The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-02-22
OUR SOLONS.

cal, but not hypercritical and 1T is me-
c.ssary to hold a whip oyer public Off
Gers. AS a rule we are merciful and
try TO be just We have said that the
General Assembly was a mediocre
body.
h Reviewing their work. we desire now to
commend them for a fairly Industrious
body and liberal and honest, looking to
the interest Of the State. In the mat
ter Of elections there was too much
politics-entirely. No good, but bad
may come Of it to the Democ, attic
party. We instance the little band of
forty who voted against McIver as q
samFle-he should have been unanim-
ously re elecCed. But, all-;n all they
did fairly we'll. No assault can be
made upon their patriotism or love for
the State. There were ONE bright
men in the body. We recall Hender-
son, Of Aiken, able and practical; May
field, Of Bamberg, very clever ENG
lish sense) and Dean, Of G~reenvllle, all
Of the Senate. Patton, of Richland,
" @rner, of Oconee, Mitchell, Thomas
and Gadsden, OF Charleston, McCul-
Tough, Of Greenville, DeLoach, of York,
Simkins and Rainsford, Of cold Edge
deld," Winkler, Of Kershaw, Living
ston, Of Marlboro, Meares, (of Flor
ence, we believe), ali Of the House. We
were abolt to forget Ragsdale, of Fair
field and Scarborough, Of Horny,
to be classed among the Senators
as hopeful young statesmen. We have
jumbled socalled reformers and antis--
all promising men, and they may be
looked for to take care in the future
that the State suffers no detriment. No
radical Legislation has been enacted.
206 Acts we're passed and the News
and Courier, The State and the Regis
ter have published a list Of them with
their titles. 1t will be late in Marcel
before we can have them in full. or
exceptional general interest here are a
few: An Act affecting interest on con-
tracts; to require Magistrates to sub
NIT their dockets to county commits
sioners quarterly: to provide for the
county government for the various
counties; to create Lee County tout Of
Sumter, Kershaw and Darlington)' to
require railroads to furnish separate
coaches for the races: to provide
for taxation Of telegraphs and tele-
phones. We are content, and our
readers may feel easy. There was once
a man hare to please. He always OBJ
jected. To the planetary system par
ticulary: sun too low down in winter:
too perpendicular in summer; moor
too changeable and gave too little
light; the stars too far distant for use:
too much Of our globe covered with wa.
ter; troubled with quakes; comets, bliz.
yards; she could have done better him
self" We should not be two hard tc
please. Our immediate Representatives
Goodwin, Wallace, Smith and Nc
Daniel we Welcome home We could
not approve every vote each cast, (pos,
s1bly we could not have done BETTER
but'they we're watchful, stuck to then
posts OF duty and we believe them
faithful to their convictions.
*a*
The explosion which destroyed on
Tuesday night last the splendid bat
tle-ship, Maine, in the Harbor of Ha-
vannah, and by which more than two
hundred lives Of officers and marines
were lost Is one of the most astonish-
ing tragedies OF the century. The
cause Of the disaster is unknown and
will probably never be solved. The
scene of the calamity, and the peculiar
strained relations between this govern
ment and Spain at this j%unctnre add
I interest to the awful event. 1t is
and will be attributed to treachery on
The pari OF the Spaniards who were
sore at the presence Of the ship in
their harbor, and to accident, but dis
passionate and judicious minds will
await the severe investigation that
must follow. The incident will have
It's effect at the South. The presence
OF Fitz Lee, a great Southern name, as
the representative OF the government
at Havanah, will excite patriotism at
the South, and a kindly feeling for the
flag OF the country that has not per-
vaded this section since the civil stru2-
gle. We can build and equip other
my SuSluc5 u wal hIu UnOuShtJuS
OF men are ready to take the places Of
the lost marines, but the mystery and
suspicion Of c~riminality surrounding
the incident intensity the appalling
event.
Xxx
There was q hard fight In the Legis-
ture over q resolution to investigate a
charge that Honorable Senators and
Representatives had their liquor free,
but It passed in a weak ~solution-two-
thirds water. 1t seems that the liquor
manufacturers OF other States leave
their 'samples" to be given away by
the Dispensary officials. A~pologists OF
recipients OF these fancy liquors urge
that the "samples" do not belong to
the State. This ia very well.