The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-01-06


Waschns@s assd !Soathron now bas the COM
binea cremation aud influence of both of
the otd papsrs, and IS manifestly the best
advertising MEDIUM IN Sumter.
The Legislature meets next week
and the session should be one of the
ssost important in results Of any ses-
sion Of the past ten years. The most
ssmporsans matter that will come up is
the ravisSsn cf the tax laws, but, ow-
ing TO tho ansagonisms that will be
aroused between che, various interests
ss be aascssd BY proposed changes in
she laws. it Is possible that nothing
aS all OF raai yalue will be accomplish
Cd and the present unsatisfactory sys-
tenn Of saEasicp Will be continued
praesica aeh anged. Another inspor-
saat matsgE;to be considered is the re-
5ss Of tsa Een law. There is now a
ssgonge- aRd more widespread demand
than eysr bsfors for the immediate
repeal Of shis Law which has outliyed
It's usefulness. Nevertheless We do not
ansicipaka It's repeal Ne havs for
years adyccatsdgshes repeal of the lien
IaM, but ne have been informed re-
Gently that the; courts Of this State
have, held Eisat farmer Ias the right,
irrespective OF the lien law. to give a
mortgage on his crop even before it is
planted and, if this be the case, the.
repeal of 6ne Hen law woulo not I'M
prose conditions, but vould, on the
contrary, be an injury to the class OF
people Who are accustomed to giving
3iens. inasmuch as the lien law now
gives 80 them certain degree of pro-
lection against rapacious and disbon
est creditors IF man has ascomnon
iiaw right to mortgage his crops the
lien law may as we'll remain as it is.
Another not of particular Importance
20 the people at large. but, one which
IS calculated to create something of
sensation is the report of the commit
Tee appointed to investigate and re-
port on the condition Of the State
House with especial reference to- the
Wcrk done ON 1.-two years ago. There
have been rrmors and charges Of job
berg ard shoddy work ever since the
work Was started, in fact from the
time sbe contract was awarded, and
siit IS said that she report Of the special
committee will give those interested
something to think abont. These
matters together with the elections
80 be held seem toabe the ones that
AZ now most frequently discussed by
Legislator, but there are others Of equal
faportance to come mp during the
,saecsion.
Rfis blind tigers of Charleston are
now payirg their license taxes for
doing business. About fifty. of them
'WeEs arrested last week by the police
sa14 carried before the Recorder
Ehose who entered a plea of guilty
were fired S25 while those who de-
Eanded trial were fined $50 each upon
eonvicsson. This system is really
cheaper for the liquor sellers than the
old anti dispensary license system.
Sumtsr and Anderson are running
neck and neck for fifth place among
fhe cities Of South Carolina. At the
last census Sumter held the position
with Anderson close sixth aud every
siiing points to The fact sEat.they are
sast about maintaining their relative
positions. In posto6iee receipts, dis.
pensary sales, cotton .receipss etc.
they are SO close together shat it is
hard 20 separate them. But in cotton
znannfacturing Anderson is long
ways ahsad Of Sumter and it is time
this city was making move in that
line of industry. In the manufacture
.os telephones and electrical appliances
and in wood working plants Sumter
has Anderson beat as well as al other
q. IL 2. cyts