Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-01-22
paocEgOlNas OF THE LEGISLATURE.
Bills o, Minor Importance Election OF the
Judges Body Getting Down to Work.

Columbia, January 14.-Editors Cou-
rier: The General Assembly of South
Carolina was called to order to-day by
Speaker Stevenson at IL O'Clock, M.
When the roll was called there were
very few members absent. Three of the
members had died since last session.
Their successors appeared, were sworn
in aud took their seats. The speaker de-
iyered an address, impressing members
with the Importance of devoting their
time to the changes in the law made nee
essary by decisions of the Supreme Court.
Special legislation must be eliminated
from the statutes of the State, and all
the officers put upon salaries.
Governor McSweeney sent in his annual
message, and also several special mes
sages. One of the latter was the veto of
an act of the last session creating an ad :
ditional school district in Anderson on
account of it's unconstitutionality. The
Legislature, acting under the constitu-
tion, cannot create school district. The
Governor also very properly vetoed the
act repeating what is known as the "free
pass law, The veto was sustained by
vote of the House, the bill having origi-
mated in that body. If the railroads
reach in any way the officers of the State,
legislators and members of Congress,
they will have to adopt a measure not
embraced in the free pass law now of
force.
The Supreme Court has declared the
jury law unconstitutional, going fully
into all the matters known as special
legislation. If we do our duty. we shall
not very soon hear anything in relation
to the unconst, 'utionality of special leg
islation. The whole brood should be
wiped from the statute laws of the State.
From every county in the State we
have distressing news in regard to the
failure of crops this year, especially the
corn crop.
The Senate was in session also, but
adjourned very soon after the GOVERNOR s
message was read.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18TH.
The cotton manufacturers Of the State
have published an address to the men,
bers of the Legislature on the subject of
child labor and education. All the fac
tories declare that they favor compulsory
education. Sixty.five of the one hun.
dred and seventeen factories in the State
report that they have on their premises
ninety-three churches, and that tho sum
of $4lS,772.70 have been expended for
building churches, school houses, and
the expenses of teachers, Sunday schools,
etc. This is noble work on the part of
the mill owners.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16.
The State officers and the various insti-
tutions of the State are making their re-
ports for the year just passed We have
before us the report of the operations of
the State dispensary. The business of
the year has amounted to something
more than S2,0OO,OOO. The profit is
about $6lb0OO. The bulk of this fund
goes to benefit the free schools of the
State. The committee appointed by the
Legislature to examine the affairs of the
dispensary report favorably upon it's
condition.
free schools amounts to $93S, ,113. For
the whites $726, 1854, and for the
negroes $211 ,297.56. The expenditure
last year was $500, ,S4l .O5.
A bill to prevent the sale of cigarettes
was laid on the table. Several bills
(unimportanD were introduced.
Winthrop College asks for $62,000 to
run that institution for the present year.
Last year, with a less number of students
the expenditure was $4,000.
Last evening an interesting ceremony
took place in the hall of the House of
Representatives. Col. John B. Cleve-
land, of Spartanburg, presented to the
State of South Carolina a marble tablet
in which is set copper plate, that was
once affixed to the lid of the coffin of
James Glenn, Esq, of Langcroft, Scot
land, who was Governor of the colony
of South Carolina from 1888 to 1855, who
afterwards died in Scotland and whose
remains now lie in the old churchyard of
Linlithgow.
Prof. r. Means Davis, one of the pro-
fessors of the South Carolina College,
made the presentation speech. Gov.
McSweoney received the relic in behalf
of the State. The address of Prof Davis
was full of historical "reminiscences of
the State.
Compulsory education is much talked
about here, and bill has been intro
duced in the Senate to carry it into exc
cution.
SATURDAY., JANUARY iS.
The General Assembly is getting down
to business. The House has been anx-
ious to dispose of the elections, but the
Senate seems to be more conservative,
and the whole batch of candidates 90
over to next week-Tuesday probably.
Mr.. Smith introduced bill to appro-
pirate 100000 to the public schools.
The forensic battle ragged hotly for a
good part of two days. Finally, on a
yea and nay vote the bill was defeated
by large majority--not because the
Legislature Is opposed to education, but
because the State has already appropri-
ated three mills for this purpose. A
good part of the profits OF the dispen-
sary also go in the same direction, be-
sides every school district can vote as
much school tax as may be necessary to
educate the children in their limits. The
State is also bare of breadstuffs and. the
cotton money generally has been spent,
and 1t will be hard work for the people
to pay their taxes.
@ r.,