Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-01-21
Letter from Senator E. |. Hsmdon.

Columbia, January 17.--Editors Cou-
rier: Complying with your request,
will try to give you brief report of the
proceedings of the General Assembly
during the last week.
In accordance with the mandate of the
Constitution tho two houses convened at
noon on Tuesday, 18th instant, aud at
once proceeded to the organization for
business. <
The Senate was called to order by Lieu
tenant Governor Tillman, and all the
members responded to the call of their
names except Senator Butler, of Chero-
kee, who was detained at home by the
illness of a member of his family, and
Senator McIver, who was with his dis
tinguished father, the late Chief Justice
McIver. The new Senators were sworn
in and Hon. j. @. Sheppard was unani.
mously elected as President pro tom, and
Hon. Robt. r. Hemphill, the veteran
Clerk of the Senate, was reelected to
serve another term. Rev. o. A. Darby,
D. D., was elected chaplain. ~
The annual message Of the Governor
was received and read.
The Senate proceeded to elect the
members of the various committees The
Senator from Oconee was elected to
places on the following committees:
Dispensary, Penal and Charitable Insti-
tutions, County Offices and officers, Iu-
corporations, Privileges and Elections,
Mines and Mining, Printing and Rail-
roads and Internal Improvements.
A message was received from the Gov
Justice McIver, and out of respect to
this great and good man, eminent law
yer and distinguished Judge, the Senate
adjourned until Wednesday.
In the House of Representatives the
Hon. Mendel l.. Smith, of Kershaw, was
elected Speaker, receiving 81 votes of the
11S cast. Tom @. Hamer was reelected
clerk without opposition. Rev. r. N.
Pratt was elected chaplain.
The Oconee members of the House
were appointed on the following CON-
mittees: w. M. Brown, agriculture, pub
lie buildings and penitentiary. the latter
of which he is chairman; DR.. E.C. Doyle,
State house and grounds and medical
affairs.
AS usual, very little of real legislation
has been accomplished the first week of
the session. Senator Marshall has intro.
duced a bill on that much discussed
question, the regulation of child labor in
mining and manufacturing establish
ments, by which it is provided that child
labor Is eliminated from such establish
ments gradually in three years. It is
said that President Smythe Of Pelzer and
Bolton mills, President l.. w. Parker of
the mill at Grier's, and President Clark
of one of the mills here at Columbia,
Mr.. Aull, of the House, has also intro
duced bill on the same subject.
Senator Raysor, of Orangeburg, has in
troduced bill for compulsory education.
Mr.. Toole, of Aiken, has introduced in
the House bill to further reduce the
stock of the State dispensary.
Senator Gaines, of Greenwood, has
introduced bill to regulate the traffic
in seed cotton and unpaoked lint cotton
time for payment of taxes and penalties,
and Senator Raysor another bill on same
subject; Senator Raysor bill to amend
the Constitution so as to provide for
biennial sessions of the General Assem-
bly,; Senator w arren, of Hampton, bill
on same subject; Senator Hydrick, of
Spartanburg, bill to give the Railroad
Commissioners jurisdiction of telephone
lines in this State. These are some of
them, it is likely, will receive consider
able discussion later.
The Governor has returned to the
Senate with his veto, the bill to require
the State Treasurer to strike from the
books Blue Ridge Railroad bonds, and ii
is likely that the perennial bill on the
subject of these old lost bonds will bob
up later. The Governor has also vetoed
the bill, passed at last session, abolishing
the office of Phosphate Inspector.
The State has been forced to borrow
100000 to meet the appropriations and
expenses of last year, and this Legisla-
ture will have to solve the problem of
repaying this loan and the expenses of
this year without increasing tho already
sufficiently large levy of five mills; and
upon the delegation from Oconee will
devolve the task of solving the problem
of providing for the large Indebtedness
created by the last Board of County Com
year, without allowing those who have
done the labor expecting to be paid for
it to suffer, and without at the same time
increasing the tax rate oppressively. Not
an easy problem.