The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-01-27
What the General Assembly is Doing.
LO'mwh II state, ian. %.

CO'nmh II state, ian. %.
The genllemcn of the general assembly
are still with us, and from present indica- |
tions they are likely to be for some weeks
to come. This morning the third week of
the annual session opens, and the pros
poets for work productive of results Go
not seem to be unduly bright. The mo-
notony of the session is likely to be
broken, however, before the end of the
present week blythe introduction Of the
bill to eliminate the profit and beverage
features the dispensary law, over which
there will of course be much discussion.
In fact this will be the first bill bearing
on the dispensary to appear in either
house, and view the outlook as you may
it appears that about the only thing that
is before the legislature likely to produce
much discussion is the dispensary law
and how best to patch it up. 1T is rather
difficult to give resume of the work OF
the body up to the present time and make
a forecast, though the task should be
easy. for practically nothing has resulted
up to date. The officers of the houses are
surprised to find the calendars lighter
than they have been for decade. This,
however, is due in very large measure
to those clauses of the Constitution which
prohibit the introduction Of all kinds of
special bills and Of bills chartering all
kinds of concerns. Yet the fact remains
that the calendars have not been sufli-
GENTLY large to prevent the houses from
in any one day.
clearing them with little genuine work
Up to the present time the only general
bills of Importance to be presented in
either house are Mr.. Kibler's labor COM
missioner bill, which is being discussed
from one end of the State TO the other, a
bill that will be considered by the COM
mittee on Thursday next; the two general
bills in regard to changes in the pension
laws leaving the selection Of pension
boards to members of the camps of Con-
federate veterans, and Mr.. Cages home
rule county government bill. Nearly all
the other bills have been directed at per-
fecting Acts already upon the statute
books of the State. Some of them have
proposed radical changes from the exist
ing laws. Several bills have been intro
duced in regard to the amount and apph
cation of the privilege tax on fertilizers.
Up to date only one dog bill has made its
appearance and it is the first in years to
pass the house and reach the Senate. In
that body the committee on agriculture
has it in charge.
llO1l LILO ulllt VI ldO uCpotO Al
the house during the past week it looks
as if the present county government Act
is either very defective in many particu-
lars or else the State has great many
incompetent county officials. Efforts are
now being made to perfect Mr.. Thinner
mans bill so that county officials will be
unable to run their counties into debt,
while at the same time these officials
shall not suffer hardships therefrom. 1t
looks as if the general assembly is going
to make the law in regard to fire insur-
auce companies much more exacting; the
requirement that panies shall deposit
with the State authorities to the amount
Of $4,000, it is said, will very likely so
through
During the past week very little has
been heard of the bills directed at the
railroads; most of them are in commit
tees. It is not thought that any of them
save the Jim Crow car bill stands any
chance of getting through. But of course
no one can tell what will be done when
the two houses get them up for action.
Last week Governor Ellerbe was inau-
gurated and the tone OF his inaugural ad-
dress seems to have had much weight
with the members of both houses. Up
to the present time everything has been
getting along most harmoniously in both
houses; there has been no warm debate
on any subject and no one has evinced
the slightest desire to introduce factional
matter into the proceedings. All ques-
tions are being debated in excellent spir
it. Several memb bers in each house care
fully watch the calendars to see that
nothing is introduced which is of spe-
cial character. Up to the present time
things have been drifting along easily in
ha Onnd Nf the
members have been on their feet several
times, but most of the talking is left to the
older members. Mr.. DeLoach made an
earnest speech the other day in behalf of
his measure to allow graduates of the
South Carolina Medical College to prac-
tice medicine without further examina-
ton. Messrs. Gage and Stevenson ap-
pear to be the most active and ablest of
the new members of the house. Mr.. Ste-
venson's remarks are usually clear cut
and to the point and he does not waste his
words.
The Inauguration and the elections
practically killed two days out of last
weeks session. One day-Tuesday-
this week will also be practically dead
day so far as work is concerned. But
that day will see all the elections save
one disposed Of. After Judge Earle has
UGtu 0lCCICt W LnO OilIC1 ObdlOS IoObolOi
an election will have to be held to fill the
vacancy on the bench occasioned by his
retirement. Judge Earle is now in the
city, merely stopping over yesterday en-
route to Florence, where he will open
court to-day, sitting for the last time as
circuit Judge. Although many candi-
dates are in the field for the position of
Judge of the Eighth Circuit TO succeed
Judge Earle, it looks as if the race will be
between Messrs. Breazeale and Ansel
Some say that it is case of the field
against Mr.. Ansel. Among the candi-
dates are Major S. P. Dendy, of Oconee,
]. G. Klugb, of Abbeville, J. A. McCul-
lough of Greenville, B. M Shuman, of
Greenville, and W. j. Stribling, of Oco-
nes. It is said by some that all the
Greenville candidates will pull out ex-
cept Mr.. Ansel.
MIR. Patton's redistricting plan is as
vet ouiescent. Mr.. Patton has not men
toned it again since the house refused to
appointa special committee to consider
the matter and prepare bill agreeable
to all sides. He promised, however, to
introduce the bill himself and it will
likely come in during the present week.
Mr.. Burns is having his santi-constabu-
larry bill prepared and expects 10 intro
duce it during the coming week.
1t looks as it the bill changing the time
for the holding Of court in the Fourth
Circuit will become an act in time to af-
feet the coming session Of the Court in
Chesterfield County, scheduled to begin
on Feb. 3. In the Senate the bill has
been given some slight amendments.
which 1t is understood will be favorable
so, il can quickly become law and will
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