Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-02-23
THE LEaIsLATURE ADJOURNs.
Especial Uoiiospondepco.i |


" COLUMBIA, 8. c., February 81, 1890.
The General Assembly has been run
ming under high pressure for tho past
week or mors. The prohibition bill Of
Mr.. Mccullough, of Greepvilie, was killed
by large majority. Aud tho local op-
tion measure of Ex.Lieutenant Governor
Mauldin followed in quick succession,
aud was also killed. Tho adverse action
of tho House ON these two propositions
seems to have determined tho sense of
tho body that there was to be no s,iato-
rial change of tho policy of the State for
tho prosont on tho whiskey problem.
1t is true that tho Senate passed the bill
Of Senator Archer to submit the question
of "dispensary" or mo dispensary" to
the voters Of tho several counties of tho
State, but coming over from tho Senate
it was nevor reached ON the House Gallon
dur and in common with ali othor bills
unconsidered, was continued ovor until
next session.
After a hard struggle 1 succeeded in
getting tho bill to exempt Oconoe County
from tho special provisions of tho dis
pensary lew allowing the establishment
Of dispensaries in Seneca and Walhalla
without vote of the citizens, through
tho House, but this measure sent over to
tho Senate, was, on motion of Senator
Alexander, continued, and justice and
equality Is therehy denied to our psopio
for tho present, although we wore under
tho impression that our Senator was fully
in accord with the spirit of this bill to
put prohibition counties on an equality
with all other counties of tho State, and
to relieve thom from an unjust disorimi-
nation. 1t is beloved that tho frionds of
the dispensary by their unfairness and
persistoncy in forcing this measure upon
the people of the State without tho voice
of tho voters arc but "hoaping up wrath
against the day of wrath"
1t is impracticablo for mo to give evon
briof review of oil tho measures which
have boon rushed through the I.cgisla-
ture during these last days of tho session.
Ihore have been some very important
measures passed which will become law.
Not the loast among these is tho Act to
regulate fro insurance and to prevent
rating in tho State. For years this State
has folt tho effects of tho arbitrary rates
of the S. T.. Tariff Association, which
this Act is intended to prevent.
The Act to prevent monopios iii tho
business of telephone and telegraph
companies in this State, by providing a
method whereby competing lines and
companies may secure tho right of way
for their wires along tho railroad lines in
This State, We hopo will promote tho
public interest.
The Act providing for tho granting OF
charters to railroad, canal and steam
boat companies by tho Secretary of State,
wo believe to be a wise and economic
measure, and if rightly and wisely ad-
ministorca viii! save tho State thousands
of dollars annually, for as you have scon
from tho report of our Legislative pro-
| ceedings, thcso railroads and other in
| corporations have tho right of way in
| tho Genoral Assembly, and consume an
nually largo part of tho time and at
tontion of tho Assembly at very heavy
oxponso to the State, and hereafter
hope wo shall no longer be called upon
to grant these cha.tors, as many of them
after they have secured from the State
| these valuable franchises, do not for
years build their roads. These arc only
few of tho important measures enacted,
which wo hopo will promote the public
good.
| Tho bill to exempt certain portion of
Oconco county from tho operation of the
general stock law will become All Act,
and wo hope will prove satisfactory.
Since tho former report, our delegation
has raised the tax levy for Oconco, and
| it will be as follows: for ordinary county
purposes, q mills; for past indebtedness,
II mills; for court fund, mill; for
roads, mill, which with 8 mills for
school and State purposes, makes 13
mills.
Governor Ellcrbo is still quite i'll, but
tho consulting physician says he is in no
Immediate danger, and we hopo he viii
soon bo able to resume his official duties.
We expect tho Assembly to adjourn
sine dio tonight Cruesday) although
tho Senate has recalled and still holds
tho concurrent resolution fixing this as
tho day Of final adjournment as n matter
| of prccaution, but think they will return
it to us tonight, and that the session
will end with this day, and wo hope soon
to have tho pleasure of greoting our
friends al hornu. With many thanks to
the COURIER for tho uso of its columns
for these reports, we bow ourselves off
the stage. Yours Respectfully,