The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-16
ON THE HOME STRETCH.
The General Assembly Almost Ready to
Adjourn.
N.ic.s and Courier.

COLUMBIA, ;. C., February 3D.
The General Assembly of South Caro-
lima is in its last days. 1t has been a
pleasant and serene session, and in u
few days mere the lawmakers OF Caro-
lima will be at home telling the good
people why they voted for this or
against the other proposition. There
will not be much to he explained .h:s
time; that is, nothing specially now,
fcv there was not what might be called
radical legislation. No fundamental
change was made in any existing laws.
The dispcnsary system remains the
same. The County government sys-
TEN remains unchanged, except in
three or four Counties until ct least
the next session. Taxes remain the
same. The Offices remain the same.
The educational system remains the
same as for years. The machinery of
the Courts remains unchanged. and SO
the people Of the State will witness
no disturbance Of their present condi-
lions.
The bulk of the legislation this year
has been of Il local and what might be
called imperative character; that is,
the usual appropriation, supply and
general laws that have to be %re-cnactcd
every session have been passed, and
in addition there has been Il great
deal of local Legislation. Some of this
local law-making has been necessary.
but a great deal more Of it has been
absolutely useless, but as the Yellow
Kid says in Hogan's Alley: ct comes
high, but they had to. have me-
There could be no meeting of the AS
sembly unless such measures were
proposed aud adopted, and SO it seems
almost q loss Of time and energy to
hope for any change in this direction.
With the proper effort the General
Assembly could easily have adjourned
yesterday, and if there is no adjourn
men: &c "Wednesday, as fixed by the
concurrent resolution, it will be an
imposition, and it can only be excused
by some unforeseen event or compli-
cation, or the desire Of the members
to continue their pay Of "a per day,
and it is, Of conrsc. presumed that the
lawmakers Of q great State would not
think of o salary grab. With Wed
nesday fixed for final adjournment,
legislation stands in much better
shape towards that end than is usual.
1t is so unusual and remarkable as to
be almost beyond recollection, that
the supply and general appropriation
bills should be in the hands Of com
mittees of conference three or four
days in advance Of adjournment. The
House and Senate have both given the
supply and appropriation bills their
third reading; both Of these Houses
have indicated their position on
amendments, and the points Of differ
ence have been emphasized. In the
supply bill there are only three points
of difference to be submitted to the
committees; they are relative to She
levy and conditions for Charleston
and Bamberg Counties, and as t. the
general provision as to penalties for
the non-payment OF poll lakes. 1t is
very unusual for two Houses to come
so near to absolute agreement upon so
general a bill. There are also very
few points of difference on the appro-
priation bill. The chief differences
on any bill of general Importance are
on the County government bill, and it
is doubtful if heads or tails can be
made out of the matter. although
everyone seems to insist upon a radi-
cal improvement Of the existing law.
The only thing that is suggested as
being in the way Of final adjournment
on Wednesday is the bill locating the
polling precincts Of the State The
House began the consideration Of this
bill last Saturday evening, and as the
Senate bill ia under consideration
there should be no trouble on this
score, and, moreover, if the measure
shoald entirely fail, the present vot-
ing places are about as good as can be
designated in q new Act. and there
need be no occasion to spend thous-
ands of dollars 10 arrange for polling
precincts, when the elections in South
Carolina are scttled at the primaries
and the polling places now in exist
ence are as satisfactory as my new ad-
justment would be.
Reports from conference commit
tees have been received earlier than
usual, and practically all Of the differ
cnces On bills between the two Houses
have been obliterated.
Whatever of lighting still remains ID
mostly on the Senate side, where
both Of the new County propositions
are; where the separate coach bill is
awaiting its fate: where the Werner
d%ispensary exemption bill is resting on
the Calendar, and where quite a mum.
Der Of other important matters are
awaiting consideration, death or
adoption.
Politics and liquor have been two Of
the features OF the sessions work.
The political talk and ups and downs
have been prolific, and will not close
with the session, but members Will
no doubt take home with them the in
spirations and prcjudiccs against GER
tain candidates and measures that
have been nurscd in Columbia. Most
of the politics here has been Of a uuiet