The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-27
GETTING DOWN TO IT.
TIE LEGISLATURE HARD Al WORK
ON NEW ACTS.

A Labor Measure-A Home Rule Measure.
The Dispensary Investigation-The Veto
Power sustaIned-A New Fertilizer
Bill.
COLUMBIA, S. g.. Jan. 21.-When
The House met this morning there was
a flood of new bills. The following
are the more important ones:
MIR. Wollipg-To require all railroad
trains to stop at all stations.
Mr.. Bacot-To amend the act relat-
ing to trustees of Winthrop and the
South Carolina colleges and the Cita-
del academy so as to eliminate from
the boards members of the general as
sembly, in accord with the provisions
of the new Constitution.
Mr.. SaHders-To prevent other than
convict labor from being employed
upon the State farms.
Mr.. Price-Joint resolution to pay
balances of salaries to several county
supervisors of registration in the State.
Mr.. Sturkie-To amend the act rela.
tive to local boards of health so as to
leave the matter of appointment and
control thereof to the people of the
several towns of not over 5000 inhab-
itants.
MIR. Gage-To provide system of
county government. The fundament-
al idea Of the bill is to organize coun-
ties as cities are organized; to be lov-
erned by a supervisor for the whole
county and a commissioner for each
township. This board is vested with
power over roads, bridges, water
courses, fences, public buildings, the
poor and game. The boards empow-
cred to enact ordinar ces touching the
above matters; ordinances fixing or
changing voting precincts; ordinances
fixing the compensation of all county
officers. The bill means government
of the counties by themselves and not
by d delegation in the general assem-
bly. It is home rule bill.
Mr.. Sullivan-To amend the act
regulating the schedule of passenger
trains in certain cases so as to make
all roads of not less than 80 miles in
length Except those IN the hands OF
receivers to run at least one unmixed
passenger train daily each way.
Mr.. Kibler-To provide for the ap
pointment of a State labor commits
sioner and to define his duties and for
his salary. This bill provides that the
labor commissioner shall enter upon
his duties on the LIST OF April, 1897, and
shall hold Office for two years, unless
sooner removed by the advisory board
hereinafter provided for. He must re-
side at the capital and must be % years
old. The advisory board shall consist
of the governor, attorney general and
superintendent of education. The sal
ary of the commissioner shall be
81 500 and travelling expenses not to
exceed $500. The comptroller general
shall on or before Oct. 1 in each year
assess upon each manufacturing es
tablishment its just and equitableipro'
portion of all expenses of the labor
commissioner, of clerk and incidentals
which assessments shall be charged
up by the comptroller general and
shall be collected by the several coun-
ty treasurers.
, The advisory board may appoint a
clerk at a salary Of $3.50 if they deem
such services necessary. Incidental
expenses. including Office furniture,
stationery, etc.. shall not exceed 500
per annum. When sufficient COM
plant shall have been made under
oath by the employees OF any cotton
mill or other manufacturing establish
ments that the officers or agents OF
such manufacturing establishments
are abusive to employees or fail to pay
their wages or improperly withhold
them for any cause whatsoever, then
it shall be the duty of the commission.
er to proceed to investigate and II he
finds the charges are true he shall cor
rect such evils and he shall have the
power to demand an investigation of
the conduct of any officer or agent OF
any manufacturing establishment
when he finds such agent is unjust.
The commissioner must visit at
least twice every year the different
manufacturing establishments and in
vestigate the condition of buildings
and employees and sea that buildings
are safe and that health, education and
general welfare of the children and
employees are properly cared for. The
advisory board may adopt such rules
as they deem necessary for protecting
the employees of any establishment
from abuse and unjust treatment and
to secure them all their rights.
That if any establishment is guilty
of violating any of the rules of the ad.
visory board, and, after due notice to
principal officer, ample and full re-
compense for the wrong done, as de,
scribed by the commissioners shall
not be done within a reasonable time,
such company shall incur a penalty
of each offense not less than $50 and
not more than $500. The advisory
board shall not make any rules or reg
ulations which would be unfair to any
manufacturing establishment and if
any such are considered oppressive
redress may be had before the board
and finally before court. Any 9th
Ger of an establishment who shall re
fuse to produce all books, papers or
other evidences that may be demanded
by the labor commissioner or shall
obstruct the commissioner in the per.
formance of his duty shall be liable to
a fine of not less than 500 or impris-
onment not less than go days. The
term manufacturing company shall
mean corporations, companies or in.
dividuals engaged in manufacture OF