The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-02-12

prop, take the children ont of
the mills and to the poor house
they would have to go. The
theorists and sentimentallstS
who are pressing this class Of
measures do not look at the prac-
teal side at all, they cling to the
sentimental altogether.
The cotton seed bill after Il
very hard fight was killed, and |
joined in the killing because l
was left in the position of taking
a choice between letting Claren-
don remain as she is CT have
forced upon her a license of
5000, so I concluded to help kill
the substitute. but | have 20
hesitancy in saying that if any
man chooses to test our seed cot
ton license law, it will be declar-
ed unconstitutional on the
ground that it is not a general
law. and until some such test is
made. not until then will the big
planters IN the legislature con-
sent to permit county. have a
sensible license which can be
collected. In Sumter they have
q $500 license, and the result is
they do not collect one cent, the
same in Orangeburg, while Will
liamsburg and Florence have no
license at all. These big plan
ters do not want a poor man to
have the privilege of selling his
cotton in the seed, because they
believe it might keep them from
getting everything he makes,
and unless they are prevented
by a court decision they will
make things more and more op-
pressive, SO that d poor man will
not be able to buy, barter or ex-
change anything without first
obtaining the consent Of the
owner of the land upon which
he lives. I regard the license
system nothing more or less than
oppression for the benefit of the
rich class.
The bill to make it misde-
meanor to destroy the pasture
fence in Douglas township has
passed the senate and gone over
to the House, where I hope the
delegation will look after it. DR..
Woods told me that he would
watch out for it and help its
passage.
The bill to increase the salary
of the magistrate at St Paul has
passed the senate and is now
over'in the House, where, l am
informed, it may meet with the
opposition of one member of the
delegation: a majority of the
delegation agreed to an increase
of salary on the ground that the
amount of work done by that
magistrate warrants the increase.
The St Paul magistrates Office
turned into the treasury already
since January 1st about $40. l
introduced the bill for the in
crease because I thought it was
just and without any care as to
the political effect. I am not
here to play politics, I am here,
sworn to do my duty, and every
measure introduced and voted
for by me, is with a conscienti-
Gus desire to act for the best in
terests eff the whole people. |
do not bring to the. senate any
personal batred; nor do | bring
any personal favors, and while [
am opposed to increased salaries
as a rule, am equally opposed
to starving to death a good Off
Ger, and thus cripple the service.
My incorporation bill has not
yet been reported from the COM
mittee on account Of the absence
of the chairman, and as it is get
ting late in the session I am
afraid it will not get through.
The bill that was to be framed
for the Summerton charter has
not reached me yet. I gave the
petition to solicitor Wilson but
up tonov no bill has been drawn.
| mention this in order to let the
people Of Summerton know that
| am not responsible for the de-
lay. All bills are framed in the
Solicitors department and [
have been doing my best to
urge the drawing of this bill.
Solicitor Wilson said that Mr.
Purdy was to draw the bill, and
I wrote Mr. Purdy, but received
no reply, I then called upon So
licitor Wilson and urged him to
draw it but without success so
far.
The jury bill has been ratified,
but not in time to help US for
the spring term. The general
salary bill has been finished by
the senate, and it is now up to
the House to either pass or kill
it.
I have been highly honored
with an invitation to a place on
the reception committee to re.
ceive the president of the United
States, and I regard tho compli-
ment as an honor TO the people
I represent. The president was
to be in Charleston the coming
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