The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-04

Appropriasiou Bials Under C0nsid.
ernsaon-A Bill for b ReRasessUens
Of Property May be ansrodaecd-
New Judicial Districts Bill May not
Pass-Chances Of Marshall's Child
Bill-OtheF Matters.
News and Courier.]
Columbia February l-Special: More
than half Of the legislature session has
passed. Tho bulk Of the work will
have to be done In the remaining days.
Practically nothing kss been done up
TO the present; only one Act has thus
far been ratified. This looks well, far
bette. than might be supposed. II
does not mean Incidence or indiffer-
ence on the part Of either branch OF
the Assembly. It simply means that
the Assembly has not piled Acts upon
the statute books and that the disPos-
ition Ii ito let well enough alone. As
q general thing most folks realize that
there are ample laws on the statute
books and yet 80 many members think
II their duty to propose and press new
laws when there Ii already too much
Law and too little enforcement OF ex-
isting laws. 1t IL this realizing sense
that there 10 no pressing need for new
laws that II showing 90 few Acts at
this session. There have already been
over 500 bills introduced In the House,
bat the legislative axe has been vigor.
ously at work on these measures and
the dispoeition 10 to kill rather than
burden the statute books. It Ii the
most commendsble characteristic OF
the present session. Far more bills
have been killed thus Tar In the House
than have been adopted. .
The fact Of the matter Ii the general
laws contemplated by the Constitu-
tional Convention have all been adopt
ed and there are NO general laws
necessary to carry out the Constitution,
and the only general laws that are to
be adopted are upon new topics and
few Of those have developed.
There seems to be an unfortunate de-
sire now to dispose Of personal grieN-
ances and ambitions by legislation.
This may be because the Constitution
has narrowed legialation down to Ger
tain general topics and some OF the
lAw-makers are undertaking TO make
more petty work and detailed legisla-
tlon possible by seeking to amend the
Constitution. Only yesterday two
separate resolutions were offered to
permit an amendment to the Consti-
tuition % that the lawmakers Of the
State could fritter away their time on
propositions whether q road should be
opener from Frog Level to Dinkins's
and whether it should ruu by Early
Branch or Spring Branch. The Con-
stitutional Convention wisely under
took to take these petty matters cut OF
the Jurisdiction Of the General Assem-
bly,, and now some of the members
want to spend time on these things.
The Constitutional Convention linn
tied the scope Of legislation and also
limited the sessions Of the General
Assembly to forty days.
IL really need not take forty days to
transact the legislative work-before
the new Consultation the sessions
rarely extended beyond Christmas,
and ended within thirty days. II
would be o feather in some members
cap II he could bring the session to q
close In thirty days. That would be
an achievement that would count more
than to pass some bills OF to hurrah
about night sessions or longer hours.
The House this year does not seem
to have any recognized leader. For
MGR bodies have had two or three men
or perhaps halfa dozen who have been
looked upon ss more CT less leaders.
This condition has generally been
brought about by the recognition OF
leadership IN some important issue +;
but no such important issue or agita-
ton has yet been developed at this
session. Il is 0 fortunate and COM
mandable condition where the men,
bern all have 10 much show and are as
highly regarded by their colleagues.
Thus far the session han been q OF
absolute good feeling and fellowship
There have been no personal clashes.
no hash expressions and least Of all
any evidences Of factioralism. The
members all seem to realize that this IL
not the time for factional foolishness.
There was perhaps an inclination to
excite some folks In the recent cleo
tions, but how utterly 1t failed the re-
suits have shown, and the man who
now tries that scheme IL almost always
the heaviest sufferer.
The ways and means committee will
most probably present the general as
sessment and appropriation bills ct the
end Of the week. Hearings will be
continued until the middle Of the week
and then the committee will finish It's
report. A subcommittee Of the gener-
al committee on ways and means has
been ct work for some time on an as
semment bill.
RKAssEssMENT OF PROPERTY.
The only excuse there would be this
time for the passage Of an assessment
bill would be to get . chance at the re-
assessment Of real estate and other
property. The State board Of equaliza-
don last July, II will be remembered,
met TO reassess and equalize property.
It did not touch the assessment Of real
estate, except to lot matters stand ~
fixed by the county boards and ask for
additional authority from the General
Assembly, and to ask for authority to
take the matter up again. The law
contemplates o reassessnent and
equalization Of real estate every four
years. Last July vas the time for
such equalization. The state board
failed to do anything and the only way
such Q matter can now be taken up Ii
by the passage Of q bill authorizing
such q reassessment ut this time, and
it would be for this purpose more than
any other that o reassessment bill
would DO seriously considered, and
even then 1t is exceedingly doubtful II
n vonld raaa