The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-01-18
OUR COLUMBIA LETTER.


UuuutIy ~. lJUD.
The usual rush of bills has marked
the first week Of the General Assem-
Dly, nearly two hundred measures hav-
ing been introduced the first four days.
Inc TWO houses have done little, 80 far
as appearances go, but the committees
nave been named and are getting down
10 Work. Measures cannot be acted on
until they have been considered by
committees and in reality there is
notnlnR much that can be done until
me committees begin to report. In
the Senate tho composition of the
committees Is determined by the Sen
ate itself and in the House the speaker
makes tho assignments. Nearly al
ways the fate Of IL biii depends on the
report wLich the committee having it
In charge will make.
he two Houses met in Joint session
rlGay 10 canvass the election returns,
ne datc or the Inauguration will prob.
aDiy be set for the 18th. rs that seems
To SUIT best. Rairoad Commissioner
Johh II. Earle is the only new officer to
De sworn III and he has already taken
me oath and is performing the duties
OF the office.
Among the many bills introduced or
prepared are measures of all sorts and
varieties. Senator Brico has present
amended ami then passed at the last
session. This bill would permit every
county TO vote upon the establishment
or the closing of dispensary without
the special tax imposed by the law now
in force and under which Cherokee
voted out the dispensary last summer.
In Ills message the Governor took
strong ground against the original
Brice bill, arguing for the justice of
fn Il l.
PHI nave claimed majority for it and
Gov. Heyward's argument and influence
may not be sufficient TO defeat it, but
the strong influence of the dispensary
itself is back Of him in this particular
matter.
Senator Raysor has introduced bill
to change tho management of the dis
pensnry on the lines recommended by
that the bill provides for the appoint.
ment OF the State Board of Control by
the Governor, the Board now being
elected by the Legislature. In sub
stance, the proposed change means
that purchases would be made by the
Commissioners instead of by the Board
as at present, and that the prices paid
shall be made public; purchases are to
be made Oh bids advertised for and the
Commissioner is to buy only on orders
venting an accumulation of stock. The
County Boards are to he appointed by
the State Board, two to be nominated
by the county delegation and the third
by the mayor or intendant OF the town
in which the dispensary is established.
The State Board is to have supervision
over the county dispensaries and each
member ia to receive salary of 81 800
u year instead of S400 as at present.
The new billa rnnua IN riafv from
concurrent resolution looking to the
repeal of the 18th and 10Th amend
ments to changing the name of Bull
Pond school house to Bull Pond club.
There are several amendments pro-
posed to the constitution, most of them
seeking to conform conditions to the
system of biennial sessions. There are
six bills on the subject of marriage
Licenses; there iB the bill to provide for
oil inspection; to establish an expert
ment station; to provide for compul-
sorry education; eight bills already re-
latlng to the dispensary; several re-
lating to the lien lev and the sale of
cotton seed; several to change the sys-
tenn Of drawing juriee; ono To regulate
the speed Of automobiles; one to make
"cnssing" @ misdemranor; several
fraud and to punish. bribery; bills re-
lating to the fish and oyster industry;
to have all legal executions within the
walls Of the penitentiary.
These arc only few Of the products
OF the frat week. They show the
multiplicity of subjects with which
the Legislative mind concerns itself.
Many Of the bills are the fultillment of
campaign pledgee, and others are the
part of constituents. A considerable
number. of them will be reported un-
favOrabty by the committees and thus
meet an early death, while others will
languish for want of proper advocacy
and be left on the calendar at the ses-
sion's end. The dispensary and CONS
puleory education bills and measures
of that sort will consume the greater
portion of the time, and towards the
close the appropriations will eclipse
everything else in interest.
No date for the elections has yet
been set, although there are one or two
resolutions on the subject before the
two houses. j. II.