The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-02-26
A BIT OF SHARP PRACTICE
The Session Closes With an Abor-
tive Attempt to Pass a Liquor
Ril1-

Bill.
The closing hours of the legislative
session were marked by an incident
which does not retl ect credit upon the
State, in an effort TO ecu the passage
of a measure that was not introduced
in the regular way. The occurrence is
reported as follows by The State
The House spent last nigh in usual
rollickiug style, Mr.. Hollis and Mr..
Speers furnishing music IN the violins
and Mr.. Ashley leading IN the singing.
II is on such occasions as this that
radical legislation is sometimes gotten
through the Genral Assembly unless
the members are watchful. Just such
an effort was frustrated last night, an
| effort to pass a bill which had not been
introduced or discussed in the House
this session, a bill to allow the State
board of directors to elect beer dispen-
sers In cities of over20, 600 inhabitants.
These elections are now within the pro.
vince of the county boards. The dis
pensary law itself was brought in as a
free conference committee report in
1893, but history failed TO repeat itself
last night.
1t was stated last night that the Sem
ators who had signed the free confer
ence committee report were not aware
Of the nature of the report to which
they affixed their signatures and that
they were indignant over the matter.
The report was rejected by the House
and was never presented to the Senate.
When the House met last night there
was nothing to do, 80 il was decided
to take q recess until $50 o'clock to
give the engrossing department time
to catch up-and the members to go 10
the opera.
Free conferences were in session and
about 10 o'clock one of these commit
tees signiled its readiness to report.
Then ensucd quite a cOmmotlon caused
by a piece of legislation which appears
to be radicalism in the extreme. Mr..
Domlnick on behalf of a free confer.
ence committee submitted a ~dipensary
bill outright for a bill to affect the
county government.
The House fell upon The report.
knlfed it in the neck, and the whole
business was rejected. The following
is a copy of the report
? The committee on free conference
to whom was referred a bill to amend
+ an act entitled "An act to amend ar
act entitled an act to amend an act
, entitled "An act to provide for the
county government of The various coun.
ties of this State" approved tho Gtt
day of March, 1902" approved Feb
ruary 10Th, 1900, respectfully repor,
( that they have carefully considered the
r same and recommend hat the title
= thereof and all after the enacting words
be stricken out and the following be
inserted in lieu thereof
A bill to authorize and mpowe the
board of directors of the State dispen.
sary to grant permits for the establish
} ment and operation of dispensarles TO,
the sale of beer by retail or otherwise
} in cities of over 10000 population and
TO provide for the bonding of the hold.
ers of such permits and to appoint
b said dispensers.
Be it enacted by the General Assem-.
bly, of the State of South Carolina:
Section l. That the board of dlrec.
tors of the State dispensary be, and
they are hereby, authorized to grant
permits for the establishment and
operation of dispensaries for the sale
of beer by retail or otherwise, in all
cities of this State of over 90, 900 popu.
%lation, and they are further authorized
and empowered TO appoint the dispen-
sers who shall conduct the said estab.
lishments.
Sec. 2. That said permits shall con-
tinue and be of force for term of four
years, unless sooner revoked for cause
by State board of directors. And the
holders thereof shall have power to
manufacture, bottle and sell, by retail
or otherwise, beer according TO the
restrictions now provided by law.
Sec. 3. That the holders of such per-
mits shall be required to give bond in
the same amount, and to be approved
in the same manner as now provided
by law for the bond of county dispen-
sers.
w. @. HoUaH,
VIM. ILDERToN,
r. ~ DoudT ACC