The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-01-04
the COMING LEGISLATURE.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR THE
LAWMAKERS TO CONSIDER.
Compulsory Education-The Deficicn-
cy Revenue and Biennial Ses-
SiOnS.
BY w. III. McCaW.

Columbia. s. c.. Jan. The most
important problem before the new
legislature, which convenes on Tues
day of next week, will be compulsory
education and the matter of raising
more revenue by taxes, though OF
course, the dispensary situation will
bob up in an entirely new light, and
about its head already the clouds are
gathering for a fine old storm. There
are many other matters Of minor i'm
portance, but concerning which there
is more or less feeling, and altogether
| the session promises to be an unus-
ually interesting and entertaining one.
Two-thirds Of this legislature is en-
tirely new blood. and is therefore
largely very fresh from, the people.
The unexpected then is to be ex-
pected, and the end Of the session
may see some very important and far
reaching changes in the statue law.
This is not what is known as an
election session, but this legislature
will nevertheless have several i'm
| portant positions to fill by ballot. A
| new speaker is to be chosen but so far
as is known Mr.. NJ L. Smith, of
Camden, has no opposition for re-
election to this position. T. G. Hamer
| will also be reelected clerk Of the
house without opposition, it is thought.
Mr.. r. R. Hemphill will be opposed
for clerk Of the senate by DR.. T.. G..
Sturkie, Of Orangeburg. A new super
intendent of the penitentiary is to be
elected; D. ]. Griflfn will likely be
reelected without OPPOSITION, though
it has been suggested that he will be
opposd by DR.. Eugene Jarnigan, Of
Marion. Two new judges are to be
elected by this legislature, the terms
Of Judge D. A. Townsend Of the Sew
enth circuit and Judge Ernest Gary
of the Fifth circuit expiring this year.
Both will be candidates for reelection.
Judge Townsend will have rivals in
the persons of Senator D. E. Hydrick,
of Spartanburg, Representative c. P.
Sanders, of Spartanburg, and Sena-
tor F. P. MCGOWAN, Of Laurens.
Judge Gary's opponents will be Sena-
tor Hay, of Kershaw, and J. W. De-
We're, Of Edgefeld. Several college
trustees and members of the peniten-
tiary board are to be elected.
A strong sentiment in favor Of COM
pulsory education as a complement to
the child labor law has been rapidly
crystalizing throughout the state the
past several months. The State press
generally has expressed itself in favor
of such a law, and that those who are
closest to the school problem want it
is shown by the resolution recently
adopted here by the joint association
of county and city school superintend-
ents. Governor Hayward, who has
zealously interested himself in the
educational problems of the State, ia
vors a compulsory education law.
Some effort may be made to carry
out State Superintendent of Education
Martins recommendation to bring the
Citadel here and combine it with the
South Carolina College as basis for
a State university, but it is not thought
that this scheme has much chance Of
success. Though the South Carolina
College will likely he started out on
university career, by the legislature
granting the trustees recent request
for an additional appropriation Of
$4,000 for that purpose.
The State is face to face with a
serious problem with regard to taxes.
Nearly a million and a quarter is re-
quired to meet the present needs Of
state government, but though there is
now about. s204,000,000 worth Of
property on the books, a 5 mills levey
does not seem to be sufficient. The
state is running behind, the great bulk
Of the taxes not being collectible until
the spring. The State has so far bor-
rowed $500,00 and there Will have to
be greater annual revenue by about
100000 if the state is to have any
hope Of getting back to a cash basis.
The quadrennial assessment Of real
estate will be made next year, and It
this class of property is gotten on
a more equitable basis there is some
nope of getting all the additional rev.
enue from this source. In this connec-
ton an effort will be made to get
law passed requiring market value
returns instead of returns on so per
cent. basis. BY the present valuation
there is in round numbers 100000
900 worth Of this class of property in
the state Of course it is argued that
a market value return Of this property
would be unjust because Of the ease
with which personal property lodges
the tax collector, and the fact that
the constitution fixes 8 mills as levy
for school purposes is also used
against the advocates of a greater
valuation of real estate. But it is
pointed out that the greater valua-
ton will provide enough additional
school money to allow the doing away
with the special school levies, which
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