The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-31
OUR COLUMBIA LETTER.
COLUMBIA, Jan. 80.

oF'A>Heo "a LhC pdst WCck III tilo Cupl-
tai is the move of the opponents of
McSweeney to discredit him before the
people, and they have chosen a most
subtitle mode of attack. This is on
effort to make it appear that the Gov
ernor is trying to get control of the
dispensary, and is assuming the role of
"boss." which role is not the most at
tractive that public man can assume
in South Carolina just now. The whole
matter hangs on caucus which is
said to have been held in the matter of
the dispensary, at which the Gov
ernor's friends fell Ill line with him in
his suggestion that the executive be
made the head Of the dispensary Of the
State. This, to.most people, means a
return to the good old days of Tillman
and John Gary Evans, when the first
dispensary scandals were developed.
This was flank movement of the
opposition, but what effect it will have
on the Governors position in the cam
paign, cannot yet be foretold. for he
has taken but slight notice of it as yet,
and if it can be traced to an "animus''
it will have but little effect.
The Assembly has been working
hard recently, but there is not great
deal to show for their labors. During
the week the dispensary bills have
taken up the greater part of the time
of the Senate. So far little progress
has been made, and we are at sea as to
what the future will bring forth.
There seems to be unexpected deyel-
opments at every turn. We are more
than ever inclined to think that the
Assembly will adjourn without having
done anything at all in regard to the
dispensary.
One matter of very great interest
was the passage by the House of the
old bill that makes its appearance On
nually to reduce the privilege tax on
fertilizers. This fund furnishes the
chief source of. revenue for Clemson
College. 1t looks very like this As
sembly is trying to pass all the old
bills that have grown grey in the COM
mittee rooms of the two houses for
years. This privilege tax bill is one of
the most ancient and hoary of the lot.
1t was passed On the assumption that
the farmers would get the benefit of
thereduction from twenty five cents to
fifteen on the ton. As general thing
the friends of the phosphate workers
are found in the ranks of the support
ers of this bill, and if they would sup
port it as measure of. relief to these
men, who pay q pretty good tax any
how, the people of the State would
feel a great deal more confidence in
the utterances of their statesmen.
Another of those bills that come very
near.passing, was the one that forbids
the manufacture and sale of cigarettes
in the State. In opposition to this bill
Citizen josh Ashley scored big point
when be announced to the House that
"Hit's nonsense ter try and legislate
good habits inter bad boys" This
was the measure that the people of the
Pee Dee section were 30 greatly in
terested in. 1t was finally killed when
it became plain to what ridiculous ex-
tremes the law would be carried.
The compulsory education bill was
killed in the Senate after spirited de-
bate, and this bill promises to keep
knocking at the doors of the halls of
legislation until it is admitted to the
Statute books.
Mr.. Causes bill to forbid the sale of
shad outside of the State was defeated
after n spirited debate in which the
only black member of the House, the
fruit of Georgetown's fusion, took u
leading part as against Citizen Ashley,
who told him on one occasion: "Sit
down, you niger YOU" This debate
the House, but the "nigger's"
homely eloquence proved more fOrcible
than Josh's rugged philosophy.
The "child labor" bill, which appears
with timid knock ut the temple of laws
was refused admission again this year,
it having been decided that it would
be unwise to interfere with the cotton
mills.
The present week will be taken up
very probably with the dispensary dis
cussion. The sentiment of both Houses
seem to be to kill rather than pass any
new laws. Both Houses have contri-
buted very largely to the legislative
already. The end of the
session is not yet in sight, and there
is disposition to see if the members
draw pay for longer time than
forty days. in which case it is pretty
safe to say that the session will be as
long as any since the adoption of the
new constitution.
HARTwELL NJ. AVER.
= United States Deputy Marshal
ROwell arrested at Eloranca John If