The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-01-28
WORK HARDLY
YET COMMENCED,
General Assembly and It's
Proceedings.
LAURENS MEMBERS.
They Have Made q FavOra-
bio Impression.
Mr.. Nichols Bill as to Duplicates OF
Liens-The Race for Associate
Justice.

COLUMBIA, s. O., Jan. 2S.-The gen.
eral assembly has not "pulled itself to-
gether and gotten down to hard work"
yet. Always it requires couple of
weeks for the two houses to unlimber.
There are elections to be held and gov
ernors to inaugurate, not to mention
the time required for the houses to per-
feet their own organizations.
Laurens has as usual good strong
delegation OF hard headed practical
men who say no more than is neces-
sary and command attention when they
speak. Representative Cooper has
numbers of friends in both houses, is
chairman OF an important committee
and has places on other committees
that count largely in shaping legisla-
lation. Mr.. Nichols is universally liked
and is fine representative of the sturdy
farmer element of the state He has
the respect of all the influential mem
bers. On practical matters affecting
the interests of the people who till the
soil his advice always has weight, and, T.,
moreover. he is man of breadth of
view and his positions are safe and
well taken. Mr.. Irby, the chairman Of
the delegation, is one Of the youngest
members in the whole body, probably
the youngest, but he has a place on the
| judiciary committee and is rapidly be.
coming familiar with legislative du-
ties. He has met with a warm, hearty
reception and is making numbers of
| friehds.
In the senate, Mr.. Goodwin is an in
fuential member. He is not talka-
tive member but he is an effective
speaker, makes his points clearly and
forcibly and Is an all round valuable
man. 1t is source OF real qualification
to Laurens man to come here
and find that his delegation occupies 80
strong position in the respect and
confidence of the lawmakers of the
state.
Mr.. Nichols has introduced bill
providing that persons giving liens,
chattel mortgages and similar coutrac
shall be provided with duplicate copies
of them. Under the present system, an
ignoraa: man may sign lien or chat
tel mortgage and the party to whom 1t
is given takes charge of it and he never
sees it again. These papers are nearly
always made on printed blanks and the
provisions thereof usually cover the
! bea"ens the ee-.h ,end TO voters be-
sSlsssS sgs.I cli M istno-syresS go
meath. Iths Of course an easy matter
for dishonest man to make additions
to the paper after it has been executed.
This Is especially true as TO that class of
papers which are indexed but not re-
corded in full in the clerks office. I
can conceive of no reasonable objection
to the measure. Among trained and
| careful business men it is the invaria-
Bile custom for both parties to have
copies of all contracts. 1t seems much
more important that ignorant and IL
literate persons be provided with this
business protection. Moreover, 1 think
1T is an important matter. On its face,
it does not seem to involve any pro-
found reform but in practice it would
be found to prevent a considerable
amount of oppression and dishonesty
For unately, very few men are suffi-
GENTLY dishonest to make change in
a paper after.it has been executed but
one swindler can impose on a large
number Of helpless people in the course
OF q season, OF course man who
changes a written contract after it has
been executed and delivered is guilty.
OF forgery and may be sent to the pen
itentiary II convicted but the difficulty
| Is that In this class of cases detection
Is almost impossible. Hence tho. bill
would have great beneficial effect IL en-
| acted.
There Is plenty of interest in the
race for chief justice. The entries are
Tribble OF Anderson, Woods of Marion,
Robert Aldrich of Barnwell, s. j.
Simpson of Spartanburg, Gruber of
ColletOn, j. +. j. Caldwell of Green.
wood and Ex-Judge Izlar of Orange
burg. The impression is that MIR.
Woods will undoubtedly lead on the
first ballot Some of our members.
probably two OF them, will vote for Mr..
Simpson, a native Laurens man and
lawyer who has scarcely superior in
the stale, certainly not in this race.
Another is understood to favor Major
Caldwell who Is also one Of the very
best of South Carolina lawyers. How.
ever, with the material to select from
1t is fairly certain that an able jurist
will be chosen. Mr.. Woods is a man of
great learning anu spotless character.
Mayor Park Of Greenwood, form erly
OF Laurens, is hers In the interests of
his partner, Major CALDWELL.
L saw General Bonham of Anderson
here to-day. 1t will afford his numer-
GUS Laurens friends pleasure to know
that he is almost recovered from h,a
recent severe illness and is looking
strong and well.
II is hard to predict what the legisla-
ture will do as to suggested measures
Of more general interest. In S,l likeli-
hood a child labor law will be enacted
but it will be conservative In It's prc-