The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-02-18
REVIEW AND FORECAST.
THE ASSEMBLY EXPECTED TO ADJOURN
AT END OF THIS WEEK.
The Tax on Dos, in a Fair Way to be En-
acted-The Ten Circuit Bill has Chance.
The State House Scandal.

The State House Scandal.
COLUMBIA, February 13.-The general
assembly is expected to adjourn sine die
next Saturday morning. There is no
reason in the world why this programme
should not be carried out. The expert
enced legislators say that the last fare
wells can be said before the morning
trains leave on Saturday. Of course IT
the legislators are so disposed they could
easily jog along for another month or
two. Half of the bills on the calendar
will remain unfinished if the general as
sembly adjourns on Saturday or month
from Saturday. The work is very much
further advanced than usual. The Sen
ate has a full week on the general appro-
priation bill, the supply bill and the legis-
lative appropriation bill, and there ought
not to be the slightest hitch in having
acts in the engrossing department early
in the week, so there will be no confusion
and anxiety about getting these impor-
tant measures out of the engrossing de-
partment in ample time for ratification.
The house ought also to pass the election
precinct bill early this week, so as to get
it in the engrossing department in ample
time, and if the Senate purposes to pass
the franchise tax bill the sooner 1t IS
gotten out of the way the better.
The present session to the careful oo-
server would emphasize the mistake that
the constitutional convention made in
prescribing forty days limit as the
length of the session; if there had been
no restriction the chances are that the
precedent established prior to 1895 would
have continued, and the. sessions would
not have lasted more than thirty days.
The two recesses that have been taken
this year have broken into the continuity
of the work as much as if the session hao
been curtailed more than twice the length
Of the recess.
THE FRANCHISE TAX.
The expectation was that great things
would come as result Of the suggestions
of the tax commission. 1t was thought
that the propositions carefully worked
out by the commission would go through
the general assembly without any trouble.
It was easy enough to rush through the
house the franchise tax bill, which was
aimed exclusively at corporations, but
after this had been done it seemed as II
the lawmakers had spent all OF their
enthusiasm and eagerness. This franchise
bill, which is now in the Senate, and
which has yet to 60 through that body
is expected to raise about 100000. line
larger portion of this fund will come from
what is known as public utilities, the
railroads alone paying the large portion
of it. Strange to say, neither the tax
commission nor the general assembly is
insisting on the all or none "policy," and
if nothing else can be gotten through the
1raQCllSe TAX Ull1 " LII AoPAS"'
total of revenue legislation.
THE "eLEANER" BILL.
The Senate has passed on behalf of the
tax commission what is known as the
aeleaner" bill, which looks to the ap-
pointment of an officer whose duty ltshall
be to hunt up property which is not on
the tax books. The house has not yet
passed this bill. Both houses have Killed
what the tax commission regarded as It's
most important measure, the appointment
of central board of equalization, having
charge of practically all classes of prop
erty.
The tax commission bills looking to-
wards the taxation of incomes of $1,000
and upwards, and the taxation OF gltts'
legscies and bequests, gracefully slumber
on the house calendar, and are likly to
remain there.
This has not been niggardly nor plea
yunish general assembly. In fact it might
well be called liberal body. AS gen
eral thing the house cuts the approprla-
ton bill as it comes in from the committee