The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-29
The McGowan Bill Passed by the
House Thursday.

Columbia, Jan. 22.-The MCGOWAN
bill to rearrange the congressional
districts of the State passed second
reading in the house today and is
reasonably sure of enactment as the
senate favored it last year. There
were several amendments proposed.
Mr. Weston announced his support
of the MCGOWAN bill and the with
drawal of his own bill. The Freeman
bill was rejected.
When the redistricting bills were
brought up for discussion, Mr.. NJ. L.
Smith of Kershaw had the hoo-. He
made the general statement that re-
districting is necessary and further
that everybody cannot be pleased
with the grouping in accordance with
population. He denied that there is
any personal motive in the minds Of
the advocates of the bill Mr.. Nc
Gowan and Mr.. Weston have intro
duced measures which will practically
eliminate themselves from congress
sional hono1s.
Mr.. Smith declared that the trainers
of the federal constitution never
thought of States being divided into
districts. In 1S42 congess provided for
districts. Originally it was State
representation, and the congressman
should now represent the entire people
of the State as they do of the entire
nation. It is necessary, however, that
these representatives should be dis
tributed over the State in order to be
supplied with as much knowledge of
the needs of the people of different
sections.
He then cited figures showing that
according TO the present grouping Of
counties into districts one voter in
Hampton county has as much repre-
sentation as five in Greenville. He
favored the MCGOWAN bill. He held
up the ideal district and compared
the districts in the several bills with
this ideal, to the credit of the McGow-
an bill. He called attention to the
fact that all but one of South Caro-
lina:s congressman live in the border
counties. This is the result of the
gerrymandered scheme now in exist
ence and the interior counties have no
showing at ALL The county of Rich
land is SO divided that one-half is
tackled on to the mountain counties,
the ether to tie seacoast. He closed
with an appeal for change.
Mr.. Freeman Of Marlboro offered a
substitute for Mr. McGowan's bill.
He said that some Of the districts in
the MCGOWAN bill were like gourd
vines. He had consulted no candi-
dates for congress in arranging his
bill. He had taken the map and
worked every conceivable combina-
tion and he bad presented what ne be-
lieves to be the best plan of all He
then discussed the merits Of the seve
raj bills.
Mr.. Bacot of Charleston offered an
amendment to the MCGOWAN bill TAX
ing Beaufort out of the district with
Charleston. There are three seaports,
Georgetown, Beaufort and Charleston,
and they should be in separate dis
tricts.
Mr.. MCGOWAN said this suited him.
Mr.. Moses of Sumter opposed it.
This would make the Seventh district
top-heavy.
Mr.. Rainsford made strong speech
against the amendment. 1t would put
Edgefeld into a district but so miles
wide and stretching from the sea al.
most to the mountains, worse condi-
tion than any district under the gerry
mander act.
Mr.. Croft of Aiken made a speech
in favor of the amendment. The coun-
lies of Beaufort and Lexington favor
tt, and why not let them be changed.
The amendment was adopted and
the bill as amended passed second
reading.
The following is the redistricting
plan passed by the house with the
population of each district:
l. Charleston, Berkeley, Colleton
and Dorchester-16S, 206.
2. Edge6eld, Saluda, Aiken, Barn
we'll, Bamberg, Hampton and Beau
fort-195, 500.
3. Oconee, Pickens, Anderson Alb
beville, Greenwood and Newberry-
100, 662
4. Greenville, spartanburg, Laurens
and Union-181, 9333.
5. Cherokee, York, Chester, Fair
field, Lancaster, Kershaw and Ches-
ter6eld-190, 492.
y. 11oO1O, -Iie-41Cii.
ton, Florence, Williamsburg and
Georgetown-201, 757.
I. Sumter Clarendon, Orangeburg,
Richland and Lexington-211 937.
This takes no note Of Lee county
The following is the plan proposed
by Mr. Freeman:
l. Keowee district, composed of the
counties Of Cconee, Pickcns, Green
Vile, Anderson and Abbeville- -1S5, 627.
,. Catawba district, composed of
the counties Of Spartanbur:c,. Chero-
1S2, 720
3. Wateree district, composed of the
counties OF Lancaster, Kershaw, Sum
ter, Richland. Chesterfield, Lee ,and
C3arendon-198, 682.
4. Pee Dee district, composed of the
counties of Marlboro, Marion, Horny,
Georgetown, Florence, Darlington
and Williamsburg-197, 313
5. Santee district, composed of the