The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-17
be General Assembly.

Calumbia, February IL special:
The House to-day spent couple OF
hoars on bill Intended to protect the
fshiug inserests of the State. While
The vote vas againss the killing OF the
measure. there was so much discussion
and amending that the oely way out
sof the difficulty was 30 adjourn the de-
bats on the bill until tomorrow These
fish bills are getting to be perennial.
aad it would appear that The bess thing
possible would be to take up all exist
ing and propoed laws relative to
6sh. oysters aud terrapio. and get
sav that would be acceptable to all in-
sesests. The bill under discussion.
which provoked so much debate. aud IS
still pending. has as its central idea q
r.ense on ness which is to 60 to the
nav of the commissioner The House
then fell upon another problem that
nae left unfinished.
Mr. Haselden proposes to equailze al
railroad fares for State colleges. He
started out by applying his measure to
Winthrop, but made it general and
acceptable to all State institutions.
Tie House had not decided what 1t
would do on the motion to indefinitely
posspone the bill when it made ready
sfor Tue series Of elections set for the
day. a motion to strike ousthe erac:-
ING words Of the bill. however, was
lost.
Under the new rules elections are
@yery tedious. The elections to-day
resulted For members of the State
board OF control for the full term. u.
I Niles, of Spaftanburg; for the ua-
expired term, NJ. R Cooper, of Cox
Teton
For trustee of South CarolIin Col
lsee: Julian Mitchell. Of Charleston !;
WS Il c. Bates, Of Orangeburg Reb,
ert MacfarlaDd, of Darliogton B. NJ
hSaaamaD, of Greenville.
kFor trustees Of Colored Normal,
(nstrial, Agricultural aud Mechan-
College: Prof W K. Slight. of
esHberry.
THE SENATE.
The Dorchester County bill coming
up as the special order Immediately
after The morning hour, repetition Of
the Cherokee County debate was preci-
pifated. The committee had divided
sevsnly on the report, and Mr.. Mower,
Ga the part of the unfavorable report,
dealt With the constitutional question
involved IN the question Of whether
tuo-thirds majority of the qualified
voters of the proposed county was ne
eesssry to fix the county seat. It was
on This ground thai the unfavorably re-
port had been submitted. Georges. the
proposed cocnty seat. having received
but majority of the votes. and that at
second election ordered by the Gov
eraor
hir. Henderson maintained that the
town of Georges had received plu-
rality Of the votes cast 10 the first
election, and that as the Governor had
no right to order another election the
majority which it received at the second
election was nuliity. He held, how
ever. that plurality having been OBJ
tanned and all the other requirements
Of the Constitution having been com-
piled With, tue residents of the pro-
posed new county had right to come
before the Legislature and petition for
cew county, aod that the Legislature
could grant the petition aud order
special election for the new couoty seat.
The trouble all arose over a plural.
.ts," which the committee on style and
revision of the Constitutional Conven-
ton had tackled to the word '.qces-
tioD.'
After considerable debate pro and
con on much the same lines, the yeas
and nays were called on Mr. Mowers
motion to indefinitely postpone the
minority Favorable } report. This was
lest
Tue favorable report was then adopt
ed.
Mr.. Buist then offered an amend
ment to provide that the place receiV-
ing two-thirds Of the votes at special
election ordered in the bill should be
the county seat.
Mr.. Heuder. on moved to amend this
by nading it ''.he majority.' which
prevailed.
As the night session of the Senate,
Mr.. Henderson presiding. ap amend
necs of Mr.. Moses to the May6eld
amendment to tbe sinking fund loan bill
to reduce the rate of interest to counties to
5 per cent prevailed. Mr. Baist then
moved to strike out the enacting words
Of the bill. but the motion was defeat
ed. The bill then passed its third
readieg.