The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-30
GENERAL ,- ASSEMBLY.

Fails to do than In what 1t Does,
and that is Likely 10 be the Case
this SessiOn-SO Far the Indications
are Against Cotton Mill Legisla'
tiOn and Indeed Against all Posi-
tive Legislation Except the Ex,
position Bill and the Promotion
Of Good Roads.
News and Courier.
Columbia, January E.-The General AS.
sembly is about to conclude the third week
of its session. In that time very little ol
general importance has been done that is
ready to 60 on the statute books. A great
have not been important or far-reaching.
The House has acted on several important
matters that have not yet been considered IN
the Senate, and the Senate has taken up mat.
ters that have not yet been considered by the
House. There has been good deal OF more
or less important legislation proposed that
has been killed, and a great deal more is
pending on the Calendar that is liable to go
The general and marked indications are
entirely favorable to "let alone" policy.
The affairs Of the State have never been lip
the disposition is to let well enough alone
There seems to be no demand whatever for
radical legislation, and everything will most
result of this "Iet alone" policy some very
good measures are likely to be killed and
some have already been Killed.
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE
continues to be that OF child labor. Long
before the session began II was realized that
this would be the most prominent question
that would come up. There Is not now any
been frequently expressed in this correspon.
dence, which Is that nothing whatever would
be done that would seem to effect the cotton
mill interests Of the State or that would be
aorinnaly Ohipctad nv the ranreSanta
OF the cotton mill interests. The fact Is that
the tendencies In that direction are stronger
every day. The cotton mills have won on
every phrase OF the fight thus far. They won
on the fight to extend the liability OF cotton
mill corporations. Then all of the committee
reports thus far submitted are opposed to any
legislation. although there are minority re-
ports attached.
On even so small matter as the printing
Of the petitions there was skirmish, and the
spokesmen for the cotton mill interests won,
tions printed. Then on recommitting bill
with an unfavorable report fhere was another
skirmish and the cotton mill folks won, and
80 IT has been going. Ihe very pest tnat tne I
pecb Is compromise. which would amount
TO nothing.
PETITIONS PRO AND CON.
The petitions against any legislation re.
earding cotton mills have been coming In
thick and fast and have made up pages and
pages of the journal OF the House. All OF
the petitions against the pending measures
are headed practically In these words:
To the Honorable Senators and Repre-.
sentatlves of the General Assembly: The
undersigned citizens OF South Carolina en-
gagged in cotton manufacturing AIS. c.,
terlering with this industry, but that we be
permitted, as others are, TO make our own
contracts, control our own families, and pur.
sue our chosen calling as We consider best for
About the only petitions from mill opera.
tives In favor OF the bills are those OF the
operatives from Aiken County, all of which
TO the Honorable General Assembly of the
State ofSouth Carolina: We, the undersigned
citizens Of South Carolina, do hereby petition
your honorable body for the enactment en- OF Of a .
Federation of Lador, to prevent children Of
hess than IL years OF age from being employed
in cotton or woolen mills, work shops, etc,
A few other petitions from citizens on q
similar line are also printed, but the great
majority Of the petitions, and practically all
from the mill operatives, protest against any
mill legisltion.
A good idea of the fight that will be made
can be gathered from the discussion that has
already been had on the liability bill, that
sought toextend the liability Of cotton mills,
but which failed so far as mills were
concerned.
One OF the most striking features OF legisla-
tate the good roads work. Every thing else
has had TO give way the advance OF the
work Of the public roads, and the consensus
Of opinion has been that the chain gang
system has been little short of q gold mine 30
far az the Improvement of the public roads
are concered. Delegation after delegation
has added Its testimony to the good work
that has been done in the various counties
hv tho chain QanQa.a and evidenced
yesterday the disposition Is to increase the
chain gangs In every way possible, Under
year convicts eligible to chain gang service
practically all convicts will be used by the
chain gangs, for there are few convicts VINO
now get more than ten year sentences. Even
as the law now stands there are few new
convicts at the service OF the Penitentiary
except those that come from Charleston
County.
The Peniteutiary now is used as the dump
Ing ground for convicts, who on account ol
health or age are not wanted on the county
chain gangs, and for long term prisoners, and
about the only ablebodled convicts are those
which come from Charleston and In good
instalments.
THE DIsPENsARY.
will not be interferred with this year. There
are whispers about matters, but nothing has
taken definite shape or Is likely to do 30.
Several bills have been presented relative 10
minor details, but they are likely to be lost
LUG 1OuSo ooNcTal QayS ago pdsSeQ Oue VI luc
most important bills of the season. The ker.
mel OF the proposition was that the counties
that used LIQUOR should make the profits
and instead Of any considerable portion OF
the profit going to the State. only per cent
IL to 60 TO the State, after all expenses have
been paid, and the remainder is TO be divided
between the city and county, the larger share
appropriate certain portion to the public
school fund.
THE pTST0T TT pTT
Another important phase of the legislation
1s the pronounced disposition on the part OF
the House 10 take heroic steps to deal with
the pernicious pistol habit. The House yes.
terday passed bill, which prevents the
ceasd Or not What shs Senate WhHs5 VIII do With With
the measure is not known, but 1t shows how
the pistol habit Is regarded by the representa-.
tives Of the people.
a1np Thus bss. far the positive legislation has been
To show q liberal disposition towards the
state institutions and enterprises Of the
State.
To give every encouragement to the work.
Ing OF the public roads, by throwing all
possible convict labor to the chain gangs and
by other means.
10 allow the counties which have dispen
saries and buy liquor to get practically all OF
the profits from such sales.
To Improve the tax assessment system, by
equalizing the assessments and getting at
property that Is not now on the books.
The attack on the pistol habit.
On the other hand the negative legislation
has been
To let matters stand as they are and be
content with the let alone policy.
Not to interfere with cotton mills or other
industrial enterprises.
To kill the proposition to repeal the lien
law.
The school supervision legislation has been
killed.
REDISTRICTING THE STATE,
There appears to be little interest in the
Congressional redistricting legislation. There
are now two bills on this topic pending, but