State had been paying a fancy
price for public printing, dippantly ap-
propriatiug $40. for upwards of 20
years. without trying to get at the bot
tom prices, while doing the State an
iojury. The printing should not cost
over $4,000. He had merely re-
tanned the present prices at the maxi.
NUN figures, and opened the doors to
competition. This was founded upon
right and reason aud custom. In Geor.
gia, State having greater population
aud twice as much taxable property,
ooly $4,000 was paid For 20 years
great deal of useless printing had
been going on. He quoted good
many figures to show what could be
done by competition. He believed that
the cost of the work could be done for
$500 instead Of $4,000, without
reducing the volume. The State was
not able to pay this sum if she could
get it cheaper. The cost Of materials
had gone down very considerably He
did not argue that the cost Of labor was
or should be cheaper They were legis-
lating for the future and there vas 90
telling what considerations might come