Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-02-16
The CAPITAL OF THE STATE

I'LL GhPiihL Ut iHt SiAlt
The Legislative Session Nearing Its
Close-Other Matters OF Interest.
Especial Correspondence
COLUMBIA, S. G., February 13.-Tho
Legislature is still in session, and as far
as can SEQ tho State "-ould have been
just $685. bottor off if thero had boon
no session at all. I doubt if thore is ono
member who can show that he has earned
his por diem by \ demonstration of tho
actual good of his labors. AS for myself,
fool like hired man who has boon
unable to put in full time and incapable
Of any moro than half work ,even whom
at it. Ilcst one week entirely on account
Of grip, and tho two weeks bcforo that
and tho one wook since was unable TO
attend moro than half tho time and was
not worth much while IN attendance.
1t was my good fortune, however, to
get up to tho State House On tho ocoa-
sion of tho discussion of Major S. r.
Dendy's bill to remove our county
from the operation of tho dispensary law.
There WAS q right lively fight ovor tho
bill, and tho House sustained it by n worry
decided vote, but some amendments Daing
offered, and q misunderstanding of these
amendments by tho House, caused post
ponement of the discussion instead of an
order for tho third reading. Tho debate
has not yet been resumed, and tho fate
of tho bill, of course, is not knor'n; but
1 am satisfied, that, with proper manage
mont, thoro will be no trouble about its
final passage.
1t will bo remembered that bill of
similar character passed. tho House last
year, by a two-thirds vote and was suf-
forod to die in the Senate. This time,
however, if wo get it through tho House
| think it will pass tho Senate and become
law, us Senator Alexander is now willing
for such bill to 60 through tho Senate
His opposition to the bill last year in tho
Senate was our trouble, as tho Senate
would not favor local bill whom tho
Senator from that locality was opposed
to it,
Tho House has made several attempts
to pass resolution to lot tho people vote
on an amendment to tho Constitution
providing for biennial sessions. 1t re-
quires a two-thirds vote to pass such q
resolution and that number has not yet
been received in tho House. 1t is cor
oaihi9 W oo HopCu GIttb SilOuRu inOmD6fS
may be we'll soon to got up to tho State
House to secure tho desired number. If
tho people over do got tho opportunity to
vote on that question there will DO no
moro annual sessions. Out Of all tho
States In tho Union only four havo annual
sossions Of tho Legislature, this State
being ono of tho four.
Thoro arc many liquor bills before tho
House and Senate now, but I worry much
doubt any of them passing and becoming
law for tho whole State. as tho Prohibit
tionists and nti-disponsary mon do not
scem to agree on any measure.
Columbia is now covered in tho deop-
est snow that has fallen here in many
years, 1t being about soyon inches deep.
Rich people can shut their doors, build
good fires and sit In the full enjoyment
Of tho comforts and luxurics Of ilife, but
tho poor, whom wo have always,with us,
suffer with cold and lack of tho common
comforts of life.
There is much moro poverty in towns
than in tho country. Tho country poo
pie think they have hard time. and
always have good fires and ut least some
thing to cat without buying. In this
town there are many poor boggars, who
go from house to house, and who moot
you on tho stroots and beg constantly. 1t
is strange thing toa countryman to
have people constantly a2king aims. I
or d% gFSSSyy gwSS ysop nonno wi with it. and
country, where thoy could at least have
fireS and bread.
I am bothered with curious philoso-
ply when L sit in tino church, liston
to grand music, boar greet sermon on
tho love of that good man of Nazareth,
and think of tho poor, whose especial
friend he proved himself to bo, and
n n I,
might not sorve some of tho churches
just as ho did tho jewish synagogue. l do
not think tho best of church people oyon
approach to that idoal man who loves his
noighbor as himself.
The House is not in session to day on
account of tho sickness of mombors with
grip and the extreme cold.
Many of your readers do not know that
tho state House Is unfinished and that
many thousands of dollars worth of
stono is now lying about tho State House
grounds. About forty of those immense
stones are thirty foot long and four feet
wide by tivo feet In depth. These stones
were quarried just across tho river and
were drawn into tho city with mules.
They were intondcd to bo used for col
umns. This work was unfinished when
the war camo on and is still incomplete.
lt will take two hundred thousand dol
lars to flnish tho work on tho State
lIonso, and thoro Is no tolling whom tho
work will be done.
The State House 10 tho most immense
building that l over saw. It is three
hundred foet long by ono hundred feet
wido and is laid upon most solid four
dation,, and will cost perhaps, when
finished, about two million dollars. Thoro
is no telling whonit will DO finished. as the
people arc In no condition to be taxed to
got money for such purpose.
zsk e
q CITY of twonty thousand population and
has many churches and schools. There
arc two female colleges hero, ono undor
tho control of tho Methodist church and
ono under tho supervision of tho Presby-
terian church. Then thore is tho South
Carolina College and tho Theological
Seminary.
Columbia Ia beautiful town, being
ono milo square and laid off in wido
streets exactly like q checker board, tho
streets ranging from ninety feot to one
hundred and twonty feet in width.
Thoro are from two to thrce rows of
largo water-oaks on eaoh street. The
land Is of nico white soil and noarly
entirely loyel