The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-04
TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Wsdnssday's Proceedings in the
House and Senate.

Inc HOUSE dSG0S0 on Al. w. -
Johnson's amendment, which specifies
that the State geologist is to do the
work Of she phosphate Inspector
. wishout extra compensation. !" The
bill was passed by an overwhelming
vote 90 abolish the Office Of phosphate
inspector, at q salary OF Sl,2 200. and
devolve She work on the geologist.
STEALING FROM THE FIELD.
Senator Douglass's bill sought to
make stealing from the field matter
for Magistrates Courts. Mr.. Lyles
explained that the chief purpose vas
50 save farmers trouble in going to
Court for such small thefts and the
Magistrates Courts could easily dis
pose OF such matters.
After an hours discussion the House
reached a vote. Mr.. Tatum asked
for the yeas and nays, which resulted,
By 40 to SO, in a refuse to kill the Dill.
Mr.. D. O. Herbert urged that 1t
would be great mistake to pass this
bill. It would be unwise to make any
changes in the present law. The heavI-
er, the punishment the greater she
avoidance OF the crime. The Dill seeks
to reduce the penalty from maximum
of Eve years to thirty days, the magls-
trates,' Jurisdiction. The Jurlsdlctlon
Of the magistrates cannot be increased
without a constitutional amendment.
His people thought severe punish.
ment would deter the committing OF
the crime. This charge is unwlse and
unsafe. There was another call Tor
the ave and nay vote, and again by a
vote of 4S to 58 the House refused to
strike out the enacting words OF the
bill
The House then cliched the vote.
The bill was amended so as to make
the punishment not less than the ex-
IRENE limit. The idea was to impose
she full thirty days or one hundred
dollars, fine, and give no discretion
to the Magistrates Court to reduce
the fne TO less than the maximum OF
thirty days or one hundred dollars line.
= The bill was, after more than an
hours consideration, ordered TO It's
third reading. Itsimply provides that
cases of theft from the field shall be
tried by the magistrates and not in the
Court of General Sessions, and under
the bill as adopted the punishment is
to be fixed at thirty days or one hun
dred dollars.
MAGISTRATES JURISDICTION.
Mr.. Rainsford had joint resolution
by which ne proposed a constitutional
amendment, by which the voters could
give magistrates more jurisdiction.
Mr.. Rainsford explained that to give
magistrates more jurisdiction would
be a great economy and he felt that
the people would favor the proposition
by ten to one vote. The matter was
SO we'll understood that he simply ask
ed for a yea and nay vote. The vote
resulted SO TO g. but as two-third
vote was requisite the resolution fail
ed.
The House agreed to elect a trustee
for the South Carolina College at TO-
days session and provided for recess
If necessary.
Majority and minority reports were
made on the following bill:
Section 1. That on and after the ap-
proval of this Act by the Governor
every complaint on an interest bearing
money demand shall be verified and
shall, in addition to the other neces-
sary allegations, contain an averment,
either on personal knowledge or on
information and belief, that no interest
in excess of the legal rate has been
charged or received on the demand sued
on in such action.
IS Section 2. That no verdict or jUdg-
ment shall be rendered or entered on
any interest bearing money demand
where the complaint in the action does
net conform TO the provisions OF Sec
tion / of this Act.
The majority report is unfavorable
and is signed by B. S. Whaley, chair
man. The minority report is favorable
and is signed by L @. Blackwood, J.
". DeVore, NJ. 2. DeBfuhl, ". Q.
Irby, JE., and q. S. DoWling.
The joint assembly at this iuncture,
reassembled to resume the work on the
elections and to elect the United States
Senator, as provided by law The
House and Senate journals were read,
showing that all ballots we're cast for
the Hon. A. G. Latimer for United
States Senator and he was declared to
be elected United States Senator for
the full term to succeed Senator
McLaurin.
After the election of an associate
justice had been declared, the Joint
assembly proceeded to the election Of
a code commissioner. There were
four nominees: E. G. Baynsworth of
Sumter, VIM. Elliott, Jr., of Colum
bia. Fred Dominick of NewberTy and
j. C. Mcclure of Chester. The first
ballot resulted: Elliott ~, Dominick
42, Mcclure 81, Haynsworth 50.
The second ballot was: Elliott 43,
Dominick 50, Haynsworth IS. Nc
CIure SO.
The result of the six ballots that
were taken for commissioner were:
Elliott ~, 43, As, so. Sc, 56: Domi-
nick, ~, SO, 3A "a, Is, O: Hayns-
worth 33. So, 81, 81, SO, Al; Mcclure
"a, 3s, 4G, 40, 43, so. On the sitxh
ballot Dominick's name was with
drawn.
On the seventh ballot the vote
stood: William Elliott, Jr., 81, J. G.
Mcclure 46, E. G. Haynsworth 50.
Necessary to elect Y.
Senator Manning then withdrew the