The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-19
A LEGISLATIVE REVIEW.
What the Two Houses Have Done and
nre Likely TO 20.


COLUMBIA, Jan. 16-Thc General
Assembly of South Carolina has done
more actual work in the first five iavs
of a session than has ever before been
done. 1t has not only done hard, but
effective work, and not content with
good beginning, has mapped out album
dant work for the future. Night scs-
sions have already been started.
The legislation lp &c this time has
not been radical it has been far from
that. There have been an abundance
of minor matters acted upon aud bills
that contemplated useless laws have
been killed, because they ought to
have been and have not been passed
simply out of courtesy to some mem
Der. That spirit seems to be fast dy
ing out
The continued lack Of political feel
ing and the disposition to work are
thus far the two most conspicuous
features Of tho Legislative session.
At the last session it was quite the
unusual thing to ask that anything be
done because it bore the stamp Of
Reform and that old time slogan
was thing Of the dim past. Meas
urcs were considered on their merit,
except perhaps the dispcnsary and in
come tax bills. which came from
down stairs, with the Executive
badge.
Let it be said, with rejoicing, that
not single member has thus far this
session pleaded for the passage of any
measure because it was promised by
Reform" or because it will help the
movement. That day is fast fading
away, and the sensible members see it.
There is one Senator and one or two
members who seem to be ignorant of
this condition, if report be true, and
the first thing they know they will be
left high and dry, with the possible
satisfaction that they have been of
use to someone else. IF members
could hear the free comment on the
Gubernatorial situation. they would
appreciate the fnllncss Of the new era.
Something the dispensary is about
the only thing-may provoke partisan
discussion, but l doubt that. Mem
bers. influential ones, have told me
that heretofore they have accepted on
faith bills that have come from down
stairs They say they have done
this long enough, and the Governors
have not been successful with the
bills they have asked to be passed
Naturally the first inquiry is, what
will become Of the dispensary? Now,
this is question that should be more
properly directed to prophet. Gov
ernor Ellerbe does not know. Senator
Tillman is going to keep mouth and
hands off, Senator so-and-so and
Representative thus-and-so know as
little about results as the on-looker.
Il is curious but helpless situation
of not being able to solve a riddle. If
the members could close their eyes
and kick the whole dispensary system
overheard, without being held re-
sponsible for it by some Of their con
stituents, they would no doubt do so.
The dlspensary is political incubus,
except to those on the inside. There
are just now five contcnding elements,
first and foremost for the undisturbcd
dispensary system; second, for the
elimination OF the profit fcature-a
mere subterfugc; third, for prohibi-
ton; fourth, for licensing under the
restriction of the Constitution; fifth,
for option between the three systems.
The high license element gives no
evidences Of making a fight at this
juncturc; they prefer to let the other
schemes be tried and fail Governor
Ellerbe's plan will not be successful,
unless it should be shown to the dis
pensary advocates that it is the only
thing possible, and they are not so
disposed to believe. The legal mem
bers insist it is farcicial again and
again to pass laws to have them per-
forated by the Courts and to antici-
pate such fate. Attorney General
Barber has all along held that the
beverage question, and not the profit
feature, is the crucial test, and he has
very properly declined, to be party
to the preparation Of bill based on
the elimination Of the profit feature, be-
cause he, as the legal force of the AS
sembly. realized. that the pref: /. feature
'of<thc dispensery is. not; now and has
never been the determining issue.
Mr.. Skinner, when he proposed the
resolution that Mr. Barber be called
upongto prepare bill that would in
his opinion hold its own in the COURTS
and drive out the ''original package"
people did the very best thing posi-
BILE; whether it will be passed is quite.
another thing.
The situation is just this. the mem
bers do not feel inclined to take any
radical steps, and 50 Che chances are
that the dispensary law will in all
probability be as little changed as
possible. Mr.. Mayfcld's bill which
leaves it for the people to decide what
they want, will be pressed, and would
be sensible way out Of the whole
trouble.
1t may not he the proper thing to
say, but there is a great deal Of log
rolling going on about the hotel lob
bies. 1t is principally in connection
with the two vacancies on the State
board of control-as much sought af-
ter as the Goyernorship- and little
as to other elections. The canvassing