The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-02-24
The GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Lawmakers Working Under Pres
sure.
Telephone Bill Safe---AIso the lmmigra.
ton Bureau Bill---eertiIizeT Bill will
Become Law--.inheritanees Over
$4,000 Must Pay Tax--.Sen-
ATE Passes Franchise
Tax Bill.

Columbia, Feb. 1.-THE House to-
day passed probably more bills aud ac-
complished more work than it has on
any previous day of the session.
|. The Senate bill to place telephone
comoanies under She jurisdiction Of
the railroad commission has now been
finally passed and ordered to be enroll
ed for ratification.
The immigration bureau bill has also
been given it's three readings in both
houses and as the two minor amend
n1ents have been agreed upon by the
Senate the bill is now ready to be rati-
fed creating the department Of inmi-
grafton.
The bill which undertakes to revise
the fertilizer inspection law and to
place cotton seed meal under the pro-
visions of that law of inspection has
been given its second reading in the
House and tomorrow will be given its
final reading. The bill has been adopt
ed exactly as it came from the Senate,
with the additional amendment that it
should become operative June, l, 1884,
and this will become the law.
The tax commission bill to change
the law as to tax on incomes failed.
The' House refused to begin to tax in
comes of thousand and upwards.
The tax commission. however. man
aged to pass through the House the
bill which provides for tax on all
inheritances of over $40, 900.
After considerable discussion bill
of Mr. Toole's to require electric rail
way cars to provide their cars with
bells and whistles, and to give certain
signals, was ordered to it's third read
ing. The bill has yet to 60 to the
Senate.
A number of more or less important
House bills were passed, but as it is so
very late in the session it is exceeding
" doubtful if they will manage to get
through the gauntlet of the Senate.
especially because Of the short time
that remains.
Mr.. Gaston's bill, giving the rail
road commission more authority, rela-
tive to depots and union railway sta
tions, was passed after some little dis
cussion.
The House agreed to the Senate
amendment fixing next Saturday as
the day for final adjournment:
A telegram was received from Mr.
VIM. j. Bryan stating that he would
be here Friady afternoon if he could
leave in time to dll au engagement In
Spartanburg Friday night.
The Senate devoted practically the
whole of its morning session to the
tax commission bill imposing license
fee upon all corporations, and to the
bill outlawing slot machines.
Both measures, which came up for a
final reading, were passed with amend
ments, and as they have already passed
the House it only remains now for the
House to consider the amendments.
Considerable opposition developed to
the franchise bill, and it was sought
TO kill it and then to amend so as to
seriously cripple its provisions. The
Senate finally passed the bill with no
material change in it's main provisions
except that the reports provided for be
made to the Comptroller General H.
stead of to the Secretary of State.
The bill outlawng slot machines as
finally passed by the Senate exempts
automatic weighing, measuring and
vending machines, which give a uni
form and fair return for each coin,
and in which there is no element of
chance.