The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-01
COLUMBIA LETTER.
The Latest News from the Legislature.
Special Correspondence Of Intelligencer.

rapidly with it's work. Night sessions
are frequent, and the killing OF bills
has begun-a very necessary part OF
the work, by the way, as over four
hundred bills have been introduced
many of which, as is always the case,
scarcely deserve consideration.
Since the the elections last Tuesday,
the log-rolling, wire pulling and ener-
getic lobbying has ceased, the commit
tees are hard at work, and the law
making machinery is moving smooth
". Very few comments on the results
Of the elections are heard. Mr.. Crit
fifth and Mr.. Robinson have simply
"got the coon and gone,' and that is
the end of it. Col. Meals management
of his department is conceded to have
been highly satisfactory, but recent
developments demanded the head OF
some one, and as the right one could
not be reached, the one nearest to it
was taken; and besides, it served to IL
lustrate how deeply rooted is the idea
of;rotation in Office, and that in poll
tics, as in the ordinary walks of life, a
man has sufficient task in sweeping
before his own door.
The Liquor bill, as outlined in my
last weeks letter, was introduced
Monday by Mr.. R. B. A. Robinson.
The day following similar bill was
introduced by Mr.. w. L. Mauldin, OF
Greenville. This bill differs from the
Robinson bill principally in providing
for the submission to the voters the
question of high license, as well as pro-
hibition and dispensaries. 1t is amend
atory to that extent only. The Robin
son bill covers the entire dispensary
law as it now exists. Both bills have
been reported back by the Judiciary
Committee, to which they we're refer
red, without recommendations, and
both bills will come up on their merits.
The recent published letter OF Mr..
Featherstone is altogether favorable to
the passage Of either of these bills, and
he but echoes the sentiments OF ma
jority of both the Senate and House.
The doom of the State Dispensary ap-
pears to be sealed. l was told by a
prominent Senator to-day that SINH
lar bill would probably be introduced
in the Senate this week, and the indi-
cations were altogether favorable to its
passage.
The privilege tax bill, formulated.by
the House Judiciary Committee in or
der to meet the objection that it is un-
constitutional in that it affects inter
state commerce relations, has produced
considerable discussion. Mr.. Ashley
introduced an amendment, cutting the
tax down to 1Oc., and preciritated a
fight in earnest. "Josh" is uncompro-
missing in his demand for reduction,
and considerable battle was waged
during the sessions of Thursday noon
and Friday night, with an incomplete
victory for the reduction. The fight
will be resumed tomorrow. 1t comes
up again then on an amendment OF
MIR. Blythe, fixing the tax at 15c., and
will probably pass the House with this
reduction, but l learn from excellent
authority that the reduction feature
will be killed in the Senate, and that
the bill will be sent back to the House,
embellished with many brilliant and
highly beneficial amendments. A great
deal of interest centers in this fight, as
the well being of Clemson College, to
large extent, depends upon the ulti-
mate results.
The redistricting bill has passed the
House, been favorably reported by the
Senate Committees and will probably
become law. learn, however, that
the Senate is pretty evenly divided on
the subject. Twelve are said to be fol
it, twelve against IL and the remaindcl
on the fence. The debating strength
however, is in favor of the bill.
A bill to fix the times for holding
the Circuit Courts in the Eighth Judi
cial Circuit, has been introduced and
WILL probably become a law. 1t fixes
the fourth Monday in February, fonrtl
Monday in June, and second Monday
after the fourth Monday in September
for the holding of the Court of Genera
Sessions, and the Wednesdays next
following these days respectively fol
holding the Court of Common Pleas ii
Anderson. This separates the two
Courts. The arrangements as to tho
other Counties makes the Circuit work
more uniform, and there appears to be
no objection to the passage of the bill
The Anderson delegation ar acquit-
ting themselves with credit to the
County. They are attentive, watchfu
and quick of speech when occasion re
quires it. They have introduced scv-
cral bills of considerable Importance Il
Anderson Co. and, indeed, to the State
to wit: Authorizing the City of Andcr-
son to issue bonds to cover indebted
ness arising from the building of tho
City Hall; to fix salaries of County of
iiccrs; to extend jurisdiction of Magis
trates; to provide punishment for tli'
acceptance of rebates by officers o
trust in State or public Institutions