Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-28


natural enemy Of i. ects, birds Of all
kinds, decrease in number. The boy
with the gun does the. real mischief.
The hope of the farmer Of this state Is
that the legislature will pass stringent
laws to protect the birds, and that
these laws, when placed on the stat
utes, will be strictly enforced. The
wanton destruction of birds threatens
seriously the agricultural interests Of
South Carolina"
The Child Labor Question.
Columbia Record, Monday: One
would naturally think that the child
labor bill would be foremost in inter-
est in the legislature. For the past
year the question has been thoroughly
exploited in newspapers and magazines
and on the stump, and 1t would be ma
tural that it should prove the most in
teresting bill before the legislature.
The fact is it is not; the bottom seems
to have dropped out entirely, 80 to
speak, and nobody seems to be worry
ing to any extent whether there Is any
child labor legislation or not. This
condition may be explained in one or
two ways. In the first place the mill
men themselves, while some OF them
opposing any legislation, have appar-
emily acquiesced in the Marshall bill,
and will raise no serious objection to
it's passing If bill must be passed. A
meeting of the committee was called
one night last week to consider the
bill, and not even a quorum was pres
ent, and no meeting was held. 1t had
been advertised in the papers week
in advance that this meeting would be
held, and all persons interested one way
or the other were invited to be present.
Not a soul put in appearance. Later,
when the committee met to consider
the bill finally for reporting, there was
a bare quorum, and so little concern
was shown in the bill that 1t was re-
ported without recommendation. 1t
may be put down as fact beyond
doubt that the bill will pass the senate,
and it can pass probably without de-
bate of any length or Importance, un-
less some honorable senator wants to
put himself on record for future use,
which, in view Of general indifference,
would be a waste Of time and breath.
So far as the house is concerned the
same general Indifference character
ICES it, though the proposed legislation
is perhaps pr oably more generally
discussed than it is among senator's.
1t is now an apparent fact, however,
that If a straight fight were to be made
on child labor legislation, 1t would be
defeated in the house. This has been
done before when the question had not
been a leading issue in primary cam
paigns. Now there are a number Of
delegations pledged to vote against
any interference with present condi-
tions in the mills, and they come from
those counties where the greatest part
of the mills of the state are. These
members realize that the operatives
themselves are not favorable to such
legislation as well as other people go
ing to make up their constituency. Be-
ing pledged to the opposition they are
not inclined to support even the Mar
shall bill, because as one Of them ex-
pressed it, they were not sent here to
represent the mills espaeially, and are
not parties to any Compromise these
owners may agree upon. But, as inti-
mated, the Indifference generally
shown may allow the Marshall bill to
go through by default, for there is no
doubt that all practical men who look
at the thing from practical and not
sentimental standpoint want peace and
cessation of the injurious agitation
that has been going on for so long;
and that is one reason; why the Mar
shall bill stands a good show Of pass
ing.
A Midwinter Snake Tale.
A huge snake, twenty feet long and
as thick as the average mans body,
was killed near the exposition grounds
yesterday by posse Of Negroes and
white men, who had been looking for
it since early morning. The hideous
reptile escaped from the Forepaugh &
Sells circus when it came to Charles
ton last October, and, although 1t has
been seen several times near the expo
sition grounds, where the circus tent
was spread, there has been a disposi-
tion to shun its society, and all ac-
counts indicate that it has been living
a very care-free life. A charge Of shot
from a breech-loading gun and Wig
orous bombardment with sticks and
stones ended the existence Of the rep
tile and Gained the fears Of many per-
sons living thereabouts. The bed of the
snake was found near where it was
killed and fourteen wiggling young
ones were crawling about on the pile
Of trash and dry grass. They were all
about two feet in length and were put
to death on the spot. The dead snake
Is of the species known as the cobra
di capello, numerous in Hindostan. Its
bite is about as fatal as lightning and
does it's work nearly as quickly. 1t
will not use its fangs, however, unless
attacked, and it is the serpent COM
monty employed by the snake charmers
Of India. They prefer 1t because of Its
amiable characteristics and its suscep-
tibility Of kind treatment. For weeks
persons living near the exposition
grounds have marvelled at the strange
and inexplicable disappearance Of the
feathered population on their premises
Chickens, ducks, geese, all went away
in the night time and were heard Of no
more. The grewsome remains Of de-
parted hen, found near the corner Of
Race and King streets, was the clue
that led to the conviction Of the SER
pent, which escaped months ago from
the circus folks. Since Monday per-
sons have been looking for the reptile.
When run to earth yesterday it threw
it's huge length into a coil, but did not
manifest any alarming degree OF acer-
bity. When struck with a stone, how
ever, it raised it's black hoodlike head
and a baleful light flashed in its little