Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-01-26
WALHALLA, 8. C. .:#
THURSDAY, San. 30, 1850.
LETTER FROM COLUMBIA.

3 e~-s N"o 'S" - tSS-SUto"u
Major DendY Reports Legislative Pro.
Ceedfngs for The Courier.
Is Especial Correspondence
COLUMBIA, January 24.-Tho legisla-
two session is slowly drawing It's weary
length along and net great Gaai of posi-
two good by Affirmative enaetmsnt hes
yet been accomplished. but negatively
much has boon done in tho way of
slaughtering bills proposing unnooes-
sary, not to say unwiso, legislation.
One of tho clerks of, tho House informs
mo that we are rapidly approaching the
high wator mark in tho matter of tho
introduction of bills, and that already
moro than two hundred and fifty, inclu-
ding joint and concurrent resolutions.
havo boon introduced. Of these I havo
30 far presented tho following only, to-
wit:
The bill to declare and regulate tho
fees of Clerks of Courts in this State for
enrolling and recording transcript of
judgments of magistrates courts; the
bill to change tho timo for holding tho
fall term of tho courts of General Sos
sions and Common Pleas in Greonville
and Oconee counties; tho bill to exempt
Oconeo county from the provisions of
the State Disponsary law; tho bill to OK
ompt certain portions Of Oconeo county
from tho operations of the general stock
law; the bill to validate tho election of
Mayor and Aldermen of tho town of Wal
halla, hold on tho 10th January, A. D..
1890.
Thero is, perhaps, some misapprohon-
sion as to the provisions Of tho bill to OK
ompt certain portions of our county from
tho operation of tho stock law. This
bill provides for the building and main
tanning Of q line fence across tho county
and around tho portions thereof to be
exempted, by tho labor of those who arc
to enjoy tho benefit of tho same, and no
tax is to DO levied on any property what
over for said purpose. 1t was introduced
by mo upon tho petition and request of
tho people living within tho territory to
bo exempted, and will give to the noun
tain people what thoy have long desired,
and sooms to mo to bo fair, reasonable
and just in its provisions and will hurt
nobody and benefit largo class.
Thoro have been some very important
measures introduced. Among these
would mention the bill to rcdistrict tho
State; that is, to rearrango and adjust
tho several Congressional Districts of
Snnfh Eorp1ipo l,.n
District will bo composed of the counties
of Anderson, Cconee, Piokcns ard Grcen-
vile. Tho object is, as there is no longer
any necessity for gerrymandering, that
each Congressional District shall bc COM
posed of contiguous territory and of a
homogeneous population.
The bill to amend the law so as to cre-
ate ten judicial circuits, instead of eight,
as the law now provides, has not been
Killed. If this measure passes, which I
think not very probable, our county will
be thrown in tho tenth circuit, composed
of Grconvillo, Oconeo, Pickens and Lau-
rens. Why Laurons instead of Andor-
son should be grouped with Grcenvillc,
Oconco and Pickens is moro than | am
able to explain, when it seems to mo
that to include Anderson and leave Lau-
rens aside would DO the natural forma-
ton.
Tho bill to provide for system of
county courts will likely demand good
measure of discussion, unless it's nccos-
slty should be deemed superseded by
the creation of ten circuits, If that bill
becomes law. Tho complaint is that
the circuit courts, as now constituted,
are congestcd and are not sufficient to
discharge the business before them, and
hence the necessity for an increase of
circuits, or else tho creation of systom
or county courts.
There are number of bills bearing on
the subject of tho State dispnnsnry. I
think it is safe to say that tho provisions
of tho Act will bo very materially modi-
fled, If the law is not repealed, and
qualified submission of tho question to
tho voters of each county in tho State TO
determine for themselves as between
prohibition and dispensary, and, per-
haps, systom of high license, will most
probably be tho result of tho agitation.
Thus far there has been 10 test of tho
strength of tho sides holding these op-
posing views, but it is generally con-
coded that they number about onc-third
each of tho mombors of tho Assembly.
An effort is being made to unto tho
forces of prohibition and high license, as
against their common foe, tho dispon-
sary; If 80, they will crush it out; but
they may not DO ablo to harmonizo and
tho great "moral institution DO allowed
to stand.
Several bills bearing on tho subject of
the privilege tax on fertilizers have been
introduced. Ono seeks to reduce it to
ton cents per ton instead of twenty-five;
another seeks to distribute the income
from this tax to tho several counties of
tho State for tho establishment of a sys-
tom Of high schools; another provides for
tho division Of tho fund arising from
this tax equally between Clemson and
Winthrop colleges. Tho governor roc
ommends this equal division in his mes
sage. Tho Board of Trustees of Clom-
son this year only ask for $4,000 of this
fund, and not tho whole amount thereof
as heretofore. think it probable that