The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-07
OUR COLUMBIA LETTER.
COLUMBIA, Feb. 5.

Interest in local affairs has been Sec
ondary to interest in the affairs in Ken
tucky during the past week. The fact
that the house had special prayer offer
ed by its chaplain in the midst of it's
routine work is evidence of the intensi-
ty of the feeling here.
The elections for directors of the
nenitent;ary and trustees OF the South
Carolina and Winthrop colleges passed
off without exciting much interest.
There were few candidates for the DO
sitions, but one feature has developcd
which has been coming more and more
into evidence every year recently, that
is the use which members of the legis-
lature make of their membership to
secure the positions which are to be
given by the assembly, especially those
which are remunerative. There is little
use for an outsider to apply. This is
going to result in rousing feeling
against the Legislative ring, which
will be unfortunate.
The chief interest of the week has
been in the development of the dis
pensary sentiment in the two houses.
sThe senate has passed the May
field substitute bill, which is the ad-
ministration measure patched, trimmed
and cut down to fit the sentiments of
the senators. The bill abolishes the
present boards Of control and provides
for the election Of O new one, the
chairman by he..Senate, and two mem
bers by the House. This Board shall
advertise for bids for furnishing liquor
each quarter. The liquor shall not be
bou ght from House that sends drum
mers or strikers into the State or that
sends samples.
The county boards shall be appoint
ed by this State Board. The COM
missioner and constables are all to be
under bond. 1t is thought that this
bill will meet the approval of the peo-
pie.
The House has killed prohibition
bill, but the vote showed that the cold
water army has gained five recruits
last year.
The House has passed bill that will
be gratifying to towns that are trying
to accomplish great public works with
bonded ndebtedness already as
great as the constitution allows. This
bill is for the purpose of securing a
constitutional amendment to allow
certain towns to issue bonds for the
improvement desired in excess of the
OnstitutiOnallimit.
Winthrop has ask ed for an addition
al dOrmitory, and the necessity for it
has been ahnndantly demonstrated.
This may have bad effect on the plan
for the improvement. The House has
k illed the bill providing for the sale of
the present Governors mansion.
The ancient and honorable bill to
tax dogs will como up again during
this week.
The wide tire bill had narrow es-
cape in the House, but is safe as yet.
There has been strong fight made
on the anti-lynching clause in the con-
stitution, but the house has stood by it.
There is going to be hard fight over
the petition of q part of Abbeville
county to be joined to Anderson.
These neighborhood rows are always
hot when they get into the legislature.
The plan..of establishing fertilizer
factory in the penitentiary was killed
by the House, though many thought
the plan a good one to follow in the
matter of fighting the trust.
Whether the session can get pay for
more than forty days or not is still
the members. If it is decid-
ed that this is one of the first four
sessions under the new constitution it
may be extended bey ond forty days.
If there is to be no pay for more- than
TO rty-five days it is very sure that the
session will not be longer than. forty
five at the outside.
ltis mystery even to the members
themselves, how time is killed In the
now, when the four weeks
of the old sessions used to be plenty of
time. There are many explanations of
the matter. Some people say that in
old times that all the legislature had to
do was to follow the directions of the
bosses and go home. Again there are
others who say that in years past there
were men in the legislature who used
to know what was to be done and they
did it and quit, that now there are
great many who have to take six weeks
to find out why they are there. There
is certainly an effort at too much legis-
iation. The solicitors are very much
to blame for the vast amount of trash
that gets into the legislative mill and
has to be cleared out before the grist
can come. They could and ought, if
they did their full duty without fear or
favor, keep this trash out of the way.
HARTWELL NJ. AYER.
or Interest to Pensioners.