The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-01-15
COLUMBIA LETTER.
What Our Law Makers are Doing at
the State Capitol.
From Our O,rn Correspondent.

Assembly enter the capital tomorrow
for the opening Of the second session
Of this Legislature they will aacend the
broad marble steps to the second story
of the capitol. 1t will be like entering
new building. The old heavy doors
opening into the dark downstairs cor
ridor arc now supplantcd by hand
some entrance. The change is typical
of the transformation of the historic
dome from the summit of which upon
n tall pole floats the Palmetto banner
of South Carolina. From each side
there projects another flag pole upon
which will be raised the State and the
National flags to denote that one house
or the ether is in session.
The session which begins tomorrow
being the second meeting of this Cen
ea', eral Assembly, A ,t1y IT. there viii be no time
ton. The Senate will bo called to
order by LieutenantG Governor Jas. II.
Tillman and the House by Speaker w.
F. Stevenson, of Chesterfield. The
committees are all organized, and moth
ing. but the elections will hinder the
Legislators getting down to the work of
onacting laws.
Auo clcCIiOMb VIII OOuUL1obB CaK0
place early In the session. There are
tice and several Circuit Judges, but the
only contests will be in the First and
Third Circuits. Judge Benet in the
First declines reelection and the can
didates are Mr.. j. E. Burke, Of Char
lesion, who has the unanimous en-
ao-Somont 0f the Charleston bar, and
Mr.. G.. 6. Dantzler, of Orangeburg.
Tn, ho ThsrH Tud~o II oIo~o,
and the candidates are moro numerous,
some Of them being r. o. Purdy and
T. b. Fraser, of Sumter, and George
Gallety, of Florence.
The Board of Directors of the Dis
pensary and the State liquor commits
siOner are to be elected at this session.
The present board and commissioner
are completing their first term-the
first. indeed, under the present dispen-
rectors, L. J. Williams, Of Edgefeld,
chairman, Fl. H. Evans, of Newberry,
and A. F. II. Dukes, of OrangeburR,
and the commissioner, H. II. Crum, Of
Bamberg. are all candidates for re-
election. The candidates for the Board
of Directors, which pays "a day for
not more than 100 days, are numerous.
Legislature is always the disposition Of
such routine matters as taxation and
appropriations, most of which is usu-
ally attended to at the last part of the
session. But one very important mat
ter which the Legislature must settle
is in regard to the county government
law. The provisions on this subject
are 80 conflicting that at the session of
to investigate and report satisfactory
bill at this session. and this must now
be acted upon. One Judge has de-
clared the jury law unconstitutional
and another has upheld its validity;
the supreme Court has not passed
upon 1t, and, until it does 90, the Leg
islature will not want to act, but there
is general realization Of the need of
government laws.
Another effort will be made to change
the Congressional Districts. and this
time with improved chances for sue
cess, since Congress has passed law
requiring the Districts in all States to
be composed OF contiguous territory.
To alter the Districts, however, may
throw two of the present Congressmen
into the same District and their friends
may object. Conflicting ambitions of
this sort have before now been effec-
tive in defeating redistricting bills.
Attorney General Bellinger will
promptly submit his report of the anti
trust investigation instituted at the
instance of the Legislature. The pres
ont antitrust laws are ineffective, and
more stringent ones are needed, but no
other State has been able to frame eat-
lsfactOry laws on this subject, and it il
not easy for South Carolina to do so.
A kin to the subject of trusts is that
of corporations. their licensing and
taxatiOn.c The Governor and the Sec
retary of State will both recommend
the enactment of better laws on these
subjects, and bills will be introduced
of various purpOrts and intents.
The fight to prohibit "child labor'' in
the mines and factories will be renew
ed. Last year: after a spirited fight,
all anti. child labor bills we're defeated
in the House, but Senator Marshalls
bill passed the Senate and is now on
the House calendar. 1t IS more con-
seryative measure than the House bills
OF last year, and hence more likely to
be formally acted upon. Much work
half of tho proposition. and the advo-
Gates of the law are now re-enfOrce<,
by Gov: McSweeney's positive recon-
mendatlOn of action to restrict child
labor. n his Inst message the Cover
nor TOOK 10 definite stand, but this
time he comes out strongly for the pas
sage OF bill prohibiting the employ
hcno "! ShiiUIcu uluet IL years or age,
with the suggestion that the law do
not go into effect for one year.
With the opening of the Legislature
comes flood of politica! talk and Cos
sip to the capital. Candidates for
State offices are already in the field.
1t is understood that Gov. McSweeney
will stand for election, and tho
other candidates so far announced are
EX. Solicitor Martin r. Ansel, of Green
vile, MIR. ID. {. Hayward, of Colleton,
Congressman w. j. Tnlbert, of Edge
field, and Lieutenant G Overnor JAS. III.
Tillman. OF Edgetield. There will be
Others. including perhaps Secretary of
State NJ. Il. Cooper.
Attorney General Bellinger stand
for Congress in his District to succeed
Mr.. Tulhert. The Assistant Attorney
General Mr.. Z. y. Gunter. Jr., will be
n candidate for AttOrney-G General, and
1t Is understood that Speaker Steven
son will oppose him.
For Secretary of State, the present
assistant, Jesse II. CAN'T, the Cover
nor's private secretary, Mr.. L. ii. AulI,
Col. J. Harvey Wilson, a Representa-,
tive frcm Sumter, and doubtless one or
W will hn y