The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-01-23
THE LEGISLATURE.
d. Tie State Lawmakers Meet ard Get
20 Work.
EN1TSE

Tuesday by Col Tom G. Hamer. the
clerk. The roll by counties was called
and majority Of the members found
prcseDt. Hon. w. F. Stevenson Of
Chesterfield speaker of the house.
then took the chair and addressed
the members of the house He said IN
part:
We come together after scpara,
lion OF IL months with grave respon-
ainilities. Since the adjournment II
has been finally settled that the coun-
ty government Of the majority OF our
ruunties if not in all of them is only
.Ie facto government; that the laws
establishing them are in plain viola
ton OF the constitution and one OF the
FIRST measures and one OF the most I'M
portant should be general county
government act fixing plainly ana
permanently the methods and ma
,chincry CT county affairs and regulat.
ing and proclaiming the salaries OF
county officers.
Again the jury law has been de-
elared invalid for the same reason and
1T is an imperative necessity that
general and simple jury law be passed
mt the first possible moment consistent
with orderly and sound legislation.
Let us hope that the not uncertain
tone of the courts decision relative
To special legislation will prevent the
appeal so often made by members
who are champions of pet local meas
ares that it is simply local meas
ure." That statement should hereaf-
ter mark the measures for immediate
slaughter and the seal OF condemna-
ton should be placed without ques-
tion on all such measures and policies.
Other important measures demand
attention also. Laws relative to
trusts need perfecting; laws relative
to foreign railroads and other cor
porations doing business here and
child labor in mills will no doubt De
axain pressed upon your attention.
The past year in most OF the State
has been hard ON the agriculturist
and his failure to make crop has
been felt by all classes. hence taxes
should be levied only for absolute
necessities. On the other hand great
progress has been made in the State
IN manufacturing, and the whole State
may we'll feel proud of the Carolina
Interstate and West Indian exposition
II Is needless to say that the ap-
pearance of this State house now JUS
sifies the action taken by the general
assembly in 1900 in directing its CON-
p!ction. It will soon be structure
of which the State should be proud,
and now let me urge that suitable
provision be made for eQuipping the
Offices and preserving the valuable
records contained in them. Irrepara-
bile loss may be suffered by failing 10
make proper provision for them.
We assemble with the lesson of the
uncertainties of life impressed upon
Ms. Three Of our members have died
since the last roll call Of this house
and | feel loss in each one peculiar
and personal. and especially in my
colleague with whom my associations
have been peculiarly close for Is
years. Within As hours, too, the hand
OF death has been laid upon the as
sistant clerk of this house, and we
have lost an efficient, painstaking and
aHable official.
The records of those who have
uassed is honorable; their memories
are dear to us and our affection viii!
be put into permanent form, but this
should warn us that death is claiming
its victims daily and we must all soon
nay the de9t and pass away.
At the conclusion Of his remarks.
the speaker called the pew members
before the bar Of the house and they
were sworn in. The new members
are L. F. Izlar, Of Barnwell; w. j.
johnson Of Fairfield; ]. B. Towel, OF
Lexington and M. J. Hough. Of Ches-
terfield. These new representatives
then presented their credentials and
subscribed to the oath Of Office. Mr..
Ixlar is lawyer, a brother of former
Judge Izlar. and leading citizen OF
Blackville. Mr.. Towel is quite young
man, editor Of the Batesburg Advo-
cate and succeeds Congressman
Lever. Capt. Johnson is leading
merchant of Ridgeway, has been a
member OF the house before and is a
member Of the State house commits
sion. Mr.. Hough is brother OF Sena-
tor Hough and was clerk Of the ju'
dietary committee Of the house last
year.
A message from the senate declared
that that body had organized. The
house. after electing a chaplain. no.
tilted the senate that it was ready
for business. There were three nomi'
nations fJr chaplain: Rev. r. n. Pratt
of the Second Baptist church; Rev.
M M. Kinard of the Ebenezer Luth-
eran church and Rev. J. l.. Mullinix
uf the Methodist conference. On the
second ballot Mr.. Pratt was elected.
The senate and the governor were
notified of the houses organization.
The governors message was received
and read.