Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-01-18
LETTERS FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES
Little Doing tho First Week 0cones Gets
First Choice OF Seats.

Il EWSs SuVtSO W oookSs
Columbia, January 14.--Editors Cou-
| rier: know the voters of Ooonee county
will be glad to hear from and know what
we are doing In Columbia. The House
was organized Tuesday by electing a
Speaker, chief clerk, etc.
On Wednesday the seats were drawn
for in the same way that you draw jurors
Oconee was the first drawn and it is use
less to say that the Oconee delegation is
conveniently located, as We got first
choice.
The committees were appointed Thurs
day, and my colleague, Mr.. Werner, was
put on railroads and public schools, and
your humble servant, the writer of this
letter, was placed on the committee Of
roads, bridges and ferries; also on com.
mittee regulating the times and dates of
holding Court in the Eighth judicial Cir
Quit.
But very little work has been done as
yet in our end of the house, as it takes
several days after bill has been intro
duced before it comes up in the House.
Several hundred bills have been en-
crossed or offered and will come up next
week. Our Solicitor, Mr.. Boggs, says
that this is far in excess of previous years
for the first week.
About two-thirds of our body are new
members. The House Is composed OF
fifty-tive farmers, forty y-t~o lawyers,
seven doctors, etc. One hundred and
seventeen members were present this
week in our end of the House.
Our session was short to-day (Satur-
day.. having adjourned until Monday at
IL O'Clock, in order that several of our
members might go homo.
Will write short letter every week or
two and let our people at homo know
what we are doing. j. ID. Sheldon.
Columbia. January 14.--Editors Cou-
rier: 1t is just now 20 minutes past 10
O'Clock In the morning and the House has
adjourned until Monday at IL A week
has passed and there's nothing done OK
cept to organize, appoint committees
and have few bills placed upon the cal
endar. The session this morning only
lasted twenty minutes, including prayer.
That is pretty good pay for the
members 81 for twenty minutes),
but not a very promising out
outlook for the taxpayer. If, however,
there is single man in Oconee county
who thinks he could change the order OF
things here, he ought to come down
next time and try his hand.
! If am able to observe any distinct
difference between this and former ses-
sions which have attended, it is disin-
clination to make full use of the time. /
have not yet had full opportunity to
judge the members, but think they are
about on an average with those of former
sessions of which was a member.
| Perhaps it would interest your readers
to know how the members are allotted
seats. 1t is something like the drawing
of jurors. The name of each county is
written on slip of paper and placed in
hat. A small boy, called page, takes
out one paper at time and the clerk
reads the name of the county on it. That
county delegation answers and selects
seats for their mombers. This is one
time when silence reigns in the House,
as tho selection of seats is considered a
very important matter. One of my
reasons for going into particulars in this
matter is to let you know that for one
time, and doubtless the only time in the
history of our county, Oconee was the
first to be called. This opportunity to
select seats fully expected to be last, as
heretofore, when we were toward the very
last to get seats and placed to disadvan-
tage and Inconvenience. | cannot say
how glad l was to get first choice of
seats. We occupy numbers 81 and 80,
three seats from the Speaker, imme-
diately in his front, on the left side of
the center aisle, and on tho seeiug side
of the hall-the location, the light and
latitude all being the best afforded for
the work to be done here.
Our delegation is located on Senate
street, No. 1912, not more than one hun
dred feet from the State House, 80 we
rest Immediately under the shadow of
the dome of the capitol, and are ever re-
minded of the gravity and responsibility
of our duties here. e. f. Werner.