The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-02-28
TIE STATE CAPITOL.
The Text of Act Recently Passea
to conpiete it.
WORK WILL BEGIN At ONCE.
All Realize That the cosnosefon
of.he Structure is the Wish
of the People and
Legislature.

In a.few months the neighborhooo
around the old State capitol will be the
scene Of great activity, unless"theEe IS
trouble with the sinking fund :comnis-
sion about getting the money.-The
building is to be finished if the legss-
latu,e's wishes are to be carried out.
The splendid, but rather ponderous,
pile of granite is to be transformed
nto something more stately and more
State like.
1t was with some trepidatien that
friends Of the movement introduced
hill to appropriate $50 600 out OF the
State treasury for that purpose. The
senate passed the bill by large ma
jority. The house was not so strongly
IN favor of the measure, for the $40 O0o
appropriation for the Chickamauga
monument and the $35 ,00D appropria-
ton for Winthrop's'new dormitory had
been granted.
But Mr.. Stevenson from Chesterfield,
came to the rescue. He showed that
the sinking fund commission had near
ly 5000, 900 in the bank drawing four
per cent. interest. Why not lend this
amount to the State treasury refund 1t
at the rate Of $l5, 900 per annum!
This would not increase the levy OF
the State and would not hurt the ap-
propriations to other causes.
The suggestion was adopted by both
houses, and the following act was pass
ed and has been approved blythe COVER
nor:
Section 1. Thatthe sum Of s17a 600
Of the sinking fund in the hands OF the
sinking fund commission, as shogn by
their report, shall be used by the siok-
ing fund commission to complete the
State house, the said commission acting
with the commission hereinafter ap-
pointed 10 having the same completed;
md the sun Of $l5, 100 per year Of the
taxes collected annually for State pur.
poses is hereby set aside and pledged
annually to rcpay.the sum so used from
the sinking fund for this purpose, aud
four per cent. annual interest thereon
till the whole is paid.
Sec. 2 That the governor, secretary
of State and one member of the senate,
to be appointed by the president Of the
senate, and two members of the house,
to be appointed by the speaker of the
house, be, and are hereby, appointed
commission with the sinking fund COM
mission to take charge of aud direct the
completion Of the State house; to let
out all work herein authorized to make
all necessary contracts, inluding the
employment of an architect, and to zee
that the said work is completed accord
ing to the contract, and to do any and
every act necessary to carry out the
parpose Of this act. Provided,
That no funds shall be set aside except
as they are actually needed, and shall
not be used unless contract be entered
into to complete the said State house
for the sum set apart.
Since the adjournment of the general
assembly the point raised in the SEN
ate as to the legal right to loan the
sinking fund money to the State has
created no end Of discussion among
lawyers, aud those VINO are members
Of the commission have been louking
into it with care. They say if the State
could be sued there would be no
trouble. They realize that it is the
wish Of the people and the general as
sembly that the capitol be completed
in this way, and say it will be done If
it can be done. From what can be
heard now it looks as if the whole mat
ter will be taken up when the sinking
fund commission meets early in Mlrch.
There is strong sentiment among the
members TO make up case to be taken
before the supreme court, asking aR
immediate deliverauce from that tri-
bunal so that the work will not be de-
layed if the legislature wishes can be
carried out.--The State.